Perfectionism and Procrastination: When Caring Makes Starting Hard

By Kayleigh Supak, M.A., LPC Associate
Supervised by Kelly Rice, LPC-S

The application is open in another tab.

You know you want to apply. You’ve thought about it while folding laundry, driving to work, and trying to fall asleep. But every time you sit down, you decide your résumé needs another revision first.

Or maybe it’s a school assignment, a difficult email, or a project that matters to you.

Before you call yourself lazy, consider a different question: “What am I afraid will happen if this isn’t excellent?”

Can perfectionism cause procrastination?

Perfectionism can contribute to procrastination when fear of falling short makes a task difficult to begin. That doesn’t mean every delayed task comes from perfectionism.

The Centre for Clinical Interventions describes problematic perfectionism as pursuing demanding standards, tying self-worth closely to meeting them, and continuing despite significant costs. Explore CCI’s perfectionism resources.

You might recognize thoughts such as:

• “If I can’t give this my full attention, I shouldn’t start.”
• “Someone else would do a better job.”
• “I need to know exactly what I’m doing before I try.”

Look at the task—and the expectation attached to it

Take the application example. The practical task might be “write a paragraph about my experience.”

The expectation might be “write a paragraph that makes it impossible for anyone to reject me.”

Those are very different assignments.

Try writing down the actual requirement. Then write down the extra rule you’ve added. Seeing both on paper gives you something specific to examine.

CCI’s guide to challenging perfectionistic thinking includes a thought diary for evaluating rigid thoughts and developing a more balanced response.

For example: “This paragraph needs to explain my relevant experience clearly. It cannot guarantee the outcome.”

Make the first action concrete

“Work on my future” is a large assignment.

“Open the application and read the first question” is an action you can identify.

Other possible starting points:

• Create the document and type a working title.
• Write three rough bullet points.
• Find the information needed for one section.
• Draft the first sentence without editing it yet.

You can try working for five minutes and then reassess. Breaking tasks into smaller steps and using brief work periods are among the strategies in CCI’s free Practical Techniques to Stop Procrastination workbook.

Five minutes is an option for beginning, not a promise that the rest will suddenly feel easy.

Experiment with a reasonable finish line

Choose a low-stakes task and define what completion requires before you begin.

For an ordinary scheduling email, that might mean including the date, time, and question, then checking it once for clarity.

Notice your prediction: “If I don’t keep rewriting this, I’ll sound careless.”

Afterward, record what actually happened. Did the email communicate what it needed to? Was more revision necessary?

This kind of behavioral experiment is used to examine perfectionistic beliefs. CCI’s Reducing My Perfectionism Behaviours workbook provides a structured worksheet. Keep necessary accuracy and safety checks in place.

What if the small steps still feel difficult?

That’s useful information to bring to counseling. Instead of adding another demand, you can explore what makes starting difficult and whether the task, expectations, or support available need to change.

At Rooted Path Counseling, I help clients work through anxiety, self-confidence concerns, and life transitions. Whether you’re a student staring at an assignment or a woman considering a new direction, we can make room for both the practical task and the feelings attached to it.

Read more about my counseling approach or contact Rooted Path Counseling to discuss getting started.

Does working on perfectionism mean giving up ambition?

No. The goal is to develop standards that allow you to pursue what matters without making every outcome a measure of your worth.

You can care deeply about your work and allow yourself a first draft.

References and Free Resources

• Centre for Clinical Interventions. Perfectionism: Self-help resources. An overview of problematic perfectionism and a free workbook series.
• Centre for Clinical Interventions. Perfectionism in Perspective, Module 5: Reducing My Perfectionism Behaviours. Strategies and behavioral experiments for testing perfectionistic beliefs.
• Centre for Clinical Interventions. Perfectionism in Perspective, Module 6: Challenging My Perfectionistic Thinking. Thought diaries and exercises for developing more balanced thinking.
• Centre for Clinical Interventions. Put Off Procrastinating, Module 5: Practical Techniques to Stop Procrastination. Practical approaches to breaking down tasks, getting started, and managing time.

Kayleigh Supak, M.A., LPC Associate
Supervised by Kelly Rice, LPC-S
Rooted Path Counseling
In-person counseling in Livingston, TX, and online counseling in Texas
936-247-2781
kayleigh@rootedpathcounseling.org
Visit Rooted Path Counseling

This article provides general education and does not replace individualized mental health care.