What do you first think of when you hear the word “perfectionism?” People who took it upon themselves to research this phenomenon think it means several things: setting unrealistically high goals for yourself, encountering difficulties in ending a project until you’re satisfied with it, judging yourself based on your failures and accomplishments etc. Unfortunately, I know these are things I can personally relate to, but I suppose this does explain why I have really weird fixations – like sorting money in my wallet based on color. Either way, I’d say there’s clearly a fine line between what we can consider to be perfectionism and what is simply the aftermath of a leisure time spent unwisely, like we’ll see with these 4 Times When People Had Too Much Free Time. Whether they actually had nothing better to do, or they genuinely struggle with being perfectionist overachievers, we couldn’t possibly know. But just in case, we’ll also drop some cool pieces of knowledge regarding perfectionism and the big questions that float around it.
1. Logs
Perfectionist or too much free time? This picture is so meticulous that, regardless of what’s the real story behind it, this is simply too much. Can you just imagine sitting in your… wood place (or whatever it’s called, please don’t sue me, the most encounters I’ve had with logs were in the wilderness, by accidentally running into one) and getting ready to throw on board some logs, but then thinking, “Hey, you know what I need? To spend an extra two hours in here chopping these up so they can make a cool puzzle in the back of my truck!” Literally anything else sounds like a better alternative to me, so I guess the verdict is that this person had too much free time on their hands.
Perfectionism Myth: The word “perfect” evolved into being the equivalent of “flawless” or “without fault,” which is completely off the tracks given the etymology of the word. Of Greek origins, it roughly translates to “complete” or “that which has attained its purpose,” something that doesn’t quite fit in with what we consider it to mean today. Perfection obviously doesn’t exist, as it shouldn’t, since the concept does nothing but lower our self confidence and mood whenever we encounter the smallest error in our actions. Instead, we should focus on reinventing the word to return to its roots, so we can associate it to “our very best,” with all of its flaws.
2. T-Shirt Pile
Perfectionist or too much free time? I’m not up to date with the latest trends in cartoons, save for maybe insanely popular examples like Adventure Time and Steven Universe, but I’m guessing that’s not the case of the person behind this work of art. It certainly takes a lot of dedication (and time) to create something like this, so I think it’s safe to assume that this is a sure case of having too much free time. Still, kudos to whoever came up with this, because it makes for a really cool image and it’s sure to draw the attention of customers.
Perfectionism Myth: Some people wrongly associate perfectionism with “trying your best.” However, this better refers to the concept of “healthy striving.” Unlike healthy striving, perfectionism implies setting incredibly high standards and goals that are impossible to achieve, as well as deeming mistakes as failures and signs of unworthiness. Perfectionism is actually incredibly damaging, so if we want to set realistic goals for ourselves and be open to learn from mistakes, we should turn to a lifestyle of healthy striving instead.
3. Miami Design District
Perfectionist or too much free time? Ah, yes, color coding: everyone’s favorite. I can’t tell what the intention of the person who thought of doing this was, but it’s certainly eye catchy enough to draw the attention of customers and possibly boost sales. So, even though I say this is a definite sign of perfectionism, at least it’s likely to conclude with a salary raise or a promotion. Let’s just hope there’ll be more things to color code around (money, probably).
Perfectionism Myth: It’s believed that perfectionism opens doors towards success. Not only is that false, but it’s been scientifically proven that perfectionism does the opposite thing. It can often lead to depression, anxiety and lack of self worth, something we can blame on the tendency to set incredibly high and impossible to reach bars. Failure and lack of achievements are key factors that lead to a crippling lack of self worth, and perfectionism is the one leading us down that spiral to chaos.
4. Shelf Of Books
Perfectionist or too much free time? More color coding! This actually looks like something I would do, so I don’t think I’d be wrong in saying that the one to fault for it is perfectionism (and a debatable amount of obsessive compulsion). Though, we need to take a step back and ask ourselves: are there any practical uses for this sorting? I mean, sure, it’s aesthetically pleasing, but I don’t think there’s anyone who’d be happy if, when they walked into a library, found Pride And Prejudice sharing the shelf with a detailed biography of Adolf Hitler.
Perfectionism Myth: Are perfectionists actually optimistic people who strive towards the most positive outcome? They strive towards the outcome, period. One of the biggest flaws of perfectionism is the almost exclusive focus on the result of whatever you are developing at the moment. In a way, they never live in the present, and consider any outcome that doesn’t fit their expectations a flaw or an error. Life is unexpected and it definitely doesn’t care about what we expect of it, so the healthiest thing we can do is accept that most things won’t go according to plan.
Obviously, this article had no scientific basis to back up our choices. It was a harmless, (hopefully) entertaining way of shining light on an issue that’s becoming more and more prominent in the modern society. Perfectionism can be damaging to our mental health, unlike these 4 Times When People Had Too Much Free Time. After all, there should be no harm in deciding that you’d rather be spending time color sorting bottles of vodka long drinks, than anything else.
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