Perfectionism: Curse or blessing?

I am a perfectionist when it comes to school work. For those of you who know me well, this is not news.

This past week a fellow classmate told me that they admired me academically. Sure, I do well in school, but some days I feel like perfectionism can be a curse rather than a blessing.  Let me tell you why:

• I lose a lot of valuable time. I spend hours editing, proofreading and tweaking assignments to make sure they are perfect (even when I probably don’t need to).
•  I stress about assignments way more than I should, sometimes assignments that haven’t even been assigned yet.
• I’m rarely fully satisfied with my work because I tend to think there’s always something that I could have done better.
• Sometimes I am afraid to take risks. I fear the unknown because I’m not sure if I will be able to perfectly accomplish the unknown.
• Perfectionism makes me extremely critical of myself and others.

I have a passion for learning, doing well in school, and being the best that I can be. Being a perfectionist may not be all bad because it keeps me constantly striving to achieve higher standards. But I have to wonder, does there come a time when perfect papers and aced exams are no longer worth the additional time, effort and stress?

I think I need to find a good balance between perfectionism and giving myself a break. I want to feel like it is OK to turn in a paper with a few mistakes if it means I get to spend more time relaxing and enjoying myself. As I continue in my junior year of college, I need to remind myself to focus on the big picture. It’s much easier said than done, but with a little work, I hope I’m able to embrace imperfection and give myself breaks when I deserve them.

I know that improvement comes from making mistakes, and failure often leads to growth and greater understanding. How can I grow and improve if I don’t give myself a little room for imperfection?