According to Upwork’s 2018 Future Workforce Report, 38% of hiring managers predict that their employees will work predominantly remotely in the next 10 years. But working remotely can mean many different things — while it often means working at home in the comfort of your personal office, it can also mean taking your work on-the-go for a business or even personal trip. If you’re embarking on a trip that involves taking your work with you, it’s essential to keep productivity in mind with each and every step of the way. With that in mind, here are just a few smart tips to stay productive on your next business (or personal) trip.
Plan Around WiFi
It’s easy to find a WiFi connection in a public area and even on most airlines, considering the fact that aviation data company FlightAware estimates that roughly 9,728 planes are carrying 1.27 million people in the air at any given moment. And if you need to check in periodically throughout the day, it’s a good idea to schedule your itinerary with locations that are WiFi equipped. Fortunately, 80% of internet users are smartphone owners, so you may not need to take your laptop out everywhere you go. Use technology to your advantage, but don’t let it overwhelm you; it’s just as easy to feel over-connected and overstimulated to the point where you just need a break as it is to feel like you’re too out of reach and unconnected. The best way to find the right balance is to make reachable goals and think carefully about the technology you’ll truly need on your trip:
“Do you need your laptop for heavy-duty writing projects, or will your smartphone and tablet be enough? Depending on the focus of your trip, you may be able to lighten your load,” writes Michele Herrmann on The Muse.
Leave Time For Tourism/Creative Efforts
In addition to putting your most productive foot forward, you should also remember to leave at least an hour or so per day to engage in a new activity or creative endeavor that you wouldn’t otherwise get to engage in. This could be something like visiting a local museum to learn about history, taking a tour to familiarize yourself with an area’s most famous landmarks or visit a local market to get a taste for the culture. This is especially ideal if you’ve forgotten to pack an item that you potentially need, like sunglasses, which are worn by 75% of U.S. adults.
Stay Connected With Coworkers
Habitual communication is consistent communication, and even if it isn’t necessary to send multiple updates to team members each workday, it’s a good idea to touch base through some sort of routine. This could be a phone or video conference during breakfast one day, instant messaging over a group chat with coworkers, or simply keeping notes and sending out agendas routinely. That way, if anything ever goes wrong, you’ll be able to communicate it effectively and do some damage control. And of course, don’t forget to set your outgoing answering machine message to reflect your dates away from your traditional working environment.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to test out different productivity strategies and stick with the ones that suit you best. How will you stay productive during your next traveling stint?