healing from academic perfectionism
by mindy @glowettee
let's talk about something that affects sooo many of us in school - the exhausting cycle of perfectionism. here's how to actually work through it while maintaining your academic success 🤍
understanding your perfectionism type:
the all-or-nothing scholar
signs: abandoning tasks that aren't perfect
impact: incomplete assignments pile up
solution: create "good enough" standards for each task
practice: deliberately submit b+ work sometimes
reflection: track how "imperfect" work still succeeds
the endless editor
signs: revising until exhaustion
impact: never feeling finished
solution: set concrete editing limits
practice: use time boundaries for revisions
reflection: note when extra editing didn't change grades
the preparation procrastinator
signs: over-preparing but never starting
impact: delayed work and missed deadlines
solution: create starting rituals
practice: begin with imperfect outlines
reflection: document when "unprepared" work succeeded
practical steps for recovery:
(don't mind the formatting <3)
grade requirement analysis
calculate minimum grades needed
identify where perfection isn't necessary
create realistic grade goals
develop subject-specific standards
track effort vs. grade correlation
time management reality
set maximum study times
include mandatory breaks
create firm stopping points
establish "good enough" timeframes
practice leaving work unfinished
submission strategies
develop personal rubrics
create completion checklists
establish revision limits
set realistic quality standards
practice timely submission
perfection pressure release
identify trigger assignments
create comfort with b+ work
develop release statements
practice "done is better than perfect"
celebrate imperfect submissions
sustainable study practices
implement 80/20 rule
create efficiency metrics
develop quality guidelines
establish effort limits
maintain energy balance
daily implementation:
morning:
set realistic daily goals
identify perfection triggers
establish time boundaries
create completion criteria
prepare acceptance statements
during work:
use timer limits
implement stopping points
practice leaving rough drafts
accept good enough
maintain progress over perfection
evening:
evaluate effort balance
celebrate task completion
acknowledge progress
release perfectionist thoughts
plan next day's boundaries
practical exercises:
the b+ experiment
choose one assignment monthly
deliberately aim for b+ quality
track actual vs. expected grades
note emotional responses
document learning outcomes
time boundary practice
set firm time limits
stop when timer ends
submit work as is
track grade results
build trust in efficiency
imperfection tolerance
start assignments roughly
resist immediate editing
maintain forward momentum
accept messy progress
focus on completion
measuring progress:
keep a recovery tracker:
time spent on assignments
stress levels during work
grade outcomes
emotional responses
energy preservation
weekly check-in questions:
did i maintain reasonable hours?
where did i release perfectionism?
how did i handle imperfect work?
what boundaries did i maintain?
where can i ease standards?
tip: you can maintain excellent grades without sacrificing your wellbeing to perfectionism 🤍
xo mindy
p.s. your worth as a student isn't measured by perfect scores, but by your growth and learning.
