5 ways to stay productive while you’re traveling

1. Make the best use of the moment.

If you are trying to work on something very dense, maybe diving in while you’re simultaneously waiting to hear if your flight is delayed or not isn’t the best idea. Instead, use that specific moment in time to work on something less intensive. Catch up on some reading. Clear out a few emails. Allocate the right task to the right moment.

2. Commit to the work.

It’s not always easy to focus when you are in an environment that is loud and distracting. But usually that distraction is only an issue for the first five to 10 minutes. If you can force yourself to commit to the work, you’ll find yourself in your own zone before you know it. You won’t even realize there’s a kid next to you spilling lemonade all over himself.

3. Adjust to the type of travel.

Let’s say you’re not flying, you’re driving. You have to be in the car for five, six or seven ours. You can’t work because you’re driving, but what you can do is find other ways to be productive. During long road trips, I like to schedule back to back calls. These are calls I would have to make otherwise, so why not do them at a time when I have nowhere else to be? 

4. If you can’t work, study.

Productivity isn’t always about getting things “done.” It can also be about learning and studying up so when you do get the chance to sit down and work, you’re better prepared. Before your trip, pack a few books. Maybe download a few podcasts. Flip the script and make it more about “input” rather than “output.” This can be an equally effective way to remain “productive.”

5. Know when you’ve burned out.

And lastly, know when you need to sleep, or rest, or just stare out the window for a bit. True productivity is all about knowing yourself. You need to know when to push through and when to take your foot off the gas. If you’ve been up since 3 a.m. for a 6 a.m. flight, maybe now isn’t the time to grind through another piece of work. Take a nap for an hour and then tackle it. Productivity, especially while traveling, is not a sprint – it’s a marathon. Pace yourself.

Today, we have the advantage of being able to work from anywhere in the world. In the same way, as a company, we can hire people from anywhere in the world.

How? Contact us and find out what we do at Roots  EOR to make possible the dream of hiring employers from everywhere without having to pay extra and have everything legal.