Attention to Detail vs. the Curse of Perfectionism
Monday, May 28, 2012 at 9:00AM I recently decided to wipe the slate and start my blog from scratch. However, there are some articles from my past that I'd like to update and reintroduce to the blog. For the next several weeks, I'll be sharing some of these articles. If you've been following my writing since the beginning of The Simpler Life over two years ago, you may recognize some of them. More than likely, however, this will be brand new content to you.
Originally I was going to write an article about how paying attention to detail and "going the extra mile" is a fairly simple way to make yourself stick out from the crowd. I still believe this, but I realized that it is a more complex issue than I initially thought. As with almost anything in life, there is a delicate balance between two extremes that must be negotiated. Attention to detail vs. the curse of perfectionism, a battle royale for information workers everywhere!
People like to be recognized for hard work. Everyone has their own reason for working hard, whether it be in the hopes of a promotion, to impress someone, or because of their own innate desire to do good work. Whatever the motivation, good work is the goal. In an environment where you might be vying for attention or prestige, taking the time to pay attention to the details of your work can be what separates you from the pack. When I student taught, I tried to make sure that all of the handouts I made for my students, all the presentations that I gave, and all the homework I assigned were free from grammatical and typographical errors and were very well formatted. When I was a student, I was always annoyed to receive a worksheet with a spelling error on it or when I had to look at a PowerPoint slide that looked like it was thrown together by a 2nd grader. I think these transgressions, albeit minor, really give off a sentiment of carelessness by the teacher. The last thing I want my students to think is that I'm careless or sloppy in my own preparation. How can I demand top-notch work from them if I can't demand top-notch work from myself?
However, this can be a dangerous and slippery slope. While attention to detail is important, obsession to detail is self-defeating. The saying, "The enemy of the good is the perfect," fits this concept very well. How many times have you been afraid to start a project because you got bogged down by the details? Have you ever had to write a paper and spent more than two seconds thinking about a title before having even typed a sentence? Or, on the flip side of that, have you ever felt like a project wasn't finished because you just had "one more little thing" to do to it?
I quickly discovered while I was student teaching that at some point I just had to admit to myself that my lesson might not be as perfect as I wanted it, but it would be suitable. I always wanted to add a couple more pictures to a slideshow, or look up a couple more facts for my lecture, or change the wording on my worksheets a little bit more. It was tough for me to admit that I would never create the perfect class materials, just like I would never be the perfect teacher or perfect anything else-- and that's OK.
So, how can I sit here in good conscience and tell you to pay attention to the details in order to stand out while simultaneously stating that striving for perfection is folly? I don't pretend to know where that equilibrium between the two extremes lies. I think I am constantly finding out for myself. Sometimes I feel like I should have spent more time on something, and sometimes I feel like I passed the "sweet spot" on a project several hours earlier. However, if you keep these two conflicting principles in mind I think you are much more likely to come closer to that ultimate balance.
Reader Comments (3)
Your post prompts an interesting question. We know balance is important - but how do we actually know when we're there? What helps us distinguish between a healthy dose of extra effort and an unhealthy impulse for perfection? I think this post speaks to the importance of achieving balance through contrasts. We don't want to be careless, but can we really afford to be too careful? I think the balance you're describing comes by challenging yourself to tolerate the precarious space between extremes. The paradoxical thing about balance, which connotes a feeling of ease and comfort, is that it demands an uncomfortable process. Balance doesn't actually feel good at first. You're pushing yourself further, but experiencing an abrupt, abrasive jerk that comes with reigning yourself in and letting your work stand on its own.
I find that without the expectations of perfection in each task that I undertake, my perception is lacking and focus is lost. In short, without attempting to strive for perfection their is no reason to attempt the task. I suffer from Perfectionism in the workplace and find others laughing out loud and shrugging me off as "too serious". They say the job doesn't pay enough to go through the stress. This don't give a crap attitude by others gets under my skin and causes me to strive even further for perfection thus driving me further from my co-workers. I sleep at night knowing I did everything possible to contribute to the company cause, only to find that instead of contributing to the company cause I created resentment within the group and my services are no longer needed. In the end all the slack off's and do nothings win, while the perfectionist is sidelined with a perfect 10 and 0 record and a shelf full of worthless Employee of the month clocks and Pen's!! I am struggling to find the Balance you describe.
@Stevan: It sounds like you work in a pretty crappy environment. I'm sorry to hear that. Are there any larger projects where your perfectionism will be more appreciated? It sounds like you have the mindset necessary for work that you currently don't have available.