Do you put a lot of effort into your assignments, but then wonder why you get so little done? You are probably hyperfocusing.
I was working with a student the other day who told me, “I sit down to do work at 10:00am and then by midnight I’ve only completed 20 or 30% of the assignments that I’m supposed to do. It’s that I’m so focused on the details that it’s hard for me to move on…and I am a bit of a perfectionist…”
Many students that I work with have a tendency to get so involved with the details of what they’re doing, whether it be a paragraph or going down the rabbit hole of the internet when looking up the answer for a test that they find it difficult to zoom out to put the right amount of effort into their assignments. Often, the amount of effort being put in, does not match the output-resulting in an unfinished or late product.
While effort is important, a certain amount of production is necessary when there are deadlines. So how does one measure the right amount of effort so that they can meet deadlines in a timely manner without getting burned out?
First, as always, I do recommend that you get into the habit of using a calendar. For how to get started and use a calendar check out For the Love of Calendaring and Getting Over the Scheduling Squirmies. This can reduce overwhelm and offer some relief when you sit down to do the assignment that you have to do.
Ask your teacher for an example of the completed assignment so that you know what to aim for.
Challenge yourself to only do the minimum requirements needed to get a passing grade for an assignment. Many perfectionists who also tend to hyper-focus often have an idealistic (but unfortunately) unrealistic vision of what they’d like to achieve. They often spend so much time perfecting one piece of an assignment that they either get burned out or don’t have time to complete the rest of the assignment. The goal here is to finish the assignment and pass, not to make it perfect (by the way, it’s perfect according to you, but your teacher is the one grading it. If you don’t turn something in or only turn in a piece of an assignment then they can’t give you any passing grade). Once you finish the assignment according to the basic requirements, then go back to add more details.
Set a timer for 25 minutes. When I suggested this to a student, they said that they can’t take a break because they won’t remember what they were talking about and it’s hard to get back into it. Use the timer, then, as a technique to become aware of how long you have been working on a task. You don’t have to move on (I recommend that you do,) but the important first step is to be aware of how you’re spending your time. Or…challenge yourself to only work on a task (a pice of an assignment) for 25 minutes and then move on. Remember, you can always go back to fill in the details. The goal here is to practice shifting, moving from one task to another and also to finish and turn in the final product.
Start your assignment early (especially if it’s a project). If you know you have a tendency to hyper-focus and details are important to you then give yourself plenty of time to both focus on the details and complete the project. You may need more of a Creative’s schedule to complete this kind of project.
Lastly, as your teacher for an example of the completed assignment so you know what you should be aiming for.
Want some more tips for hyper-focusing and perfectionism?
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