Living reactively.
In other words, you run your day based on other people’s requests. Think emails, texts, phone calls, etc.
Or, you do the easy things like surf social media (did you know that the average internet user spent 2 hours and 30 minutes daily on social media in 2022?) or clean your email inbox.
When you get to the end of the day, you’re exhausted and can’t put your finger on what you did today.
It’s critical to be proactive as much as possible.
Before I tell you HOW to be proactive, I need to point out that it is impossible to run your day proactively. But it IS possible to live your day completely reactively. You get to choose.
How do you live a proactive day?
I go back to a quote I always say, “tell your time where to go instead of wondering where it went.”
Take the time to plan your tomorrow at the end of each day.
Here’s how…
Step 1: Review the day you just had.
– Notice what you didn’t get done.
– Determine which of these things need to be done tomorrow.
– Also, estimate how much time they’ll take you.
Step 2: Review your tomorrow.
– What’s already on your calendar?
– How much time do you need to fill?
– Which of the things from today can fit into your tomorrow?
Step 3: Allow your schedule breathing room.
– Life WILL happen.
– Calls will start late/run over.
– Unexpected calls will happen.
– Power/Internet will go out.
– Key: spend most of your day doing things that will move you toward your goals, not on time wasters.