When a student becomes upset over a score of 98 out of 100, or can't handle coming in 2nd out of a class of 30, etc, schoolwork will often suffer as a result. Perfectionism of this magnitude usually results from a fear of failure, rejection or disapproval, or insecurity about meeting a given standard. Students feeling these pressures quickly fall into obsessive and extended work patterns.

So - how can such patterns and thought processes be avoided? Here are a few specific suggestions for coping with perfectionism.

Separate Work From Personal Feelings- This is a huge hurdle for many students. For them, an evaluation of their work often feels personal, and the pressure of making that evaluation positive can lead to perfectionism. Students need to be reminded to treat work feedback as evaluation for a specific assignment and nothing more.

Set Incremental Goals- Many students set unattainable, or at least extremely difficult, goals. Instead, students should focus on setting goals based on past achievements. If a student gets an 85 on an exam, the goal for the next one should not be a 100 - it should be an 87. This is more realistic. Remember we must learn to walk before we can run.

Recognise Stress- This can be easier said than done, but it's crucial in battling perfectionism. Students need to become more aware when they're stressing over a project (spending unnecessary extra hours, re-writing pages exhaustively, etc). Learning to recognise stress can help students to re-evaluate their work practices.

Explore Efficient Work Methods- Often, newer or easier work methods can assist in efficiency. Students shouldn't get lazy but should allow certain technologies to make work easier. That might mean using Notion for note-making, or it may mean working collaboratively in Google Docs with another student to study for a test - whatever the case, perfectionists can often find their workloads lessened by these steps. It's important to ‘work smarter, not harder’.

Put Things In Perspective- It's crucial for students to have proper perspectives on schoolwork. Being able to stop and think about the worst-case scenario can help students to realise that an individual assignment - while important - should not be a source of unnecessary stress or excessive workload.

Ask For Guidelines– Encourage students to ask teachers how long they should spend on a homework task or an assignment, so they have an idea whether it is a 2 hour or 22 hour task!

Record Time Taken– Have students record for a week or two what they do every day in their home learning and how long it took. This can help parents and teachers identify bottlenecks in subjects or types of tasks.

Dealing with perfectionism can be a long and tricky process. But implementing these habits and thought processes can help students to develop a healthier approach to schoolwork.

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