Ever wanted to be perfect in almost every way? Unfortunately, no one will probably ever achieve true perfection but you can come as close as possible without harming your health. Start at step one to start being responsible and become as perfect as possible.

1

Completely organize your room or house, and have everything aligned perfectly.

  1. Tidy your room often. You will no longer stress out at the last minute looking for something. Once every month, go through your room and look through the things that you don't need and throw them out. If you have a hard time with this, then every day before you go to school, make sure your floor is cleared and no clothes or anything is on there. Step by step you will get to a clean, organized room of sitting up, stretching, and getting out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off. If you can't get out of bed on time, you may be going to bed too late. Try sleeping earlier to allow yourself at least 8 hours sleep. By getting up late you are setting a pattern of lateness for the rest of the day.
  2. Advertisement
  1. Always arrive at your destination at least 15 minutes before you are supposed to be there. Wake up extra early. People will not take you seriously if you are late to things. You are letting people and their expectations down.[1]
    • Don't rush. Leave your house early so you don't even risk getting a detention for being late to class, or so that you will not be late for work. When you plan out your day, plan it so that you don't have to rush. It is as simple as that.
    • Keep your watch accurate. For some people, moving up the time on their watch will help them be earlier. For others, they will subconsciously know that the time is wrong and so they just disregard it altogether. It may be helpful to set your watch just two minutes ahead instead of five or ten. This will make you less likely to factor in those extra few minutes.
  1. Get a calendar/planner, and write all of the things that you have to do on that day, not just the important things; to a perfectionist, everything is important.[2]
    • Make a to do list for your day. Your daily or immediate list should never be more than 5 items long, or else you're taking on too much and setting yourself up for failure. Mark one or two of those items as things you absolutely must get done that day, and pursue those tasks relentlessly until you get them done.
    • Make a to do list for the week. Appropriate items here would be: Grocery shopping, fix air conditioner, etc. Draw from this list to make your daily to-do list. A white board or board with erasable markers can help to remember all one has to do every day, or long term goals.
    • Make a to do list for the month. This list would have more general tasks like: Birthday gift to Jill, get car serviced, dentist appointment. Draw from this list to make your daily and weekly to-do list.
    • Make a to do list for your life. Drastic, yes, but why not use this time to rethink your life and where it's going? Being a perfectionist is all about priorities, and it never hurts to get your ducks in a row.
    • Follow through. There's no point in making a to-do list if you don't discipline yourself to complete the tasks you've assigned yourself. There are many ways to stick to your to-do list. Stop procrastinating, remove or ignore distractions, and hop to it.
    • If something keeps slipping to the bottom of your to-do list, take a good look at it. Is it really important? If so, get it over with, or at least get it started. If not, put it back in the long-term list for someday or get it off the list altogether. Don't let yourself get hung up on something for too long.[3]
  2. Advertisement
4

Pay attention to your demeanor and speech.

    • Have excellent grammar.
    • Be very polite. Hold a door for someone. Say please, thank you and I'm sorry whenever necessary, even if it is to a person you may not like very much.
    • Speak calmly. This shows politeness. If you talk very loudly, it will seem that you're desperate for attention. Being loud in public isn't just obnoxious, but also inconsiderate to the people around you. Listen to what people have to say and always make eye contact.
    • Act As If You're Constantly Watched. Anywhere you are, imagine your boyfriend, your boss, your mother watching you. If you are a perfectionist you are doing just as you should, but if you talk to yourself, smoke, slouch, eat like a pig, speed, swear, or lie would these people think of you differently? They would! And you should feel you need to change as well.
5

Have great hygiene.

  1. If you want to act the part, you should look the part as well. Be sure to iron your clothes. Dress for success, not like a slob. You will find that people will take you more seriously.
    • Take care of your skin. Skin should be well cared for and clear of imperfections. Wash your face everyday and remember to wear sunscreen or shade hats. Try to give yourself a mask facial once a week.
    • Maintain your nails. Clear coat on your fingernails; color or french pedicure on your toes. Don't let the skin around them get dry to the point that they crack, and stop biting your nails. If you polish them, go for a natural French manicure, clear polish, or even neutral, solid-colored polish (not bold, like red or blue or black). Don't let the polish chip off, and don't let your nails get too long. Nails should be in neutral colors and medium short in length on girls and trimmed short on boys.
  2. Advertisement
9

Do your best in school.

