Spending eight-plus hours in the air? Don’t let that valuable time go to waste. Here’s how to stay productive during long flights.
A long-haul flight provides business Travelers with long stretches of uninterrupted time. No one can pop into your office to say ‘hello.’ The distractions of working from home are gone. You literally can’t get up and go very far from your makeshift desk. It’s the perfect opportunity to really dig into some projects and get some work completed. In fact, some Travelers claim they’re far more productive when flying than when at the office.
That said, trying to stay productive during long flights can pose a challenge for some. You might be tempted to kick back and enjoy the in-flight entertainment. You might be a nervous flyer and have a difficult time shutting off your anxious thoughts. The entire travel experience may have just worn you down a bit.
Still, if you’re intent is that you’ll stay productive during long flights in the future, there are a few things you can do to stay as productive as possible.
However, before you dive into some spreadsheets or crack open some Q1 reports, ask yourself one question… Is now really the right time to be productive?
Is Now the Right Time for Productivity?
Just because you’re on a work trip doesn’t mean you should spend all your time working. In fact, choosing not to stay productive during long flights could actually make you more productive later.
For example, if you’re flying a red-eye flight and need to hit the ground running once you land, you could be best served trying to sleep. Likewise, if you’re just coming off a very successful business trip but have to head to the office first thing in the morning, it might be time to decompress.
Before striving to stay productive during long flights, consider those factors.
5 Ways to Stay Productive During Long Flights
Now that you have considered your needs, are you ready to get some work done? Here are five actions you can take to make it easier to stay productive during long flights.
1. Pick the Right Seat
If you have any say in your flight booking, opt for the right seat to get some work done. A middle seat in the back of the plane, near the lavatory, isn’t going to be very conducive to productivity.
Instead, opt for a seat that gives you plenty of space to spread out and concentrate. This may mean booking a premium economy or business class seat. However, it’s worth noting that these larger seats do come with a greater carbon footprint.
You’ll need to weigh which takes priority in this situation — sustainability or productivity — and choose accordingly.
2. Bring the Right Gear
There are a few items you’ll want to slide into your carry-on bag before you head to the airport for any business trip. These items will help you remain more productive no matter where you are — the airport, the lounge or the plane.
Noise-cancelling headphones are a must for working in loud and crowded conditions. The right and several chargers are also key to keeping productive. If you need to communicate with your colleagues or clients during your flight, spring for the in-flight WiFi, but don’t consider it an automatic purchase. If you want to complete some deep work, you might relish the opportunity to work sans WiFi for fewer overall distractions.
3. Plan Your Work Ahead
Along these lines, plan ahead of time what work you want to complete during your flight. Don’t assume you can carry out your workday as normal just because you have eight hours on the aircraft.
Instead, assume that you won’t get quite as much done as you might on a normal day. Think about the tasks you can most easily complete with limited connectivity and under potentially stressful conditions. Even if you buy the in-flight WiFi, after all, it doesn’t mean it’ll always be available or even work.
This is likely not the time for your highest-stress work tasks, either. Instead, consider diving into potentially low-effort tasks that aren’t on a time crunch. It’s a good time to complete repetitive tasks, for example.
You might also plan to work on tasks that you can complete without any tech at all (in case the worst happens and your devices are unusable during the flight). For this reason, consider bringing some printed documents, pens and paper, and similar tools you might need to remain productive while disconnected.
Additionally, before you leave for your business trip, communicate with your teams regarding your in-flight productivity plans. If you know they won’t be able to reach you for an entire workday, let them know.
4. Practice Self-Care
Self-care while traveling for work can greatly increase your productivity during long flights, as well as when you reach your destination.
As such, pack the creature comforts you know you’ll need, such as comfy shoes to change into or a neck pillow. Stay hydrated and eat healthful, energy-boosting snacks before and throughout your flight. Don’t spend the entire flight hunched over your laptop. Stretch and move as much as you can on a regular basis.
5. Remain Flexible
The most important thing you can do, though, to ensure you stay productive during long flights is to remain flexible. Go with the flow. As is the case with any travel experience, your next business trip could come with delays and disruptionsand, overall, just not go to plan. When that happens, you want to be able to pivot and remain productive and cool-headed.
