Whether you often travel for work or just enjoy travelling for fun, you may frequently find yourself needing to work while on the go. In fact, even without the comfort of a FlexiSpot ergonomic office chair, some people find they’re the most productive when in airports or on airplanes.
This could be because of the ambient background noise or the lack of distractions typically present within our homes. Either way, you can use these spaces to your advantage to keep up productivity high even when you’re working while travelling.
You don’t need to get overwhelmed about how to maintain your work schedule. Just keep in mind a few key things before you embark on your next working trip. Below are five things to know if you plan on working when flying on a plane so that you can get your work done and maximize your productivity.
1. Make a Plan Ahead of Time
The main component of successfully getting your work done while you’re flying is preparing in advance. In fact, the key to travelling, regardless of whether you’re working or not, is preparation. It makes everything go that much smoother.
The first thing you need to remember to do before working on a flight is to fully charge all of your necessary devices before heading to the airport. If it’s a long flight, make sure to bring the chargers with you.
Consider the amount of space you’ll have in your carry-on and on your flight when you pack whatever you’ll be working from, as well. Also, plan what you’re going to be working on in advance. This will allow you to actually get work done instead of spending time wondering what you need to be doing.
2. Pack the Proper Equipment
This step goes hand-in-hand with planning ahead, as you’ll want to pack the equipment you need to easily get your work done while flying. If you’re planning on using a laptop while travelling, that’s great, but they can take up space that isn’t necessarily there. Consider using a tablet or your smartphone along with a BlueTooth keyboard to get your work done while taking up less space.
As mentioned above, you’ll want to remember to bring all of the necessary chargers for the devices you plan to use while working. You can also bring a power bank with you so that you’re less likely to run out of battery, especially if there are no outlets around.
Other than those necessities, remember to pack anything that makes working easier. If you’ll have room to use it on your flight, bring along a mouse to use with your laptop. You can also look into portable MiFi devices, which come in handy while traveling.
3. Do Not Expect On-Board Wi-Fi
The amount of planes that have Wi-Fi has steadily increased in recent years, and the performance isn’t always that bad, depending on the airline you’re flying with. However, inflight Wi-Fi is not a guarantee, and even if you know your flight will have it, it’s not promised that it will work very well.
For this reason, it’s better to plan to do any tasks that don’t rely on Wi-Fi. Think typing up articles or letters, editing photos, or setting up schedules for the upcoming weeks.
If you have certain offline tasks that require online research, information, or files, be sure to download those before you leave for the airport. If you do this, everything you need will be easily accessible regardless of the Wi-Fi connection.
4. Adjust Your Project List Accordingly
Some projects are great for traveling, and some simply aren’t. For example, if you’re in an airport where there are many background noises or on a flight with your phone in airplane mode, you’ll want to avoid making important calls or scheduling any meetings.
Flying is a great time to get some mindless but necessary tasks done. These tasks can include things like cleaning up the desktop on your laptop or editing some photos for your website.
A mix of high-value and simple tasks is the best way to get work done while flying. The simpler tasks need to get done and also give you a break from the more intense projects you need to complete.
5. Make the Most of Your Time Spent Waiting
Sure, getting work done while you’re actually flying is fantastic. However, there’s a ton of time you’ll spend waiting while still on the ground that you should definitely put to use.
For one, it’s possible that you can work on your way to the airport, especially if you have a long way to travel to get there. While not all modes of transportation are great for this, if you are taking a train or a cab, you can squeeze in some work.
After you check in and before you board, you’ll most likely have a ton of time to get a decent amount of work in. You can even try out the airport lounge if you don’t want to be stuck at the departure gate the whole time.
Conclusion
When traveling, you can get a lot of work done during your flight. Just because you’re in the air doesn’t mean you can’t complete your projects to keep you productive and on schedule.
It can be tricky to work while flying, so make sure to use the 5 tips from above to help you be prepared and maximize the work you can accomplish in that time.
Remember to pack the equipment you’ll need for work and also plan your projects accordingly. Proper working Wi-Fi is never guaranteed on flights, so keep that in mind when organizing your tasks.
