Do you have a work trip coming up? While these can present fantastic opportunities for meeting up with existing or prospective clients, the thought of being away from your regular office setup and routine can easily become overwhelming.
If you are looking for ways to be as productive as possible during your time away, keep reading for tips on how to do so.
Pre-planning
It is no surprise that being as organised as possible is going to help with productivity. Whether the trip is being planned entirely by you or by someone else, pushing for a structured itinerary will work in your favour.
Scheduling meetings whilst you are away will allow you to accomplish everything you are setting out to achieve, while also giving you a clear idea of when you will have free time to complete other tasks.
Make sure to request a copy of the itinerary ahead of time so that you can plan accordingly.
Mode of transport
Whatever distance you are travelling, the mode of transport that you opt for will directly impact how productive you are able to be. If possible, travelling by train means you can work on the way to your destination. If your organisation will allow it, purchasing a first-class ticket will go a long way in terms of productivity as you will be able to benefit from power sockets and complimentary Wi-Fi.
The same applies to business and first-class flights. While they may be considerably more expensive, they are far more conducive to working.
Socialising
When travelling for work, there is often an expectation to socialise alongside taking part in meetings with your colleagues and clients.
While this can be beneficial both personally and in terms of networking, it is important to remember that it is okay to set boundaries if you have other work that needs prioritising. When first arriving at your trip, politely alert whomever you are meeting about what other plans you have, that way you will find it easier to decline social plans later off if you need to join other calls or complete time-sensitive tasks.
Out of office
When working away, emails from other members of your team or within your organisation can become very distracting.
Making sure you set a detailed out-of-office message will take off some of the pressure of having to respond to emails or messages at your normal pace. For example, ‘I am currently attending X event and so have limited access to emails. I will respond as soon as possible and will be back in the office on X date.’
This is an effective way to manage your colleagues’ expectations while you are on your work trip and will prevent them from sending chase emails.
