How To Be Proactive At Work: 10 Habits To Build

I don’t know about you, but it was nearly impossible for me to be proactive at work last year.

Every week, I would map out my game plan and color-code my calendar. But when I tried to set things in motion, I faced ten-foot barriers that would force me to change direction. I’d have to reschedule meetings, push deadlines back, and reorganize my life because of all the twists and turns. Pivoting became my life, and it was taking over every part of it.

When I think back to the last year, it was like trying to survive the Tour de France blindfolded. By the end of the year, I was worn out, and I was in no mood to organize my goals this year. Being proactive was the furthest from my mind. In many ways, I didn’t even want to dream about new projects.

When January 1st entered the scene, I crawled back under my covers and hoped for the best—or at least a year that would be more predictable with less pivoting.

You want to be hopeful for this year, but a part of you is afraid of another year filled with more barriers and you’re tired of trying to survive the chaos. You’re not alone.

Over 100,000 businesses have permanently shut their doors because of Covid-19.^[1] Start-Ups aren’t getting a second chance.^[2] And according to Pew Research, one in four adults still have a hard time finding money to pay their bills.^[3] This reality is not the most inspiring for those of us who are business leaders. If anything, it feels like the grim reaper is right around the corner to destroy our dreams and add us to the rising number of failed companies.

Being proactive, and knowing how to be proactive is one of the most challenging things to muster right now. But it is one of the most imperative traits that we need to embrace moving forward.

But first, let’s be clear, what does being proactive mean?

Defining the Term “Proactive” In-Depth

The word proactive often floats around the workplace, usually by well-meaning managers asking employees or their team to, “Be more proactive!” or “Be proactive, not reactive!” But have you ever stopped to think about what that actually means? Or even the importance of being proactive?

The dictionary definition of proactive is, “acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes.”

Being proactive is about dealing with any obstacles or challenges before they even happen. Simply put, how to be proactive is all about planning ahead.

For example, you’re buying an older home. The seller tells you that it has a sturdy foundation and an engineer confirms it. Most people would be satisfied with this answer.

A proactive person, however, would think beyond what’s presented and look into any potential issues. They may ask questions like, “How long is the lifespan of the foundation?”, “Is it earthquake ready?”, or “Does insurance cover the foundation?”

Depending on the answers, proactive people would respond accordingly and put safeguards in place to avoid these problems or minimise its impact. While it seems like a lot of resources and effort are spent at the beginning, it can actually lessen your stress and save you time and effort because you’re either preventing a problem or already have a solution at hand when the challenge arises.

Another way to look at proactive vs reactive is insurance policies or warranties. It’s nice to have these as they cover problems should anything happen. Even if you’re paying extra, the payments are a small price to pay if something goes wrong and you’re not covered.

This doesn’t mean that proactive people never have to put out fires on occasion. However, when you have a proactive mindset, most of the issues that come up seemingly out of left field are already something you’ve considered. And this makes you better equipped to handle situations calmly and enact a solution.

If you want your business to succeed this year, you need to start being proactive at work. Situations around the world are constantly changing and you never know what the next month, year or even hour might bring and how it would affect your work. Planning ahead and preparing for the future is incredibly vital in our current climate.

Proactivity vs Reactivity

We can’t discuss proactivity without exploring the other side of the coin: Reactivity.

Being reactive is the complete opposite of being proactive. A reactive person doesn’t feel the need to address a problem until it’s already occurred. They simply react to a situation because it’s already there.

Spontaneity and the ability to address problems as they arise is important in leadership, and in life. After all, we cannot predict the future no matter how hard we try. But oftentimes reactive people encounter more problems because they refuse to believe or even see the warning signs.

Reactivity also comes from a place of panic. Because you have not thought or planned ahead, you react instantaneously. You may not offer the best solution because you haven’t had time to fully review the situation, and maybe even create more problems for you as a result.

It won’t be easy, but it will be a lot easier with the following practical habits that I’ve put together for you. These tools will make all the difference for you and your organization.

How To Tell If You’re Proactive Or Reactive

Beyond understanding when you are responding to problems, another way to tell if you’re proactive vs reactive comes down to arguments.

In Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey sees proactivity as the foundation for the other 6 Habits.

In his mind, he sees proactivity and how to be more proactive as taking charge of your life and having accountability. Covey touches on specifically that we all have a choice on how we respond to what happens in our lives.

Those who lack proactivity lean to be reactive and see themselves as victims of circumstances.

In arguments, they’ll also play the game of “tit for tat”, choosing to react to what others are saying rather than making rational decisions and taking responsibility for emotional triggers.

If you find yourself saying “they make me so mad” or “they make me feel bad about myself” often, you are a reactive person.

10 Practical Habits to Turn Reactivity into Proactivity

Even proactive people can exhibit reactive behavior. No one is perfect and the corporate and business world can be unpredictable. But you can turn things around and be proactive even when you have not anticipated challenges that face you. Here are some tips on how to be proactive and not reactive all of the time:

1. Don’t Be Busy

Repeat after me: only do what is necessary—no more and no less.

If you’re anything like me, as soon as January 1st comes along, you cram in all your five-year goals into one packed year. You love seeing your schedule filled. But being busy isn’t the same as being productive. Peak productivity stems from being proactive. How to be proactive requires you to take a step back, reevaluate your priorities, and take things off of your plate before adding new goals.

The brain is not designed to always operate at full capacity twenty-four hours a day.^[4] It needs a break. If we’re constantly immersing ourselves throughout the day with frivolous tasks, then we don’t have time to concentrate on our goals.

This year, I’m taking a break from the chaos and learning to do fewer tasks with more investment.

