Proactive Versus Reactive
December 21, 2021
For the past few months, I've been paying closer attention to the way people manage situations from the perspective of being proactive and reactive. I started by looking at myself and confirmed what I already knew - I like to plan and know what I'll be doing tomorrow, in a month, and in the future and can easily be distracted and lured away from my well-intended plans.
Proactive behaviors are what you plan for and do in advance of something else happening. They are the efforts made to achieve a goal and your preparation for things that may (or may not) happen. It's doing your holiday shopping before the holiday rush, seeing your doctor for annual physicals, paying your bills on time, and wearing sunscreen at the beach. It's taking the initiative to excel at work, so you are the top candidate for a promotion, filling your car with gas (or charging it) before it's on E, and saving money to purchase a home.
Being proactive requires planning and following through with the things you set out to accomplish. It challenges you to stay focused, face challenges head-on, and sometimes delay gratification. It can reduce anxiety and stress because you know that what you are doing today is aligned with what you want for your future. Being proactive helps you to be better prepared for both unpredictable and predictable events (i.e., earthquakes, retirement).
When responding to something that has already happened, you are behaving reactively. Sometimes this is positive, like when you congratulate friends on the birth of a child and saying thank you when receiving a gift. Other times it's negative, like regretting that you hurt a friend's feelings or having to slam on your breaks when the car in front of you stops short. It's needing to fire an employee for sexually harassing others and canceling your credit cards after someone stole your wallet.
The most obvious reactive example I can think of comes from our collective response to the pandemic. Twenty-one months ago, our lives changed overnight when we had to shelter in place. We figured out new ways to meet our needs – from working and schooling kids to grocery shopping and seeking medical care to seeing family members and attending celebrations..
There is a cyclical nature to being proactive and reactive. What started with reactively sheltering in place shifted to proactively wearing masks, socially distancing, and getting vaccinated. The combination of today's new Omicron variant, unvaccinated people, and (some) vaccinated people who are choosing to no longer socially distance or wear masks have collectively contributed to the recent rise in cases. More people are getting tested for the COVID-19 virus while others are reconsidering indoors plans (i.e., holiday celebrations, eating indoors) and scheduling their vaccines and booster shots.
What is your process for making decisions? Are you a proactive person who focuses on what you set out to accomplish? Or a reactive person who is easily distracted? Maybe you are a bit of both? With only ten days remaining in 2021, reflect upon your year through this lens and take notice of how you have managed yourself. Are you satisfied with what you achieved and accepting of what you didn't?
Use this reflection as you move forward into 2022 to set goals and develop a plan for how you will proactively work toward achieving them. To kick start this process, ask yourself these four questions:
1. What do I want to accomplish in 2022?
2. What do I proactively need to be doing to set myself up for success?
3. What distractions can I anticipate when working on these goals?
4. What will it take to meet my current responsibilities and achieve my goals?
Best wishes to you and your family for a very happy and healthy 2022! May your days be filled with joy, laughter, love, and achieving what you want while balancing between being proactive and reactive!
