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The re-active schedule is focused on ToDo’s.

The pro-active schedule is focused on goals and priorities (which include ToDo’s too!)
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When I am re-active, I don’t follow a schedule because I don’t want to mess it up or ‘fail’ what is on it. If I leave it totally open, I’m ready for what might come up. Result: I’m constantly in low-level maintain mode. Progress in the things that are important to me is next to nil.

When I am pro-active, my schedule reflects my goals and priorities. It includes the ‘must-do’s’ proportionately. I can see and feel the progress towards making my dreams a reality.
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Organizing books explain how to do a major overhaul of your office, what to do with the items in your inbox, and suggestions for how to best work with your schedule. These books do not seem to be geared for the self-employed person who isn’t physically relocating under the auspices of ‘Work’ for 8-10 hours a day.

The self-employeds whose success is dependent upon being flexible and innovative are often working at home, from cafes, on the go, networking any and everywhere, taking advantage of opportunities as they arise. In sum, we follow the flow of the day. And funny how infrequently ‘office’ and ‘paperwork’ pop-up in that flow. So when we read, “Develop the ‘left-brained’ activities, combine these with discipline, keep to your organizing system and voila! So Simple! You are powerful! Successful! In charge of your life! Have less stress and more free time!” We say, ‘Cool’ and then smile knowingly at the lack of practicality.

This seems to be the story of the day. How many books are there on organization? A lot. And I can do it fairly well when I’m by myself [read: in a scientifically controlled vacuum environment] and spending a disproportionate amount of time taking care of paperwork which, due to the nature of the brain, takes me out of plan, network and idea development mode. Then add to this, Other People and forget it! it ain’t gettin’ done.
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The schedule - the practical side of things

The summary of creating an effective scheduling system begins with the following concepts, each of which deserve much more column space on their own (and which shall be forth-coming).

1. What are MY PRIORITIES?
My Roles and Goals (more on these at a later date)
Example, me as: entrepreneur/business person, friend and family member, healthy woman, community member, partner (in the love department), writer.

The extension of this is when you look at your schedule and you see items that don’t support your priorities, ask yourself, why am I doing this? Don’t have a good answer? Communicate to the appropriate persons and disengage.

2. What else should get done to keep my needs met? (my needs mostly include the physical worldly things like having a well stocked fridge and my surroundings being neat and clean)
Example, house cleaning, shopping, bookkeeping, laundry

Next step on this one: Can these be delegated? more effectively arranged?

3. Making entries in your calendar often requires retraining in the Realistic Department. Meaning, in both planning and ‘put-out-fires’ mode, we tend to schedule about 20 hours worth of stuff into a 10 hour day. What percentage of your time do you want apportioned to your Roles and Goals? Look at each individually and be Realistic.