Working effectively as a remote worker is not all about having the skills and experience. You also need to have that proactive mindset to maintain your good performance. There are virtual assistants, who have a lot of potential when it comes to delivering great work, but fail to do so given they are not driven enough. They are held back by their lack of a proactive mindset.

In order to avoid the aforementioned situation, you also have to consider conditioning yourself as a proactive remote worker. You cannot always rely on external factors to keep you motivated to do well at work, such as your team members, your organization, or your personal condition.

To help you have a proactive mindset, you may try carrying out the following:

Do not dwell on your past mistakes. If you made errors at work, do not dwell on them. Otherwise, you would not be able to better yourself. Consider the fact that all make mistakes, especially if new to the tasks. What is more important is to consider what lies ahead.

By accepting that you may err from time to time, your thinking would not be constrained and you can prevent feeling demotivated. You will be more willing to learn and take on challenges, which are characteristics that would make you a proactive remote worker.

Learn the power of prioritizing. Know that you cannot do every task provided to you. If you want to make the most out of having initiative, you should create a priority list. By making sure you are focusing on more important tasks, you would be able to avoid time wastage and missed deadlines.

Identifying the priority level of your activities will help you schedule your day-to-day work more effectively. You can assign a specific timeframe for each task and even your due date for it (which is different from the actual one). This would help ensure to set aside a time gap, which will allow you to review your work and edit it should there be problems.

Be prompt in communication. You would never look professional or proactive if you do not practice responding promptly when communicating. This is regardless of the platform you use (e-mail, message, or call).

For e-mail or message, regardless of having to check references before sending a reply, it is best to notify the person that you will be sending feedback by a certain time.

If you fail to respond to messages, being proactive means you also have to be willing to apologize. This may happen, particularly if you are caught up with lots of appointments.

Alongside being prompt, you will be proactive if you also consider the way you compose your response. Double check if you have addressed all concerns and if an attachment is necessary, make sure it is already included.

In terms of calls, it is always best to pick up to give an indication that you are always ready to offer any help to your bosses, team members, or customers. Be straightforward whenever speaking via call. If you need to call back, inform them about it right away and provide a specific time when you will ring them again. If you still need to verify some things before giving them concise responses, you also have to provide this information.

Be open to feedback. Having a proactive mindset also means you are willing to find out what your co-workers think about your performance at work. If they provide you reviews, make sure to welcome them. On the other hand, should they specify matters for improvement given your declining productivity and efficiency, you should take note of it. Be reminded that their insights are your means of targeting your weak points.

Know that the feedback given to you should not be taken personally. You also have to keep in mind that your performance is not about you solely since it can affect the entire organization.

Maintain a positive attitude. Being proactive also means that you are always willing to work harmoniously with everyone. You should always be approachable in times of need. Moreover, regardless of being in a situation full of tension, you should always try hard to keep your cool and be thoughtful of others.

The way you work with others can actually weigh down your skills. No matter how adept are, if you fail to get along with the people around you, collaboration would fail miserably. 

You will win more if you become proactive. This is not only in terms of becoming a better remote worker, but being someone that your co-workers can rely on. It is not a swift process, but as long as you practice it, you will definitely achieve your goal.