    • At school try to get a seat where you can clearly hear and see the teacher and chalkboard and pay attention.
    • A good goal to set for yourself is to try to get mostly A's in everything you do at school including homework.
    • Take notes, study for that test, focus, but most of all come to school ready to learn and try not to worry about the social scene too much, after all, that's not what school is for.[6]
    • Try to join extracurricular activities but only if you know it will not bring your grades down.
    • Follow school rules. There's a reason why they've been set in place. By following rules, not only do you avoid getting in trouble, but troublemakers are often though less of, so you'll look like a better person. To be a perfectionist, you have to be a perfect student!
  1. Advertisement
12

Have good hygiene.[7]

    • Remember to always be clean: run a comb through your hair, keep your nails dirt-free and neat, brush your teeth and bath/shower.
    • When spraying perfume, be sure to use just enough, but not too much. Excessive use of perfume isn't attractive and does not improve your hygiene, despite popular belief.
    • Never have greasy hair. Use dry shampoo, if you do not have time to wash it.
    • Maintain your nails. Clear coat on your fingernails; color or french pedicure on your toes. Don't let the skin around them get dry to the point that they crack, and stop biting your nails. If you polish them, go for a natural French manicure, clear polish, or even neutral, solid-colored polish (not bold, like red or blue or black). Don't let the polish chip off, and don't let your nails get too long. Nails should be in neutral colors and medium short in length on girls and trimmed short on boys.

Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How does a perfectionist think?
    Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD
    Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD
    Licensed Clinical Psychologist
    Dr. Carolyn Rubenstein is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Florida. She specializes in working with adults on anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout. She is also the Chief Wellness Adviser for global esports organization Misfits Gaming Group. Dr. Rubenstein holds a BA in Psychology from Duke University, an MA in Psychology from Harvard University, and a PhD in Counseling Psychology from The University of Miami. She also has a Certification in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing through the EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association).
    Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD
    Licensed Clinical Psychologist
    Expert Answer
    Perfectionists have very high standards for themselves. They set the bar for themselves high and are always looking to fulfill their potential. They never sell themselves short.
  • Question
    Is being a perfectionist a weakness?
    Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD
    Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD
    Licensed Clinical Psychologist
    Dr. Carolyn Rubenstein is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Florida. She specializes in working with adults on anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout. She is also the Chief Wellness Adviser for global esports organization Misfits Gaming Group. Dr. Rubenstein holds a BA in Psychology from Duke University, an MA in Psychology from Harvard University, and a PhD in Counseling Psychology from The University of Miami. She also has a Certification in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing through the EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association).
    Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD
    Licensed Clinical Psychologist
    Expert Answer
    It can be when you don't offer yourself constructive criticism. You should focus on offering yourself advices about what you're doing, always evaluating your performance and improving. Perfectionism can be a problem, but that critical and reflective thinking can be helpful and refining.
Advertisement

Warnings

Advertisement

References

  1. https://www.developgoodhabits.com/be-punctual/
  2. https://www.fastcompany.com/40470350/these-to-do-list-methods-will-help-you-finally-get-organized
  3. https://medium.com/@TheTriggerBox/want-to-be-more-organized-follow-these-4-steps-c5136f0014b8
  4. Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD. Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview. 9 September 2021.
  5. Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD. Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview. 9 September 2021.
  6. https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/take-notes.html?WT.ac=ctg#catstudysmart
  7. https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/hygiene-basics.html?WT.ac=ctg#cattake-care
  8. Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD. Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview. 9 September 2021.

About This Article

Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD
Co-authored by:
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
This article was co-authored by Carolyn Rubenstein, PhD. Dr. Carolyn Rubenstein is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Florida. She specializes in working with adults on anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout. She is also the Chief Wellness Adviser for global esports organization Misfits Gaming Group. Dr. Rubenstein holds a BA in Psychology from Duke University, an MA in Psychology from Harvard University, and a PhD in Counseling Psychology from The University of Miami. She also has a Certification in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing through the EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association). This article has been viewed 168,273 times.
34 votes - 94%
Co-authors: 54
Updated: October 10, 2021
Views: 168,273
Categories: Perfectionism
Advertisement