I travel visiting clients all over the place both nationally and internationally and I’ve learnt a lot about how to make travel and time away as productive as possible.

I’ve got several areas to cover off. Firstly, general productivity tips for travel hacking and then specific tips related to certain points during your journey:

  • Preparation
  • The Travel Itself
  • Destination
  • Home time

General Travel Hacks

Loyalty Programs

Join all the programs you can. Everything from booking sites, to hotel groups, airlines, rental cars…everything.

If you travel frequently, you’ll be super surprised just how quickly rewards points start to add up. Not only the points, but also the special treatment you receive from the providers when they feel you have a sense of loyalty to them.

Airline Carrier

This one is a bit of a no-brainer but I always book where possible with the same airline carrier or another in the same alliance group. This has served me so well. the following are just some of the perks you can look to receive:

  • Multiple free upgrades every couple of months as I move up the tiers
  • Complimentary valet parking tickets
  • Complimentary lounge access
  • A ‘bring a friend’ or ‘add an additional member’ type lounge access either for when someone is traveling with me or gifted membership
  • Additional luggage allowance
  • Preferential boarding ahead of everyone else (if I want to get settled)
  • Better headset

Sanity Sounds

It is a wise move to invest in a great pair of noise cancelling headphones. When purchasing these ensure you try them on not just for the amazing sounds and noise cancelling qualities but also for how comfortable they are when you assume the airline chair positions:

  • Head back against the seat head
  • Head turned to the side (aka the sleeping position)

Luggage Scales

My little life saver

These are inexpensive (maybe around $5) and are able to be packed in your luggage to check you luggage weight on your return too. I honestly cannot tell you how many times this little device has saved my tail as far as paying excess luggage…even if I know my luggage is way over, at least I can pre-pay this ahead of arriving at the airport to save on how much I spend.

Preparation

Powering your devices

One of the most frustrating things to any frequent traveler is powering our devices. Whether that be an electric toothbrush, a smart phone, a laptop, an eBook…the list goes on.

The first thing I always pack is a power board. This would normally have at least four plugs on it and would always include a power surge switch. This is important as electricity in some countries is not always consistent.

With the power board I then only have to purchase or carry one country based converter and in fact I can now get a converter that will suit multiple countries all at once. YAY!

‘Daily Essentials’ packing

If you travel frequently its a great idea to purchase a secondary set of those items you need on a daily basis. This doesn’t have to be something that is done all at once if cost is an issue. I actually purchased a secondary set of all my makeup including primer, concealer, foundation, powder, blusher, eyeliner etc. Now each of these are expensive items so I took advantage of duty free or purchasing these items in countries where I know they are cheaper, for example the US is fantastic for cheaper makeup items.

Other items to consider are:

  • Facial wash tissues
  • Skin care
  • Electric toothbrush
  • Deodorant
  • Perfume or cologne

I keep these items in my luggage and they are not taken out when I return from the trip. It means there is one last thing to consider when I am packing and I am never left with the “Oh Goodness!” moment when I realise I have left something behind.

Taking care of your health

Traveling can really take it out of you physically, and emotionally. To make sure you set yourself up for success I recommend that you also include you daily supplements in the ‘Daily Essentials’ pack and up your doze of supplements like Vitamin C ahead of flying to fight or travel germies.

My beautiful wee girl, Saskia

Emotionally, make sure you spend a little extra time with those you love ahead of your trip as your travel impacts them too. Whether that be an extra date night with your significant other, some extra play time with the kids or an extra long walk with your dog. Love them up and make them feel valued ahead of ‘leaving’ them again.

Make sure you support yourself physically ahead of the trip with extra sleep. Steal away a couple of extra hours over the nights leading up to your trip as it is common for a lot of people to struggle with a good sleep the night before a trip. Many worry about not waking up for their alarm, or their cab or Uber not turning up, basically missing their flight.

Don’t forget to hydrate! Flying is super tough on the body and will suck your hydration from you. Pre-load by increasing your water intake in the days leading up to your flight, your body and mind will certainly thank you for it.

The final way that I ensure I take care of my health is to pack a portable blender in my checked in luggage (due to the blades) and enough individually packed portions or protein or meal replacement powder. This means no matter what I will have healthy food options available to me. If the blender seems to be a little overkill for you, another great option is a protein or meal replacement bar.

Packing like a boss

I know a lot of us are budget conscious and tend to travel on economy and some times with carry on luggage only. Regardless of whether you are someone who can travel light, of which I am certainly not, there are sneaky ways to ensure you can pack as much as possible when you travel.

The first suggestion is simple and will suit both the packing for your trip and the return pack and that is to simply roll all of your clothing instead of folding it. You will genuinely be surprised at how much room you will save simply by doing this.