Think of it this way. Planning takes time. It’s like painting an apartment. Before you can add color to the drab walls of your living room, you have to plan and prep the area. The same is true for you to be proactive at work.

2. Think Long-Term

A staple on how to be proactive is to be looking at the long game. What kind of problems are you going to be facing months or years down the road with what you’re about to be involved in?

One of the great ways to be proactive at work is to start practicing long-term thinking while avoiding the baits of short-term returns.

3. Stop Trying to Run Everyone’s Race

If you want to direct the narrative of your life, you need to take a step back and get rid of the clutter. Figure out what you can delegate and then, focus your energy away from the distractions. Not every email needs a reply, and not every job is right for you.

Shakespeare said it best,

“To thine own self be true.”

These six words need to become your mantra.

If you want to reach your goals this year and be proactive, not reactive, you need to walk forward with laser focus. If you compare yourself or your business to the next big thing, you won’t contribute anything except a lesser copy of yourself and your organization.

Part of being proactive is being creative. You have to be able to see the different angles and nuances in a situation or project in order to anticipate potential issues and come up with creative solutions. If you’re constantly looking over someone else’s work, you’re not focusing on what’s in front of you. And you could end up missing a lot of obstacles that you could’ve avoided if you were paying attention.

Stop looking around. Your purpose is not to run the race of someone else. If you want to be proactive at work, you need to stop comparing yourself to your neighbour and stick to running your own race. It’s the only way that you’ll win.

4. Instead, Look To Understand Others

Instead of meeting the demands of every person, learn to be compassionate and understand other people. In particular, you want to understand the people that are closest to your business – your team.

Work to figure out their likes, challenges, aspirations and frustrations. These all gain important insights on how to influence them properly.

How this comes back to proactive vs reactive is that in business, it’s often not just you dealing with the problem but rather the whole team.

5. Make “Essentialism” Your Word This Year

When you’re figuring out your goals this year, take time to weigh the cost. Ask yourself if it’s worth the investment. Being proactive means that you take into consideration all the variables before cementing your goals.

Before you map out your plan or get crazy with those highlighters, ask yourself these two questions:

• Will this goal help create balance in my life?
• Will this goal produce a return on investment?

If you can answer a resounding “yes” to both of these questions, then take these ideas and write them down on a piece of paper.

After you’ve compiled a list of 15 to 20 ideas, take a new sheet of paper and break it into two columns. The first section should contain a list of goals that take priority. These ideas would fall under the umbrella of being trend-related and financially profitable.

The second section should contain a list of goals that will increase your social proof and promote your priority goals. This column drives traffic and promotes awareness of your business and your product.

After you’ve compiled this list, break it in half and cut it down to three goals in each section. Three is the perfect number because it gives you leeway to pivot and bend if you need to make changes throughout the process.

The two excellent tools that have helped me develop a schedule of essentialism are Hilary Rushford’s Elegant Excellence Journal^[5] and Jill Konrath’s book, “More Sales. Less Time.”

Both of these tools have helped me focus on what’s important, make the best decisions for my business, and make a profit without sacrificing my health.

6. Order the Same Latte

When you look at the greats in the business world, they all encompass one thing: simplicity.

If you minimize your choices and stick to the basics, you’ll have the ability to save time and focus your energy on decisions that require your creativity. Keeping up with the latest fashion trends not only sacrifices your time but also sacrifices your budget.

Remember, it’s not about looking successful. It’s about making choices that give you the ability to be successful.

Here are four things that you can do to save time to make you more proactive at work:

• Buy multiples of the same outfit and mix and match throughout the week.
• Order the same drink each day from the same coffee shop.
• Prepare meals at the beginning of the week for lunch and dinner.
• Set your alarm for the same time each morning, including weekends.

7. Don’t Pressure Yourself to Respond Immediately

It’s okay to be surprised or be blindsided. Sometimes things just happen that is out of your control. What you are in control of, however, is your reaction. There’s nothing wrong with not having a solution or response at hand. It’s okay to take a step back and think about it first before responding.

8. Put a Pin on It

If you find yourself being unable to come up with a good solution, you can put a pin on it. You may want to address another matter first, one you already know how to deal with. It may give you inspiration and confidence when you come back to your other issues. Unless of course the imminent problem is fire outside your door.

9. Have An Open Mind

Every single person has something interesting to share with people. That is the same case for you and the people around you. Factoring new perspectives and interesting ideas into long-term proactivity helps to create solutions you never thought of.

10. Prioritize What’s Important

The thing with problems that come up suddenly, is that they may have already caused damage you can’t reverse. You have to learn to accept the situation and instead of trying to solve the unsolvable, prioritize what’s important, see what you can salvage and take note of lessons that will help you in the future.

It’s impossible to be proactive if you feel rushed. But if you follow the above tips, you’ll gain more time in your schedule and have more energy to lead your business and operate with a well-organized game plan.

Final Thoughts

I think the majority of us are tired of feeling like we’re contestants in Survivor. After all, who wants to be filmed while living in the woods and surviving off of bugs and tree bark?

All kidding aside. This past year has been challenging. But we can learn a lot from these past twelve months.

If you want to be proactive, simplify your schedule, focus on your path, only take what you need, and be purposeful with your time and energy. Being proactive is not about filling up your schedule. It’s about creating balance in your life.

I know it seems daunting right now, and many of us are still trying to figure out how to pay this month’s rent with spare change from the couch. But if you take the time to prepare and figure out what’s a priority this year, you’ll not only meet your goals, you’ll enjoy the journey.

You have all the tools you need to be proactive at work. Now, go map out your goals for the year!

Featured photo credit: Campaign Creators via unsplash.com