As the quarter draws to a close, and the academic pressure gets turned up, we might find ourselves really wanting to do perfectly on our assignments and tests. But, in the process, we might find ourselves feeling unmotivated and unable to finish tasks because we can’t do it “perfectly.”

Here are some tips to manage that feeling of perfectionism:

• Acknowledge the Fallacy: Perfection is not possible in this inherently imperfect world. It is important to acknowledge that the standards that our perfectionism sets up for us do not actually make sense and cannot actually be achieved in the real world with our real human selves.
• Reflect on Your Expectations: Ask yourself a few questions. Are my expectations reasonable, or are they for an idealized version of myself or the situation? Can I adapt and be flexible with my expectations, and still do well overall?
• Reset Your Priorities: Rank your priorities. Is it important that you do one assignment to the best of your ability, or is it better that you complete all the assignments in a timely fashion, even if you won’t get full scores on them?
• Take Care of the Discomfort: Perfectionism often comes with a lot of feelings of anxiety, sadness, and frustration. You feel them for a reason, and it’s because you care about what you are doing! Use your coping skills to self-soothe and take care of those feelings of discomfort.