Travel time
Travelling time can be used to good effect.
However, you may need to review the alternatives first.
Alternatives
- Is the journey actually necessary?
- Can you delegate it?
- Can you hold the meeting on home ground?
- Communicate via other systems, for example, report, telephone conferencing, video conferencing etc
Make the most of your time
- If you are arranging more than one appointment while you are away then try to get them as close as possible.
- Prepare all the information and equipment that you will need for all of these appointments.
- Have all travel arrangements made for you.
- If you travel a lot have a bag packed permanently.
- Take a taxi to and from airports allowing you to work.
- You may be able to arrange an appointment at the airport.
- Try to complete paperwork and fax back any important pieces of information.
- You can keep in contact with work via your laptop over the net.
You will find many ways to use free time.
The return
Hopefully, when you return there will be very little work waiting for you.
This is because:
- You delegated well before you left.
- Your assistant has managed to pass on all enquiries to others.
You may well have left instructions for team members to carry out certain tasks or you may expect them to be at a certain stage in their current projects. To encourage this you can ask your staff to set themselves deadlines for your return.
This will tend to focus their activities when you are away.