Who Has Time For Proactivity?

In my last fifteen coaching sessions, every client said the same thing:

“I want to be more proactive.”

Different industries, different roles — same story. Everyone feels buried in urgent requests, unexpected fires, and endless interruptions. No one is getting to the work they actually need to do.

The world has shifted from doing work to reacting to it.

Here are five practical ideas to help you shift from reactive to proactive.

1. Start with Three

Take a leaf out of Mike Williams’ "Doing to Done" method.

At the start of every day, write down the three most important things you need to get done — and hold those in your mind like a compass.

It’s incredible how few people do this. Without clarity, the first email or ping of the day takes control. But if you know what matters, you can always return to it — even after a dozen distractions.

2. Schedule the Important but Not Urgent

We all have projects that matter deeply — the ones that would move the needle — but never get started because they’re not on fire.

This morning, one of my clients described exactly that. When I asked what her first action was, she gave an answer that sounded right but wasn’t doable. After a few more questions, she realized she needed to start somewhere entirely different.

Mike Williams said something this week that stuck with me:

“The question is the coach.”

Asking better questions helps you see what’s really next.

3. Give Every Hour a Job

If your week feels out of control, this one changes everything.

At the start of the week, assign every hour a purpose. One of my clients has 17 direct reports. Instead of living on the phone all week, he schedules 17 one-hour meetings — one with each person.

They all know to bring a list of what they want to discuss. 

The rest of his time stays protected for real work.

He gets more done in 23–33 hours than most managers do in 50.

4. Don’t Confuse Motion with Progress

It’s easy to feel productive when you’re answering messages, solving problems, and being “responsive.” But reactivity often feels like progress when it’s actually just motion.

Proactivity feels slower — at first. But it’s where impact lives.

5. Build a System That Reminds You What Matters

You don’t rise to the level of your intention; you fall to the level of your system.

That’s why daily check-ins, visual trackers, and time-blocking aren’t “nice-to-haves.” They’re guardrails that protect focus in a world built for distraction.

If this theme has been hitting you lately too — that sense of always being busy but rarely being forward-moving — you’re not alone.

Start small. Pick one of the ideas above and test it next week.

And if you’d like a simple structure for turning Doing to Done into your daily rhythm, send me a note — I’m happy to share what’s been working for my clients.