The “How am I a perfectionist?” section gives clear examples of perfectionistic behaviours, including procrastination, reassurance seeking, checking, excessive organising, slowness, avoidance and not knowing when to stop.
This free CBT information sheet explains what perfectionism is and why it can become difficult to manage. It is designed as a clear, printable handout for adults, students, therapy clients and practitioners who want a simple introduction to perfectionistic thinking and behaviour. Rather than describing perfectionism as simply wanting high standards, it outlines how self-worth can become linked to achievement, performance, control or avoiding mistakes.
The resource can be used for psychoeducation in CBT sessions, counselling appointments, student wellbeing support or personal reflection. It helps readers recognise the areas where perfectionism may appear, including study, work, home routines, relationships, appearance, sport, health and fitness. The examples are practical and relatable, so they can be used to start a conversation, identify patterns, or support a formulation of maintaining cycles.
Practitioners may use it alongside worksheets, thought records, behavioural experiments or goal setting tasks. It can also be given as a take-home guide before a review session, or used in lessons and workshops about wellbeing, study skills and managing pressure. The content is written in accessible language, making it suitable for printing, sharing digitally or adding to a therapy resource pack.
Use this downloadable perfectionism handout to help introduce the topic without lengthy preparation. It gives readers a structured starting point for noticing unhelpful standards, checking behaviours and avoidance, then considering what they might want to discuss, track or work on next.
