Do things happen to you or do you make things happen? Think about it for a moment. Your outlook on life from this perspective is very important. Do you hand in the report late, knowing that you’ll be ostracized for it and let your team down? Or do you manage expectations and let your team know you’ve been delayed, and need an extension or extra help to complete it on time? More importantly, if you were the team member counting on that report to be on time, which would you prefer?
People who are reactive tend to be putting out fires all of the time. They don’t manage their time well, complain about always being ‘busy’, and tend to be defensive in nature. Some can even be addicted to the adrenaline of drama. Moreover, they feel like they can never get caught up.
Proactive people put systems and boundaries in place to make life easier. They know when to say no, set aside time for planning and guard it with their life. They are highly productive, but yet seem to have more time.
Observe someone that you think is very proactive and see what kinds of things they do, and what kinds of boundaries they have in place. You might even ask them for some tips on how they do it. Then just choose one or two things you’d like to try for yourself. Take small steps in being more PRO-active.