6 ways to stay productive when traveling to NYC for work
Travelling for work is an essential part of corporate culture. In fact, in the United States alone, millions of business trips happen every day. While travelling has its advantages, such as the excitement of being in a new city and trying out new foods, it can have adverse effects on your productivity levels and daily routines.
Truth is, it can be hard to remain focused when you’re near a beach or meeting new people. Equally, it can be difficult to disconnect from your normal routine and take the time to appreciate the beauty and culture of your destination
In this article, we discuss 6 ways to stay productive when travelling to NYC for work.
Invest in a convenient working space
One of the best ways to enhance focus while travelling is by dedicating a place where you will do the actual work. An ideal workspace will help your mind get into work mode. But, checking in your entire office desk is not possible while travelling to NYC. That means one thing: you will need to get creative!
Before you begin your trip, it’s important to do some research to find out a bit about your destination. For example, you might want to know where the local stores are and, most importantly, where to stay while there. The idea is to find accommodation facilities that offer business-centric amenities and the right kind of comfort, like these apartment rentals in New York City.
Once you’ve settled in, designate a section of the house to be your temporary workspace. Ensure that this space is comfortable and adequately lit, with all the necessary supplies. You won’t find many better ways to stay focused while you’re away from your usual environment.
Make plans well in advance
Design a bullet-proof plan of events and a schedule prior to your trip so that you know when you have free time in your diary that you can utilize productively for work. Your plans may need to include either late or early calls with the office if you are in a different time zone.
And since you will be travelling, it’s important to account for delays and emergencies. To help reduce stress and focus on the task at hand, you can organize your transportation and accommodation in advance.
A solid schedule will help you prioritize important tasks and keep you motivated and productive. However, the schedule has to be tailored to your specific needs. Begin by knowing what time of the day you are most productive. This depends on whether you are a morning person or an evening person. Plan to do the difficult tasks when you’re most productive.
Maintain a healthy routine
Even while in transit, it’s vital that you take care of yourself. The truth is, your general productivity is dependent on your energy levels. Nothing does it better than having a balanced diet, consistent exercise patterns and quality sleep.
While it can be tempting to adopt bad eating habits such as unhealthy snacking and eating fast food while you’re travelling, these kinds of foods can leave you feeling tired and bloated. Eat healthy meals, stay hydrated and avoid excessive caffeine.
Also, try to exercise as much as possible. This will help to boost your mood and enhance revitalization.
Capitalize on the “down times”
“Down time” can occur in between flights or when you’re waiting for a meeting to start. Use these unexpected breaks to accomplish tasks that are not demanding instead of being on social media. For instance, respond to emails, catch up on reading, write content or complete other low-energy administrative tasks.
These accumulated 10-20 minutes can make a significant difference in helping you achieve your goal.
Allow yourself time to relax and enjoy the moment
You are in New York City! The city that’s known to have better everything, from food to fashion to entertainment. Make time to explore the city and get to know the locals and their culture. Taking some time off work can help you recharge your batteries and get you refreshed.
Allowing yourself to experience something new may stimulate your creativity and give you new ideas that you can apply in your work. Taking time to relax not only enhances your productivity, but also improves your well-being.
Leverage technology
Technology helps you avoid mental strain so you can focus on more important tasks instead. You don’t want to burden your brain when you can use applications such as Evernote to map out and organize your meetings and tasks. Take advantage of tech tools to make your work easier and free up your time.
Which other productivity strategy has worked well for you when you’re traveling for work? Share in the comments below.
