Perfectionism
I sometimes wonder whether my need to do things perfectly is born from continuous routine and striving to spend less time on an activity. On the other hand, it could be that performing an activity time and time again makes me want to perform a second nature task to perfection. Either way I know that it's only health in moderation, and at times if not kept in check it can be quite debilitating.
During one of my rougher times dealing with Asperger's I saw a Psychologist who asked me to write my name with both my left and right hand. After I'd finished he asked me which was correct, and being right handed I naturally selected the one I'd written with my right hand. He then said both are equally correct as both said my name. It was something as simple as this that helped me realise that things can be correct without having to go to the extremes of perfection.
Sometimes circumstances will intervene that will take things out of your hands; you might not always have the option to do your absolute best.. Because of this I've learned to plan from "acceptable upwards." That means exactly as you would expect, that I will do a task to a level that I can accept and then leave it if needs be. I can then always come back to it and make any tweaks I would have done had I been allowed more time.
This may seem like common sense to finish a job before having to do something else, but as I've mentioned in a time-per-task orientated place such as work this can be hard to do. One of the most efficient methods I use to decide upon how to set about a task is to write down what I need to do, and in steps to finish it. This lets me get an idea of the time I'll need to complete each step, and it also stops any risk of floundering thinking about what to do next. This is important to me as wasting time leads to frustration, which in turn wastes more time through procrastination.
There may be times when no matter how hard you try, you will have to abandon something you’re doing. This isn't ideal if your need to see a task through to completion is as much a piece of mind as it is essential. This is where the step by step plan works well for me. If I do have to leave a task I can pass it onto a colleague for them to finish using the steps I've written out. Although I don't like to leave tasks unfinished, I can accept that it will be completed properly and to a standard I'm happy with.
Away from tasks that are a must such as work or house work, the need for perfection can also affect things I do for enjoyment. Having the trait of trying to be perfect is often to the detriment of enjoyment in an activity. The best way I've found to combat it, is to try and bend the need for perfection into a positive is by using it towards progressing a skill. I've found using a step by step method (as mentioned before) works best for me. Rather than doing steps for completion I make the steps aims towards bettering myself at a task, or towards a level of competence I'll be happy with. The final step is the goal that I want to attain from doing an activity. When creating a list I write the last step first so I can see my aim. I then create sub goals which will show progress towards my ultimate goal upon completion. To accompany each sub goal I write how I intend to practise /build my new skill. After meeting each goal I can see that the repetition and practicing is showing gain. That allows the perfectionist side of me to accept that I'm not perfect, but I can improve and will continue to do so as long as I put the effort in.