In today’s lesson, you’ll learn the importance of being proactive versus reactive.
Video Lesson
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Time: 3:03
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Click full screen (lower right corner) to increase the size
Lesson Summary
Proactive versus reactive
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Proactive: creating or controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than responding to it after it has happened.
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Purpose makes you proactive.
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Proactive work helps you achieve your goals.
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Reactive: acting in response to a situation rather than creating or controlling it.
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Distraction makes you reactive.
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Reactive work is the crap you end up doing instead.
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Reactive work and proactive work
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Reactive work includes answering emails, moving stuff around, and surfing the web. You never complete reactive work; it just piles up, higher and higher.
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Proactive work, on the other hand, happens when you work on a clearly defined task from your kanban. Proactive work aligns with your purpose and helps you achieve your dreams; when you complete real work, you feel fulfilled.
Shift your mindset and routines from being reactive to proactive.
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Think proactively
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Be proactive
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Do proactive work
After you make this mind shift from being reactive to productive, you will be shocked at how much more time you’ll have in your day. So enjoy it as a reward for being productive.
Do this:
Think about your average day.
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Are you being reactive or proactive?
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Are you working on reactive items or proactive items from your kanban?
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How you can stop working reactively, and start working proactively?
Make a list of at least three things that you can do to eliminate reactive work, to help you focus on productive work.
Maybe you can
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check your email less frequently,
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use a timer to help random internet surfing, or
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post a sign that you need 1 hour to work on a very important project without interruptions.
Whatever it may be, make a conscious effort to start working more proactively.
Look at your list tomorrow morning to help you focus on proactive work. Also, do not forget to look at your kanban that has lists your most proactive tasks.
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