Traveling in a Peacefully Productive Manner
Traveling has always put tremendous strain on a person’s productivity…because of the wear and tear on your body, mind, soul, and emotions. At this point…I am not sure how to properly quantify that truth. There are other articles that have attempted to do so, which many of us have read over the last 2+ years.
It’s essential to recognize how stressful traveling is and to be proactive in addressing the issues that you can. For example:
- Consider your mental needs and provide for those needs while traveling (e.g., good books — in various formats). Years ago, you might have brought along one book to enjoy on the flight. Now, you’re smarter to bring different books that you can access in the ways that will be the least stressful to you at any given time.
- Consider your emotional needs and provide for those needs while traveling (e.g., phone numbers of people you care about so that you can give them a call, calming apps, soothing poetry).
- Consider your physical needs and provide for those needs while traveling (e.g., special pillows, essential oils, layers of clothing).
- Invest in the technology you need to stay connected while traveling (e.g., devices, the right software, a variety of cords and charging devices).
- Consider what your time is worth and spend the money necessary to make the best use of your time (e.g., $9.95 to connect to higher speed internet in your hotel room is worth it if it means you won’t be hassling around with lost connections).
- Tip well and get the help you need. How much would a trip to the chiropractor cost vs. tipping for some assistance at the hotel? And energetically, doesn’t it feel good to surprise someone with the amount of your tip?
- Drink a lot of water. You really can’t overdo this one. And I know the temptation on planes is to drink less water because you don’t want to get up to go to the bathroom. However… Drink plenty of water throughout your trip.
- Eat decently. You know what that means for you.
- Get a reasonable amount of sleep. Have earplugs and medication, as needed. Ask to be moved if your room is noisy. Well, it’s not that the ROOM is noisy, it’s that the location of that room is noisy. <smile>
- Plan for recovery days after travel — to recover physically, mentally, emotionally, and work-wise. Although many folks initially resist my recommendations about building in recovery days, I hear from those skeptics as they begin to build in the recovery days and the difference it makes (and what it costs to ignore the reality of needing to recover after travel).
Travel, whether for business or for pleasure, is a challenge. Make it more productive for yourself by following some or all of these suggestions. Apply at least one idea for your next trip and see what happens. Be clear on your intent to be more peacefully and positively productive.
If you’d like to see a short humorous video about ten tips for allowing others to be productive on a plane, it’s here. You can imagine what might have been happening on this trip that prompted the writing of these ten tips:
https://toptenproductivitytips.com/allow-others-to-be-productive-on-a-plane/
