Inner critic
Perfectionism worksheet: a free printable to ease the 'it has to be perfect' feeling
Updated 17 October 2026 · 8 min read · Free to print
A perfectionism worksheet helps you notice where 'it has to be perfect' shows up, the rules you hold yourself to, and what they cost you. You then choose one task, define 'good enough' in advance, and practise a kinder reply for when you fall short. This free printable ends with a week's check.
By the Self Growth team · drawn from perfectionism research and self-compassion · how we make these
Fill it in here (it saves in this browser, but not in a private window), print it, or download the PDF. Free, no sign-up.
Wanting to do things well is fine. Perfectionism is when 'well' turns into 'flawless', and anything less feels like failure. You redo work that was already fine. You put off starting because it might not be perfect. You notice the one mistake in a hundred things that went right.
Your rules may go unspoken: 'I must never make a mistake', 'If it isn't excellent, it's worthless', 'People will think less of me if I get this wrong'. Written down, they can look harsher than you'd ever be with anyone else. That's what this worksheet is for. You'll see where the rules show up, what they cost, and how to try a more bearable standard on one small task.
Perfectionism isn't a diagnosis, and this worksheet isn't a test for one. It's a pattern you may recognise in yourself. If it overlaps with other things, such as repeated checking or rituals you feel you must do, or controlling what you eat or how you exercise, those deserve proper support, not a worksheet. Please talk to your GP, and see our helplines page for where to find more help.
This is a self-reflection tool, not therapy. If you feel hopeless, or you've been harsh with yourself for a long time, you deserve more than a page to fill in. If you're in crisis, call Samaritans on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), call or text 988 (US), or find a helpline at findahelpline.com.
How to use this worksheet
- 1Work through it in order, in one sitting or over a few days. Allow about 25 minutes for the main sections.
- 2Be honest rather than impressive. Nobody else needs to read it.
- 3Pick one small, low-stakes task for the 'good enough' section, not the biggest thing in your life, and not anything to do with food, weight or exercise. It's practice.
- 4Use the week's check to see what happened. Whether it worked matters less than what you notice.
The worksheet
selfgrowth.org
My Perfectionism Worksheet
Notice the rules, count the cost, then try 'good enough' on one small task. If perfectionism is tied up with checking, rituals or food, please also speak to your GP.
01Where it shows up
Tick the places where 'it has to be perfect' turns up for you.
The place it bothers me most, and what it looks like in practice:
02My rules
Write the rules you hold yourself to, the way they sound in your head. Words like 'must', 'should', 'always' and 'never' are clues. Then ask where each rule came from, and what it costs.
Entry 1
Entry 2
Entry 3
Entry 4
Would I hold a friend to these rules? What would I say to them instead?
03What I'm afraid will happen
Underneath perfectionism there can be a fear. Say it out loud on the page, then look at it.
If I let something be 'good enough', I'm afraid that...
How likely is that, really?
If it did happen, what would I actually do? Who or what would help me?
What have I let be 'good enough' before, and what happened?
04Good enough, for one task
Pick one small task from your week. Decide what 'good enough' looks like before you start, then stop when you get there. Skip this section and speak to your GP if it sets off checking, repeating or food worries.
The task:
What 'good enough' looks like (specific, so I'll know when I'm there):
How much time I'll give it, and when I'll stop:
One small imperfection I'll let stand (a typo, a crooked picture, an unanswered message):
What I'll do with the time I save:
05A kinder reply
When you fall short, notice what you say to yourself. Then write the reply you'd give a friend.
What I say to myself when I get something wrong:
What I'd say to a friend who got the same thing wrong:
A kinder reply I can try next time:
06Standards I want to keep
You don't have to give up caring. Which of your standards really serve you?
Entry 1
Entry 2
Entry 3
07Check back in a week
Look at what happened without grading yourself on it.
Entry 1
Entry 2
Entry 3
How hard was it to stop at 'good enough'?
Next time, I'll try:
When you're done, a moment to reflect
- Whose voice do I hear when I think 'that isn't good enough'?
- What would I do with my time and energy if this rule loosened by ten per cent?
- Which of my standards come from what I care about, and which from fear?
