Frontloading

Being proactive is taking initiative regardless of the requirement and not just reacting to situations. It requires awareness, self-discipline and an eye for the future.

Adopting a more proactive approach to your everyday life enables you to take control of areas that you can affect, and use that control to promote productivity and decrease stress.

Develop a schedule that allows you to focus on what matters most. 

Then, once your plan is established, set up reminders – periodic check-ups to see if you’re staying on task. It is imperative that you keep yourself accountable if your routine is to take shape and become effective long-term. 

Creating a small chunk of time to mentally gear-up for difficult situations is a proactive step in the right direction.

Writing your thoughts down can be helpful. Make a list of the questions you’d like to ask, the information you need to give, and the answers you’ll likely have to provide. 

This is the opposite of procrastinating. To frontload a project, set up a schedule that forces you to do the bulk of your work within the first 50% of the time you have allotted for the project.

It gives you the chance to eliminate stress by finishing your task ahead of schedule.

A lot of productivity is lost each day through miscommunication or non-communication. 

If it’s your responsibility to reach out to someone, don’t delay and don’t distract from the main point. A quick phone call, a concise email, or even a properly-placed sticky note can all achieve the same goal: proactive communication.

If someone else is doing the talking, make sure you are listening well.