Traveling for fun can be great. Who doesn’t love an adventure? Traveling for work, however, can also be exhausting. It can be difficult to stay connected back to life at the office (or with your customers and clients), and remain focused on why you are on a business trip in the first place. Here are a few field-tested suggestions on how to stay productive when you travel for work.
Tip #1: Have “One Thing” and Stick to it
Why are you traveling? Is it for a customer meeting? Be prepared, show up early, wow them, and get home. If you’re going to a conference, what are you hoping to get from it? Be precise. What’s that one thing you want to know that you can bring back to the office to implement? Decide before you go and stick to it. A clear goal and action plan for any business travel keeps you focused. Especially at a conference where the content comes at you like a fire hose. Having a learning goal in mind helps filter out distractions and can leave you time to stay connected back to the office. Better to come home with one single actionable piece of knowledge than a laundry list of merely interesting stuff you heard.
Tip #2: Use Virtual Desktops and Cloud Apps
Sometimes, email isn’t enough. You need to edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations while you’re on the go. Making sure you have the right technology tools to stay connected and productive is crucial. We use Citrix virtual desktops, web-based Outlook, and Office 365 to stay agile and productive when we are out of the office and traveling.
Tip #3: Eat Right and Preserve Your Usual Routines
Who hasn’t gotten sick after coming home from a trip? It’s not just about picking up germs on the airplane. The experts agree that your wellness is tied to your eating and sleeping habits too. When you travel, it’s easy to eat junk food, drink, and stay up late –all of which will impact your ability to stay focused, healthy, and productive. Try to eat right and stick to your usual at-home routines to avoid getting run down and off your game.
