Tips and tools for working from the road

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Many people that travel for business find that they are less productive while they’re on the road. This can be caused by a number of factors. Luckily, we have some fantastic tools and tips that can both increase productivity and keep your belongings secure while you’re on the go.

Tools for easier travel

Traveling can get messy fast. We lose track of details, can’t locate our boarding pass quickly enough, or simply cannot remember which hotel we’re staying at. For those of us that become disorganized quickly, there are a number of tools that are designed to help.

TripIt is an awesome tool that helps you organize your travel plans and itinerary all in one spot. All you must do is forward your itinerary to an email address and TripIt will organize the information for you. This makes it incredibly simple to locate all of your information, including flight times, hotel addresses, and frequent flier numbers.

Luggage that is conducive to business travel is necessary as well. These are some of the key luggage features that can make traveling a breeze:

  • Laptop compartment – It’s best to have a separate compartment for your laptop so that finding it at security, or even once you get to your destination, is easy. Nobody enjoys being the person who’s holding up the security line.

  • A wire pouch – Having a dedicated spot to place all of your chargers and other wires is great for anyone with lots of gadgets. You no longer have to wonder where you placed everything, as there is a designated pocket for it.

  • Convertibility – A convertible bag is best for someone who goes on a variety of business trips. If you need to carry everything through the airport one day and carry only your laptop the next, finding a bag that can serve both purposes is beneficial.

Security tools

It can be nerve racking to travel with all of your worldly possessions and then have to leave them unattended in the hotel room or unfamiliar office all day. Thankfully, there are a number of tools such as laptop locks that can keep your devices safe. You can also use personal safes to keep all of your smaller items secure.

Generally, it’s best to err on the side of caution when it comes to securing your belongings. Place your items in a safe or lock them up whenever you can in order to reduce your stress level. For other security tips, take a look at this article.

Boosting productivity

Frequently, we are less productive when we’re traveling because we are in unfamiliar settings. We often work fastest when we are at our own desks, with our usual mouse, keyboard and other tools. There are certain items, however, that can make on-the-go productivity much simpler to achieve.

Internet access is essential, so if it’s not available at the hotel you’re staying at, be sure to bring a wireless card that will make the Internet much more accessible. Also, you’ll want to keep your flash drive on you at all times. You never know when you’ll need to back up or transfer files, and their portability makes them easy to travel with.

One more thing to consider is the overall comfort level of hotel desk chairs. Most are not ergonomic or comfortable, so a back pillow would be a great asset. They are typically not too bulky, and can quickly boost your productivity by making you more relaxed.

Being productive while on the road is imperative if you’re traveling frequently for business purposes. Luckily, these tools and many others like them can help make that possible.