Self-criticism is not motivation
Strictness towards oneself, an obsession with discipline, even to the point of punishment for violations, is not a path to personal success, but to a psychiatric hospital. And here's how it looks:
Feeling guilty and "pathetic" for being inactive when you were planning to relax. Insulting yourself and feeling down if you procrastinate. Anger when you're not as productive as you'd like to be.
And all of this despite already being satisfied with your success: a decent job, a good family, normal attendance and performance.
Sometimes it seems that criticism really helps. You scold yourself, and then, bam, something works out. But this is an illusion. The credit is not with the criticism, but with who you are as a person.
Constant self-criticism leads to irritation, anxiety, shame, and negatively affects self-esteem. And this, of course, has a negative impact on mood and results.
You won't lose anything if you conduct an experiment: choose an area you want to work on. Set a deadline for 7 days and during that time, be compassionate towards yourself, not strict.
We assure you that the effectiveness factor will not decrease. There won't be significant changes in terms of results. But your overall mood and self-perception will improve.
And once you experience this on yourself, ask yourself: is it necessary to continue being super harsh on yourself?
The answer is obviously clear: why self-flagellate when leniency produces the same result? Well, and if you're uncomfortable without strictness, there's nothing stopping you from becoming the villain to yourself again.