Good morning, blog friends! I have a late afternoon meeting at work today, so I’m going in a little later. The trade off is that I will be getting home a little later, but that’s okay- I have time to blog :)!
I currently have oatmeal cooking the stove, something I haven’t made in weeks because of time constraints. I’m sipping my tea rather than slurping it down and burning my tongue, and I’m all ready to go to work when I finish eating. Maybe I really am getting the hang of this routine!
One thing I have noticed since I’ve started my job is that I’m falling back into my perfectionist ways. When I was in school, I put a lot of pressure on myself to write the best papers, get the best exam grades, and have a good GPA at the end of each semester. Even though I’m not technically getting graded for my work anymore, I still feel that I am.
I work at a company where profit is based on page views. As part of my daily routine, I have to check my page views and see how my articles are doing. Obviously some stories will always do better than others just based on the subject, but I am still stressing myself out about writing “the best” material. Of course that isn’t always attainable, leading me to suffer one too many tension headaches at the end of each day.
I have to remind myself that it’s only my second week- I really need to relax and give myself a break.
So, today I’m going to try my best to let go of the need for perfection, and just do the best that I can. I’ll even take a short lunch break, something I’ve been skipping (I eat at my desk) for the sake of getting all my work done.
My oatmeal is ready, so I’m going to eat and then head into work.
Chocolate oatmeal this morning…yum!
It’s almost Friday! Enjoy your day!
Do you put too much pressure on yourself at work or at school?
perfectionisnthappy.wordpress.com 
i know what im about to say is going to sound a bit snobbish however I find im a perfectionist if it’s something i like doing or something i feel is important. If you give me a task that I really don’t care about or have any connection to i don’t give it my all. It’s not a good quality or trait to have but unfortunately it’s what i do.
I don’t think that sounds snobbish, I can relate to that too!
I’m with ya on the whole perfectionist thing…I’m currently reading through a great book with a friend called “The Lies We Believe”…it’s about overcoming perfectionism and why we do what we do. It’s a great resource if you ever have time to check it out!
Oh, I’ll see if my library has it, thanks!
I definitely fall into the same trap. But I envy your job writing, and don’t be too worried about your page views. You are still learning and growing!
Thank you…I hope you find a job that you love after college too!
Caringing about what you invest your time in is a good thing! But you do need to relax and appreciate all the hard work you’ve done – I’m sure you’re doing awesome!
Thanks!
Oh good heavens. “Too much pressure” doesn’t even begin to cover it. In Bethany’s academic world, there are two grades: A and everything else. In my book, an A- is the same as an F. I got into the habit of viewing things that way in high school when I desperately wanted an award that only the top 2.5% of seniors got, and I haven’t been abel to shake it sense. Even when I go into something telling myself that less than an A is okay, I still can’t manage to bring myself to believe that. I totally feel you on this.
But seriously…keep taking lunch breaks away from your desk. That was one of the best things I did when I worked a desk job. It’ll rejuvenate you for the rest of the afternoon (or at least for the next couple of hours).
Also, have you ever tried Julie from Peanut Butter Finger’s overnight oats? I HIGHLY recommend them. They’re SUPER simple and since you make them the night before, you have zero prep time in the morning. Just take them out of the fridge and go. I’ve found them to be just as filling as regular oatmeal. The recipe is here (http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/kick-start-your-morning/10-new-ways-to-eat-oatmeal). I use 1/2 tbsp. of cocoa powder and 1 tsp. of regular sugar (and 1/2 cup regular milk, not almond milk, but that’s because I don’t have almond milk, and the chia seeds) and it’s sooooo good.
Thank you for all of the tips! It definitely does help to take a lunch break away from my desk! And yes, I have heard of overnight oats, I just haven’t tried them yet. Thank you for the link!
I tend to go to one extreme or the other–either I’m excessively perfectionistic to the point of obsession, or I’m apathetic to everything and doing shoddy work. It’s challenging to find a medium!
I’m glad you’re finding ways to take a break. You deserve it! 🙂
just copied that post-it — thanks!!
I think having perfectionistic tendencies can be a good thing, particularly when it comes to your job. But it’s always a balancing act. Best wishes with your job! 🙂
Wow I needed this. I am such a perfectionist sometimes and I really need to give myself a break. Good luck with your job!
I’ve always given myself a hard time over my grades in school. I’m currently going into my senior year of college & while it makes me proud to say that I”ve always maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout all my elementary, middle & high school & now collegiate career, I hate the stress and anxiety I feel as a result of that pressure. I wish I didn’t care about my grades so much, so that when my friends decide on a whim to go out one night I can join them instead of working on “more” on a project … My goal this year, is to still do my best in all my school work, but not to make it my life. I want to enjoy my senior year with my friends & im really hoping to find a perfect balance. … loveee reading your blog – you’re such an inspiration 🙂
That is a great goal! Trust me when I say enjoy your senior year in college. It goes by so fast, and you will miss it when it’s gone. Even though I like working, I miss having the schedule of a college student. And thank you so much, that means a lot :).