Procrastination Is Often The Result Of Perfectionism

There is a significant link between procrastination and perfectionism. Some people are frightened that they may not do something perfectly, and if they think they can't do it perfectly, they don't want to do it at all.

Studies about perfectionism and procrastination vary in their arguments about the links between the two. Some indicate that striving for perfection is a positive thing. Others indicate that the desire to do everything perfectly is linked with strong need for order, tidiness, neatness, cleanliness, and generally very high standards that can become obsessive.

Some studies link the intense desire for perfection with depression, and even suicide. There are studies that indicate that high achievers are perfectionists, and that even very successful people can have a propensity towards procrastination.

How can one be a procrastinator and a highly successful person? Possibly one can achieve great success in one field, but at the expense of success in other aspects of our lives. Being driven by work can mean having little time or energy to deal with other areas of life. If someone else is always responsible for all the other aspects of life, you don't get to build up the experience that means you know how to deal with them. Eventually they can appear too difficult to even contemplate.

Managing life in this way can be done by having other people take responsibility for those aspects of our lives that we find we don't have time for. Perhaps areas of our lives that we just don't feel equipped to deal with, or uncertain about.

For example, the gender divide and the division of labor has, for generations, meant that women have been able to remain in the domestic environment and avoid competing with men in the commercial and economic world. Similarly, men have been able to shy away from domestic management, emotional involvement with their children, and direct all their energies to their work and work colleagues.

This is, of course, a gross generalization.
Many men would dearly love to spend more time with their children and take a full part in their emotional and educational development, but are unable to find the time because they need to work outside the house and bring home the bacon.

Similarly, there are many women who would dearly love to be able to be working and fulfilling their potential in other ways than just being at home with the children.

Nevertheless, sometimes we just choose to do what comes easiest, and choose not to do what doesn't. Often we can find ways like this to justify where we direct our energies, and where we leave stuff to someone else.

So is this procrastination, or is this being tactical in ensuring we use our energies most effectively?

Should we feel guilty if, in fact, we are not good at everything, or there are things we just don't like doing? Is there any reason that women should want to deal with car repairs, mowing the lawn, building a garden shed, mend the roof, deal with the mortgage applications, the house insurance, and have to go out to work, and take responsibility for earning the money to keep the house and family going, and raise the children and manage the home in every respect? Do we have to try and be super woman?

Is there any reason that men should want to not only be successful as a provider, but to be able to co-ordinate a household full of children and dogs and want to do the household chores, the shopping, and help with homework and be responsible for all the household maintenance, the garden and all the finances?

No, of course it's not reasonable to expect everyone to want to be doing everything. However, we are bombarded with messages telling us that we should be good at everything. Mostly of course, we come to a deal with our partners and either along traditional gender lines, or just choosing to each be responsible for the things we enjoy or are good at. Maybe we each end up with some things we would rather not do, but not too many of them.

Sometimes we need to just take a step back, and have a good think about our lives. Perhaps just too much is being expected of everyone these days.