Cognitive Fatigue - Perfectionism

Perfectionism can impact lives in many ways. It can also contribute to cognitive fatigue, and in this episode two potential ways in which perfectionism can increase cognitive fatigue are outlined and and exercise is provided to explore alternatives.

Click to access the episode about Idea creation vs Decision making

Click to access the episode about Context Switching

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:19

Hello and welcome to Small Steps to Wellbeing with me, your host Stephen Davis from Interactive Therapy. A simple question for you to start off today's episode. At what point do you know that something is good enough for you? Now this is a very broad ranging question, so I'll offer a bit of context. At what point is the email, social media post or assignment you're writing good enough? At which point is the DIY project you're focusing on at home good enough to be considered finished? When do you know that your job application, LinkedIn profile or motivational letter is good enough to risk sending it to a potential employer? And at what point do you look in the mirror and say that you, as a person, are good enough? Today's episode is going to focus on the ways in which perfectionism can contribute to cognitive fatigue, which is a topic that I've spoken about in a couple of episodes already from a number of different perspectives. Now perfectionism is a multifaceted issue in itself, which I will address in future episodes, but in this small step I'd like to consider ways in which leaning towards perfectionism can contribute to cognitive fatigue, and how that in turn could reinforce concerns about achieving a perfect result. There are two potential ways in which perfectionism may increase cognitive fatigue that I'll highlight in today's episode. The first way relates to the last episode I posted regarding the impacts of decision making on the brain and the creation of decision fatigue. If you haven't heard that episode yet and would be interested in learning more, then you can find a link in the description below. So if we consider the drawbacks of perfectionism, especially in the modern age, is that decisions related to how good, complete or perfect any given thing is have become increasingly subjective. Our access to information in the digital age is unprecedented, and so information or resources on most topics is becoming too big for anyone to consume in a meaningful way. We need to make choices about what is relevant. Perfectionism can also be tied into an individual's needs to be liked by everyone, or to ensure that their viewpoints cater to everyone in the room. But in some cases, that room can be global. And if you've read any news lately, then you'll probably be aware that people struggle to agree with one another on most topics. So we also need to make choices in respect of what will appeal to the majority. So even if we just consider a perfectionist choosing what's relevant in a pool of inexhaustible information and appealing to the masses in a divisive world, then you may be able to imagine how much energy they may be putting into decision making. And don't forget that decision making triggers evaluation and emotional cues regarding those decisions, raising the stakes higher and potentially compounding the cognitive effort required. The second way that perfectionism may increase cognitive fatigue relates to how our brains manage, or in this case, struggles to manage, with too many ongoing activities. I've spoken in an earlier episode about context switching, which can be accessed through the link in the description if you missed it. To recap, it can help to consider that carrying out an activity requires certain cognitive processes based on understanding, planning, and carrying out the related tasks. Now switching between unrelated activities, for example, going from tidying your kitchen to answering an email, can be problematic in and of itself. Now imagine the effect perfectionism can have on completing any given activity. Not knowing when something is finished or being unsure if something is good enough can leave an activity process open in the brain. So even if the perfectionist consciously moves on from one task to another, the uncertainty surrounding one task being truly completed can leave the loop open for scrutiny. This could then potentially lead to an ever increasing list of incomplete processes that the perfectionist becomes distracted by, increasing the frequency of context switching and inevitably the required decision making conundrum that I outlined a few minutes ago. So on to today's exercise. There are a number of different ways in which we can experiment with reducing perfectionism's impact on cognitive fatigue. There's no perfect way of tackling this though, so this exercise is simply a small step to be explored. I have already provided an exercise to reduce decision making, so today we'll focus on reducing the amount of activities that remain open due to perfectionist tendencies. Now there are always activities that require repetition, which can include exercise, tidying up, or working through a longer project at home or in work. To close off a process loop in any of these areas, it can help to define when that activity ends, even if the end goal has not yet been reached. One workout does not lead to fitness. A cleaned kitchen surface will get dirty again. A project may hit an unexpected hurdle that requires research or contact with a third party. So in this exercise, I want you to choose a repetitive activity that may trigger your perfectionist tendency. Now break down that activity into a discrete event. For example, I will work out for 30 minutes following a set program. I will clean this one cupboard in my living room. I will email X about project Y. The goal of this exercise is to reinforce that once the activity is ended, that what has been done is then good enough in its contribution to the larger goal. The process is complete and a new process loop will be only opened in the future dependent on when you next plan to work out, clean the next area of your space, or when you receive a response to that email, and only requires your attention again at that specific time. Good luck with this exercise, and I'll see you in the next episode.