Unrequested, relevant, valuable.

Think about your customers. How amazed would they be if you provided them something of value that was unexpected? What about providing a report and analysis on their target market and how demographics may have changed over the past 5 years? Or something like dropping in to see how a product you have sold them is doing and provide a demo on how to use it better? Obviously the nature of the outcome of your proactivity will be different depending on what product or service industry you are in, however the principle remains the same.

 On the flipside, how can you be proactive for your boss or your shareholders? I’m sure they would love the sound of you wanting to set up a meeting to discuss a more efficient way of doing something that you have determined will save them time and money. They will be shaking your hand and offering you a promotion!

 Proactivity – Unrequested, relevant, valuable.

What is on your ‘To Do’ list? How long has it been sitting there? Wouldn’t you feel so much better if you just got it done?

Procrastination is the thing that will stop us from being productive with our day. Whether it be to clean the house, exercise, call that client or write that blog! Procrastination can be the 1 thing that lets laziness rule. Don’t let it take over you. You take over it! Make the decision to write that list, prioritise, and get it done! It’s that easy! No matter how much is going on right now, there is always room for more.

Once you have set yourself the task, and go about achieving it in small chunks, you will be amazed at what you can do and feel the weight lifted off your shoulders once it is done.

What can you get done today?

Take exercise as an example. Everyone needs to exercise. It is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Whether it be going to the gym or out for a run or a bike ride, we all need to do it. If you give yourself the option to pull out, on a cold wet day you most certainly will. But if it is part of your routine it just what you do. You don’t even think about the weather and you will get through your session and feel better for it, without having the mental battle of should I or shouldn’t I.

Not only can we apply routines to our personal lives, but to our working lives as well. Things like making Tuesday mornings invoice day, and Thursday afternoons customer contact time, if it’s part of a routine, it will get done.

Here’s what you do:

1. Write a list of all office tasks that needs to get done on a weekly, fortnightly, monthly and yearly basis.
2. Decide how long each task will take you.
3. Get a calendar – You can use one from Outlook if you use it, download one from www.google.com/calendar or use an old fashioned flip chart calendar.
4. Calendarise each task.
5. Stick to it!

When it’s a routine, it gets done.

Good luck!