Air Travel Tips: How to Stay Sane and Productive on the Move
After completing six flights just last week, I have gathered a wealth of experience in making work-related travel smoother. As a keynote speaker, traveling constantly is part of my occupation. As much as my professional routine is filled with in-person events, I often have to spend numerous hours on planes. This exposure has enabled me to devise a strategy for maintaining a healthy balance between sanity and productivity while traveling. Here, I offer my insights and share top travel tips that have proven effective for me.
Firstly, prioritizing good sleep is essential. Hotel rooms may never completely match the comfort of home, but efforts can be made to improve sleep quality significantly. Trust me, a comfortable sleep during your travel is a game-changer. I never travel without my pillow that easily fits into its travel bag, a sleep mask, and earplugs. Noisy neighbors can strike anywhere, anytime!
The second tip involves duplicating your toiletries bag. Packing toiletries can be mentally draining, and more when you are a woman. The list goes on – cleansers, moisturizers, serums, makeup, hair products, and so forth. To cut short the mental effort, I suggest creating a duplicate toiletries kit. All the toiletries are decanted into properly labelled travel containers. For hard-to-pour items, I buy duplicates. Truly, it might appear as an upfront cost, but its efficiency in saving time and mental load with every pack is remarkable.
Next, utilize travel time as learning time. All of us have instances of catching up on podcasts, enrolling on online courses, bookmarking articles for later. Now is the time! Travel periods serve well in ticking off these items. All the “dead time” spent in cabs, in security lines, and waiting at the departure lounges – convert those into learning times. Not only does travel feel much more productive, but it can also get exciting!
My fourth tip is to maintain good posture. Airplane seats rarely offer the best support, posing challenges for those with a shorter stature. The tip I received from my masseuse was to pack lower back support, which proved to be a game-changer. I use a scrunched-up parka, and every subsequent flight has felt less cumbersome.
Another vital thing to remember is snacks. Travel can often lead to ‘hanger’ due to unpredictable meal times. The workaround? Overpack snacks. I often turn towards lightweight, healthy, and less-smelly options like tuna pouches.
Masking-up during travel is another tip I swear by. Though it may seem annoying, it definitely outweighs the irritation of falling sick. In my experience, wearing a mask at the airport and during flights has saved me from days, or even weeks, of illness.
Lastly, don’t forget a portable charger. Running out of battery when you need your device the most can cause unbearable travel anxiety.
So there you have it, my trove of tried-and-true travel suggestions for ensuring professional productivity while sustaining your sanity during travel. I would love to hear any other tips from you on how to travel like a pro.
