There are times when you need to be reactive at work – like having to decide at the spur of the moment to adapt to rapidly changing situations, or abandoning long-term plans to meet immediate needs.

But taking a proactive approach is what most clients expect from their remote workers. This means taking control of situations by anticipating and preparing for issues that might arise. Proactive people aren’t just passively observing but are:

• Actively engaged.
• Looking to the future.
• Making things happen.
• Moving forward.

Do you want to know how you can become proactive rather than someone who always comes up with excuses? Here are some tips for you.

Develop foresight

Foresight is defined as “the ability to predict what will happen or be needed in the future”. You can actually develop this skill.

You can achieve this by figuring out how things work – by examining cycles, practices, routines and patterns that exist in your workflow. Never allow yourself to be complacent and instead think about possible future outcomes.

Although history tends to repeat itself, it’s a good idea to think of multiple scenarios on how situations may unfold.

Seek feedback

There’s no point in simply waiting for your employer to evaluate your work. Start a conversation about your quality by asking something like, “Where can I improve?”.

Not only are you taking initiative but also making a good impression on your client. At the same time, you can actually improve your skills and become a better worker.

Start small

Newcomers should avoid taking on too much and just focus on one main responsibility. If you often put off a certain type of task, have yourself do it everyday before any other jobs.

Tip: Continue this practice for a few months and it’ll become second nature. Studies say that it takes 66 days to start a habit, so do the task for at least that many days.

Actively participate

Rather than be an idle observer, be an active participant. Understand that you’re a piece of a bigger puzzle where you can influence and be influenced by others.

Don’t just react to events unfolding; get involved and be part of the solution. Make contributions to discussions about matters relevant to your job and exert your influence.

Stay organised

Learn to manage your schedule better. Take stock of your priorities and regular tasks, then figure out how you can shorten, eliminate or delegate them. Think about what you can do to stay ahead of less urgent stuff.

Organizing your time will help you become open to new opportunities and approach existing tasks productively. Be sure to include time for recreation or rest for work-life balance.

Establish goals

Set objectives and write them down. By making a list of everything that you want to accomplish, it’ll be easier to lay out how you can achieve your desired outcome.

Remember that having small milestones leading up to the completion of a project will keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

Finish one task at a time and, before you know it, you’ve finished the whole project.

Remain focused

Pay heed to what’s happening around you. It’s easy to be constantly distracted by anything and everything, but concentration and focus are key to being proactive.

Simply set aside 5 minutes of your day to notice all that’s occurring around you. Your mind will likely wander, so bring it back to the present moment again and again.

Do this every day and see your concentration power increase.

Reach out

Connect with people across the company whenever and wherever possible. Find leaders whom you can emulate and network with where practical.

If you’re working only part-time for an employer, networking will get you more visibility when you want to apply for an additional client.

Collaborating with others in the same company or industry always brings more opportunities.

Follow up

Ask for confirmation or feedback on invitations, emails and more. This’ll keep you informed of what people are up to, and update others as to what you’re doing at work.

If your job involves contacting customers for your client, follow up these customers about their experience and thank them for buying your product or using your service.

Celebrate success

On the path to becoming more proactive at work, be happy when you see any progress. It isn’t possible to plan for every outcome so you’ll definitely encounter challenges on the way.

But don’t be too hard on yourself when you’re being reactive again. Instead, celebrate your successes, both big and small.

Parting Thoughts

Being more proactive isn’t just about standing out and looking good. It’s more about feeling satisfied with your job. You’re spending a huge chunk of your time working so it’s important to make it as interesting as possible.

Want to have a more fulfilling career? Become a virtual assistant with Remote Workmate. We can connect you with clients who’ll help you grow as a professional. This includes providing opportunities where you can become more proactive.