Being a natural perfectionist definitely has its benefits. You’re able to time manage well, hand in assignments with confidence, and exhibit excellent organizational skills. However, what most people don’t know is that you’re, in fact, actually a hot mess on the inside. Accomplishing everything to the high standards that you set for yourself is overwhelming, infuriating, and just plain exhausting. There is no end to this madness either, because once one thing is done off your mental checklist, it’s just on to the next thing! If you are a perfectionist, here are some struggles that you will certainly understand and that prove you’re not alone.

1. Taking hours to complete assignments that take other people 10 minutes.

Even though it’s great that you’re thorough with your work, sometimes it isn’t even necessary. This is why pass/fail assignments drive you nuts.

2. Redoing assignments because they’re just not up to your standards.

Seeing one small mistake can make you unravel. You are used to the angry feeling you get when aggressively erasing an entire page of hard work.

3. Being set off by the slightest bit of un-organization.

You’re the person who makes your bed every single morning.

4. Noticing ONE thing messy in your room, and then feeling the need to clean the WHOLE room.

Then three hours later you are reorganizing all of the clothes you took out of your drawers when all you really needed to do was pick up one pair of underwear.

5. Needing to fix something if it is crooked or off in the slightest.

That crooked picture frame in your dentist’s office gives you major anxiety.

6. Not having enough space in your planner for all the little things you need to complete throughout the day.

You wish that “enthusiast scheduler” was actually a profession.

7. Constantly being stressed about not getting things done.

And even when you don’t have anything to do, everything seems off and you concerned that you’re missing something off your checklist.

8. Panic starting to set in when one little thing goes wrong.

When your schedule doesn’t go your way, it’s not good — full blown panic attack mode unleashed.

9. Not being able to fall asleep at night because your mind is still racing.

It’s exhausting being a perfectionist, but when it comes time to relax you are still unable to slow down and recover.

10. Trying to please everyone.

It is hard for you to accept the fact that not everyone is going to like you or agree with you in every situation. Compromising is key to a certain extent, but you need to do what makes YOU happy sometimes too.

11. Taking a lot of what other people say to heart.

You remember more of the bad things that people say rather than the good because it bothers you that not everything is perfect.

12. Never being fully satisfied with your work.

You will always be looking to improve, and though that may be a good thing at times, you also need to give yourself some credit sometimes too.