- What do I admire in other people that has nothing to do with them being perfect?
- What is one thing I did this week that was good enough, and I let it be?
Does a perfectionism worksheet help?
Honestly, we don't know of a trial of this worksheet, and a worksheet isn't a treatment. What we can do is explain where its ideas come from. In 1991, the psychologists Paul Hewitt and Gordon Flett argued that perfectionism has more than one side: expecting perfection of yourself, expecting it of other people, and feeling that other people expect it of you. The 'rules' and 'where it came from, or who it's for' columns in section 2 borrow from that idea.
Why take it seriously? A 2017 review by Karina Limburg and colleagues combined the results of 284 studies. It looked at two sides of perfectionism, setting very high standards and worrying about mistakes, against depression, anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, and concluded that both are associated with various forms of mental health difficulty. That is a link, not proof that perfectionism causes any of them. It is also one reason we say to see your GP if your perfectionism comes with those problems.
There is help for stronger perfectionism. In a 2019 trial, 120 people whose perfectionism was at a clinical level (strong enough to be treated as a problem) were randomly given either a guided online CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) programme or a place on a waiting list. Those on the programme had fewer OCD and eating disorder symptoms and better self-esteem, and the drop in OCD and eating disorder symptoms was still there at a follow-up 24 weeks after the start (Kothari and colleagues). The same research group reported earlier that this programme did not change symptoms of depression or anxiety. That programme was structured and guided, which is a lot more than a worksheet. Treat this page as a first step, not a replacement.
If the harsh inner voice is the hardest part, the guide to quieting your inner critic and the self-compassion worksheet go deeper. If you're also putting things off because it won't be perfect, see the procrastination worksheet.
These are educational self-reflection tools, not therapy. See our editorial standards.
If you want to go deeper
- Hewitt, P. L. & Flett, G. L. (1991). Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: Conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60(3), 456-470.
- Limburg, K., Watson, H. J., Hagger, M. S. & Egan, S. J. (2017). The relationship between perfectionism and psychopathology: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73(10), 1301-1326.
- Kothari, R., Barker, C., Pistrang, N. and colleagues (2019). A randomised controlled trial of guided internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for perfectionism: Effects on psychopathology and transdiagnostic processes. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 64, 113-122.
- NHS. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Eating disorders (nhs.uk).
Your questions, answered
- What is perfectionism?
- Perfectionism is holding yourself to standards so high that nothing feels good enough, and fearing mistakes more than the situation calls for. It's a pattern, not a diagnosis. Psychologists Paul Hewitt and Gordon Flett described it as having several dimensions, including expecting perfection of yourself, of others, and feeling that others expect it of you.
- What are the signs of a perfectionist?
- Common signs include never feeling finished, redoing work that was already fine, putting things off because they might not be perfect, harsh self-criticism after small slips, all-or-nothing thinking, and finding it hard to let others do things their way. The perfectionism guide on this site lists more.
- How do I stop being a perfectionist?
- You probably won't switch it off, but you can loosen it. Notice the rules you hold yourself to, ask where they came from and what they cost, decide what 'good enough' looks like before you start, stop when you get there, and answer your own mistakes the way you would a friend's. This worksheet takes you through each of those steps.
- Is perfectionism a mental illness?
- No, perfectionism on its own isn't a diagnosis. But research does link it to other things. A review of 284 studies found perfectionism is associated with various forms of mental health difficulty, and tested links with depression, anxiety, OCD and eating disorders. Association isn't cause. If it comes with repeated checking, rituals, or controlling food or exercise, please talk to your GP.
- Is there a free perfectionism worksheet PDF?
- Yes. Use the Download PDF button for a print-ready copy, or Print to print straight from the page. It's free, with no payment and no email needed. You can also fill it in on screen, and your answers save in your browser.
- Is this worksheet a substitute for therapy?
- No. It's an educational self-reflection tool, not therapy or medical advice. If perfectionism is affecting your health, your sleep, your work or your relationships, or you're also dealing with OCD or an eating disorder, please speak to your GP or a qualified professional. In a crisis, call Samaritans on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), call or text 988 (US), or find a helpline at findahelpline.com.
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