Depression usually involves a highly demotivated less-productive state of being. Perfectionism, at least in this case, is an affliction where one desires perfe

Depression usually involves a highly demotivated less-productive state of being. Perfectionism, at least in this case, is an affliction where one desires perfection, but as way all know is not truly achievable given realistic constraints and scarce resources. Scarce resources such as the number of hours per day. Those who attempt unrealistic levels of perfection will inevitably spend excess hours working. This can burn someone out due to not reaching such perfection, or just from over-stretching oneself. One can also experience depression due to being overwhelming at the prospect of what they desire, due to perfectionism, not being achievable. It is extremely difficult to bring oneself to work long hours producing high of quality when depressed. Maybe the arrows seem to reverse when if depressed, the result being of lower quality or decreased output per hour, workers are forced to work longer hours to compensate and stay afloat, but that isn't exactly perfectionism unless their work was already adequate. In this case, it is civil servants in Britain. That perfectionism even plays a role in this specific sample is pure speculation. They're not exactly the same as the HN demographic that we associate with perfectionism.