This post is my first ever attempt at a video blog. You may either watch the video or read the extended, original prose article below. Or do both, that would be cool too.

https://youtu.be/iyokJn1MtpI

My History with Journaling

I never kept a weekly planner before this year. In high school and college they often hand them out for free in order to encourage students to use them. In those days though, I was young and stubborn and, frankly, rather ignorant, so I rebuked every journal or planner that was presented to me. Back then, I think that I regarded myself as being above the necessity for such devices out of some delusional notion that “my brain could do what other people needed a planner for”. If my memory serves me, there were a few instances where I gave it a whirl with a planner for maybe a week or so before promptly losing interest in it, or simply losing it.

That trend ended this past August when I encountered the Smart Planner Pro via an unsolicited Instagram advertisement. I followed the link (which was a mistake because I then got targeted ads for planners and journals for a month) and bought one off Amazon the following day.

This planner has been very durable for me. It’s a great size and I appreciate the pen holder on the side.

As I said in my previous post, I had been feeling stuck in my daily routine. I felt like time was out of my control and that it was slipping away without my consent. It was a combination of not actively structuring my days well enough and feeling like I didn’t know where my days had gone once they were over. I spent several weeks trying to figure out what I could do to remedy this feeling. I had no idea whether a planner would solve my problem or not, but I figured it was worth a shot.

There’s a great bit in Seinfeld where Jerry gets overly excited about having drawn the perfect triangle. Then to his dismay, Elaine is terribly unimpressed. Anyone who has ever drawn a perfect shape can likely relate to Jerry’s enthusiasm. It’s exhilarating to feel as though you have done something “perfect”. However, perfection is an elusive and nebulous concept. Yes, of course, it’s a good and admirable trait to strive for great work. Although when one’s desire to achieve perfection encroaches upon perfectionism, it can be detrimental both to their work and mental health.

We Shouldn’t Expect Ourselves To Be Perfect

Many people struggle with perfectionism. Those who do are almost guaranteed to be aware of it and know the symptoms. If you’re unsure though, check out this article that outlines the different signs that you might be a perfectionist. While this personality trait may apply to persons across any and all areas of study or work, I feel it applies most insidiously to those in creative fields. Art can be somewhat oxymoronic in that one may be great at their craft, or even be considered the best in their discipline, but it’s nearly impossible to say someone or something is perfect due to the wholly subjective nature of art. This can foment a tendency to strive for perfection, even to expect it of yourself, while never quite being able to attain it.

In my own experience, perfectionism can be extremely detrimental to the creative process. It fosters both trepidation and anxiety while working, and a fear that the final product will inevitably be less than perfect. This can lead to an inability to start a new project or to finish an existing one. In more extreme circumstances, it can even lead to depression rooted in a feeling of “never being good enough”.

Perfectionism is much like any other form of anxiety in that it’s never as simple as telling yourself, “okay, don’t be anxious anymore”. However, there are steps you can take to reduce the negative impact of perfectionist thinking. Some of these may sound obvious, but occasionally it can help to be reminded of the obvious.

Why I Started Using A Weekly Planner | Video Blog 01

My History with Journaling

Perfectionism: 3 Tips To Help Let Go

We Shouldn’t Expect Ourselves To Be Perfect