Give yourself something to react to

You know how you get caught up in checking emails, or surfing the web, or facebooking, or whatever; then you realize, "I haven't done anything"?

And when you think about it, the "anything" you are probably referring to is something proactive: advancing a project; starting a new project; crossing something off of your list.

At that moment you are in a reactive mode.

You are checking email for something to react to.

You're surfing the web for something that inspires you to do something.

You're on facebook — reading people's posts — so you can respond to something.

Don't you create to-do lists for the same reason? To give yourself something to react to.

I think it's normal to operate in reaction mode. And despite some arguments that you should always try to operate in proactive mode, I believe it's okay to operate in reaction mode. Within reason.

But how do you ever get anything done? How do you start something new? That's the within-reason part.

You have to find a way to create reactive scenarios out of proactive tasks.

For example:

Proactive goal: You need to build a marketing plan.

Create a reactive scenario: Schedule a meeting or a phone call with your audience. You'll have to react and prepare at some point.

Proactive goal: You need 10 new prospects.

Create a reactive scenario: Send out 10 emails a day describing how you can help with x or y. Create it once, send it 10 times. Eventually someone will respond with something you can react to.

Proactive goal: You need to clean your condo.

Create a reactive scenario: Throw a dinner party. You'll react and get that place clean. Trust me.

This isn't flawless, but let's face it: it's sooo much easier to react then pro-act.

So, maybe: "don't beat 'em, join 'em"; figure out how to use the idea of reacting to accomplish proactive goals.

Create things to react to.