Proactivity: The Stress Buster

Have you ever observed someone spending more energy on fixing a problem when they could have used half that energy to do it right, the first time? Sports enthusiasts talk “offense,” but do they place it in their daily lives? Are you being proactive in arranging your personal life so as to knock out some stress? Proactivity is certainly part of being organized. In fact, “Be Proactive” is also Stephen Covey’s Habit #1 in his wildly popular book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Here are a several examples of living the “proactive” philosophy each day to help reduce stress – and find that all important balance:

·         Scheduling regular checkups on your car and your health.

·         Putting a fire exit plan together for your home, not just work.

·         Paying personal bills monthly via auto deductions on checking accounts and credit cards, not reacting to a paper bill that can get hidden in a stack of papers.

·         Setting up a backup babysitter plan for when the daycare unexpectedly closes, so you don’t have to panic or take off work.

·         Storing personal items in one place, like keys, so there is no morning scramble looking for them.

·         Sitting down and making a proactive plan for you and your family!

 What a stress buster!