When you are jetting from destination to destination or meeting to meeting, a portable battery charger becomes a must…. – Lindsey Pollak
This is one of six productivity tips and related product recommendations that Millennial workplace expert Lindsey Pollak shares in the Hyatt Place Seamless Travel series. In a talk on digital tips for businesses, Chief Digital Officer Sree Srinivasan adds that the ideal battery charger has outlets for multiple devices so you can share it and network while fueling up! Clearly, productivity while you travel complements productivity in your career. Here are three more productivity tips for travel and career:
Pollak: As much as I love my electronic devices, I’ll never give up my favorite notebook and a smooth-writing pen.
Career takeaway: Having notebook and pen at the ready is an efficient way to capture ideas or highlight something you can follow through later. It also signals to your boss and colleagues that you’re prepared, you’re listening, and you’re ready to act on what’s being said without having to circle back for reminders. Finally, when taking notes at meetings, writing in a notebook as opposed to an electronic device may be less distracting for the people around you. They won’t have to wonder if you’re really taking notes or checking your emails. While it’s easier to share your notes if you enter them electronically, writing them in a notebook and then transcribing a summary enables you to add extra value in how you interpret what is said.
Pollak: As a frequent traveler, you never know when you’ll be stuck on an airplane next to a screaming baby, hacking cougher or annoying pen-clicker. Noise-reduction headphones will save your sanity so you can use your time wisely to keep working, rest or regroup.
Career takeaway: In an open workplace where you can’t close your door to get uninterrupted work time, noise-cancelling headphones are an alternative. You can focus better. You signal to your colleagues that you are not available for discussion – at the very least, they have to expend the effort to physically interrupt you and not just plop down on your desk and start talking! You can also use your phone’s headset, if you just need the Keep Out signal and not the noise cancellation. Whatever device you use, just make sure that it’s acceptable in your office culture to wear headphones while working. For some environments it can be interpreted as uninviting to others or too casual.
Pollak: I’m a lifelong proponent of ABAB: Always Bring A Book. Especially during the chaotic holiday travel season, a good book is an instant escape.
Career takeaway: Traveling is a great time to catch up on your reading. If you dedicate your commute time to reading (or an audio book or podcast if you drive) that could mean 50 or more books each year. You could read about career advice or read more productivity hacks. Even if you read fiction, literary reading helps your job interview skills.
What is your favorite tip for staying productive while you travel? How can you implement that and some of those benefits to your day-to-day?
Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart® career coaching. Caroline has worked with executives from American Express, Citigroup, Condé Nast, Gilt, Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey, and other leading firms. She’s also a stand-up comic, so she’s not your typical coach. Connect with Caroline on Google+.
