8 Productivity Tips for Business Travelers

8 Productivity Tips for Business Travelers 8 Productivity Tips for Business Travelers When you are on the road a lot for business, it often seems like you aren’t getting as much done as you should be. But, just because you are traveling frequently , it doesn’t mean that you can’t be as productive as if you were in the office every day. You just have to look for ways to be able to do your work when you are on the road. With today’s technology, working while traveling has never been easier. You can connect from pretty much anywhere, and you can get a lot done while you are on the road. Here are some productivity tips for anyone who travels frequently for business. When you are traveling for business, make sure that you always have a laptop or tablet with you , so you can work from anywhere. Scope out Wi-Fi hot spots ahead of time, so you will know where you can get a connection and be able to do your work, no matter where you are traveling to. You might also want to look into getting a Wi-Fi card, which will let you have an Internet subscription for your mobile device. Even if you can’t connect to free Wi-Fi, you will still be able to connect and stay productive. It is time to get out of the mindset that multitasking helps you to get more done. Sure, it may seem like you are doing a lot, but what you are really doing is a whole lot of nothing. When you are multitasking , you aren’t putting all of your concentration on any one task, so nothing is being done to the best of your ability. Whether you are in the office or on the road, stop multitasking, and simply concentrate on doing one thing at a time , and doing it well. You will be a lot more productive in the long run by not multitasking. When you are working on the road, it is more important than ever to know that you can be in contact with clients, your employer, your team, etc. This means that you need a reliable wireless device that is constantly charged. An external smartphone charger is a great investment  because it will ensure that your device is always charged when you need it, and you can contact anyone at any time, check and send emails, etc. These devices only cost around $30, and it is more than worth it to prevent the inevitable “Sorry I missed your call; my phone died” conversation with your CEO. If you are using old technology, it can really slow you down a lot, especially if you are on the road. But, you don’t have to go out and spend a fortune on new tech devices. You can save a lot of money by purchasing refurbished devices. You can even sell your old tech at websites such as Gadget Salvation , and use the money towards the new devices you need in order to stay productive while you are on the road. Find things like newer laptops, iPhones, and a whole lot more, and save a lot of money while you are at it. You probably spend a lot of time on airplanes, and this can seem like a real time-waster. But, if you are taking flights that are Wi-Fi enabled, you can get a lot of work done while on those long flights . These flights may be a bit more on the costly side, but when you think about how productive you could be, the additional fees are definitely worth it. You will have many uninterrupted hours of time to get a lot of work done, and when you arrive at your destination, you won’t be stressed out about all of the work that didn’t get done, because you already did it. It is important to take breaks in order to keep from burning out . So, put down the laptop for a little while, and go for a walk. If you are in a new area, this is a great chance to explore and see new things. Take a couple of hours for yourself, and you will be surprised at just how refreshed you are, and ready to get right back to the work that needs to be done. There are a lot of to-dos that can be done without the use of the Internet . So, if you know that you are going to be in areas where Wi-Fi is sketchy at best, plan for it. Take work along that you can do offline, whether it be planning business strategies, organizing notes, finishing projects that don’t require any additional research, etc. You might be surprised to learn at just how much you can get done without ever logging on to the Internet. Even if you are away on a camping trip, you can get a lot of work done and be productive. It is a good idea to avoid using social media first thing in the morning. You’d be surprised at just how much time you waste on social media and checking email, and before you know it, the morning is over, and you haven’t accomplished much of anything. Start getting into the habit of checking social media and emails a bit later in the morning. Even better, schedule times to do these things, and then do not do them when you are trying to get other things done. The less time you spend on social media and email, the more productive you are going to be in the long run. Jane Hurst is a content manager from San Francisco. She is a business writer and writing coach. Find Jane on   Twitter .