I’m on the road several times a month for coaching, speaking engagements and consulting. I’m a regular at most airports in the North and Southeast. Here’s some tips from my travels:
Try to enjoy yourself. Being on the road can be a bore if you focus on the hassles but isn’t so bad if you have the time to take advantage of new experiences.
Get yourself good travel gear. An iPad, travel dedicated chargers for phones, tablets and computers, a high end carry on bag, travel size everything, and airline security approved clothing can make things much more manageable.
Eat well. New cities provide an opportunity to eat new food. It’s the one thing I look forward to the most when on the road. Use Yelp to find great places.
Sleep well. Almost all of my travel is work related. And when I’m on the road I am working my arse off. Often as much as 16 hours of speaking and teaching to large audiences in just a day and a half. When I’m done I want to sleep comfortably. Take the time to find a nice hotel so you can sleep comfortably and come back and do your job the next day.
Up the convenience. Airline and rental car reward programs help. Bring your GPS so you never get lost. Select hotels that minimize driving. Check in online. Carry on everything.
Be productive. Although tempting to sleep on the plane, get some work done. Use the ‘forced separation’ and you’ll probably find flights can be extremely productive despite the cramped conditions. Oh yeah, get the wireless too.
Master the security line. I pack and dress to blast through the security line. Come up with a method that allows you to go through the line as fast as possible and you’ll miss less flights. I regularly arrive at airports 25 minutes before my flights and haven’t missed a flight for over 18 months.
Push the limits. Unless you’re a worry wart, check in online and arrive to the airport as late as you can. I don’t want to spend any more time in an airport than I have to and Yota 95% of the airports in the US you can safely arrive at the airport 30 minutes ahead of time and have no problem. If you travel a lot and have never missed a flight you’re spending too much of your life in an airport.
Related articles
- The Best Airlines and Airports for Tech (traveler2.typepad.com)
- The Best Airports and Airlines for Tech-Dependent Travelers [INFOGRAPHIC] (mashable.com)
- The Best Business Friendly Airports in US (Infographic) (solsie.com)
