Business often requires you to travel around the country and around the globe to keep the wheel’s turning, and one problem people have is remaining productive whilst they are travelling. Who better to ask for tips on how to be more productive on the road than travel experts themselves. Here are 10 tips from travel businesses on how to get things done whilst travelling…
1. Research, Research, Research
Know what, where, and when is the best time to see things. Check out the weather forecast, and research which days are busiest. Save time by being informed. In many places most things are closed on Sundays so it is a good day to get some work done.
2. Carry Your Office
Make sure that you have your work place all packed in your carryon bag. Don’t unpack it unless you are working and make sure that you pack it all up again when you are done working. “It’s essential to our business to be mobile yet accessible, when we are out the office and on the ground so to speak we carry smartphones so we can be contacted” says Marc from Africa safari specialists, Africa Odyssey. Save valuable time by always having your office ready to go.
3. Avoid Queues
From Check-in to Security to waiting to board your next plane, train, bus or boat; you can’t avoid the Check-in or security lines but you can avoid the long line up to board. Instead use that extra forty-five minutes to work.
4. Work First and Play Second
You meet someone new while standing in line for the art exhibition and suddenly you are stumbling back to your hotel much later than you had planned for. You wake up in the morning with a splitting headache and the last thing you want to focus on is work. Make the plans with your new friends but head back to your hotel and do a couple of hours of work first. “We’re very fortunate that our chalets are in some very picturesque parts of France, which makes it very tempting to go outside and hit the slopes. However we are strict with ourselves and set ourselves goals and when we hit them, we get to go outside and play!” says Ceri from Consensio. The excitement of meeting up with new friends will keep you inspired to do your best work in a short amount of time.
5. Work Offline
You can’t send or reply to emails while you are on the plane but you can draft them in offline mode. Use this time to catch up on your communication and then send everything out when you are back online.
6. Do Something Interesting Every Day
The thrill of being away from home is that every experience is new. It will open your mind, make you think differently, and improve your work productivity.
7. Find a Good Space to Work In
Cafes with are a great place to work. Beaches have sand that can get in your computer and the ocean is just too tempting. Stay away from the beach but try to compromise by finding a café with a view of the beach. Alternatively if you choose to work from your hotel, it’s important that you keep organized.
8. Embrace Your Freedom
You have chosen a lifestyle that many would never dare. Revel in the fact that you are not sitting in an office from 9 to 5 every day counting down the minutes until the end of your shift. You alone are responsible for your destiny and that is a great feeling to have.
9. Set a Limit for Social Media
Who hasn’t told themselves that they will just log onto Facebook or Twitter for just a few minutes before starting work. Suddenly three hours have gone by and seventeen tabs are open. Social media will still be there after your job is done!
10. Be Passionate About Your Job
If you love what you do it will show in your work. Your productivity will be better, you will be more creative, and completing tasks won’t seem like something to be avoided.