The second alternative will require a vacuum cleaner at each end of the trip. This suggestion involves packing your clothes into vacuum seal bags and sucking all the air out of them with a vacuum. I have used this for longer trips particularly when I knew I was going to do a lot of shopping at my destination. I simply packed a few vacuum sealed bags in my suitcase for use on the return trip.

The third tip is to include a ‘freshen up’ pack in your carry on with essentials to get you photo ready ahead of the checked in luggage pick up. I include, baby wipes, makeup essentials, lip balm (to keep my lips moist on the plane), a hydrating spritz for my face (used on the plane also), a brush, a a little travel size mouth wash or gum. Instead of carrying additional perfume (as packed in my checked in luggage) I ‘try out’ a fragrance as I walk through duty free…cheeky but effective!

The final packing tip is to always pack a reusable (fold away to nothing) type shopping bad in your suitcase. This is fantastic if you have carry on only to distribute the weight more evenly once you’re past the weight control police or simply as a way to carry smaller items during your travel.

Comfort vs. Style

Always travel in a style that is inline with the purpose of the trip. If you are heading overseas for a business trip then ensure your outfit is presentable. I would even go one step further and say that it should be presentable enough that you could walk off the flight and be comfortable bumping into a business associate. If traveling for leisure, certainly there is the option for more comfort however I still recommend you dress as if you could bump into someone important to you.

There is one exception…comfortable shoes! There is nothing worse than wearing beautiful looking shoes thinking I’m only sitting on a plane for x number of hours only to forget the volume of walking that will be necessary at the airport and the customs area (if an international flight). I always pack a pair of jandals (thongs for the Aussies or flip flops for the rest of the world) in my carry on or a pair of ballet flats.

I would honestly recommend if you can afford it to put the money up for a lounge subscription. This to me is an essential! I actually travel so much that I don’t pay for lounge access however before those days it was well worth the amount to pay. Firstly, it is legitimately a business expense and secondly, it allows me access to a lovely selection of food and beverages, a comfortable place to chill out before or between flights and most importantly for me, a place to work. With complimentary WiFi and meeting rooms it can pretty much be business as usual for me.

Planning on working while onboard?

A couple of things to consider here…always check whether WiFi is available on your flight and how reliable it truly will be. Personally, I always save an offline version of anything I plan to work on and sync this straight back up to the cloud upon landing. Don’t forget to inform those you may be collaborating with on your documents so they are aware you have an offline version to re-sync.

Timing is everything

The final suggestion in preparing for your trip is all about timing. Always plan as though delays will occur. What does this mean? Ensure you have time buffers built in to your travel plans. Have enough time between connecting flights to ensure you’re not having to sprint between terminals. Add a little extra buffer if you need to pass through an international custom boarder to connect on to a domestic transfer. And finally, if heading out for a business meeting, always book in a buffer for freshening up. As a side note, I would always suggest freshening up on the landing side of the gate to avoid a possible business associate seeing you at your worst. This will require a little pre-planning to ensure you have all the items you will need in your carry on luggage.

The Travel Itself

So you’ve now taken the time, you’ve prepared well and the day has finally arrived for the trip itself.

Transportation

I suggest the having your bags by the door and ready to go. Always book or organise your transportation to the airport in advance and if using public transport, check websites for any disturbances to the usual schedule.

Arrive in plenty of time to make check in, again, ensure you have a small buffer.

Are you requiring transportation at the other end? If so, it’s a great idea to organise this in advance too. I often validate if the airport allows Uber pickup and if so, where from. Am I getting a pickup service? If so, I always let them know my flight details…not my arrival time. This means if the flight is early or delayed they are able to accommodate this at their end without relying on me. This makes for a far happier driver and a more pleasant trip to my final destination.

Checking In

Be polite to your check-in staff…often these are also your inflight staff for your trip and believe me, you don’t want to get them offside. Imagine a 14 hour flight with a team of people who think you’re a douche! Not a great experience.

Post Check-in – Pre-flight

If you’re needing assistance after you’ve checked in but before your flight is boarding my suggestion would be to talk to the lounge staff if you have access instead of the gate staff.

Experience has shown that the lounge staff are far more receptive to my requests. There job is to serve the lounge guests and to make their brief stay enjoyable. The gate staff’s job is to ready the area for a quick turn around once the gate opens. Extra tasks are not something they look forward to. Don’t get me wrong there are many gate staff out there who love to help and who do a great job.

Onboard

Firstly, now is a great time to bring out your reusable shopping bag (see the ‘Packing like a boss’ section above). In this transfer over the essentials you are going to want for your flight. Consider the following:

  • A drink bottle (for water)
  • Book or eBook
  • Laptop or iPad/Tablet
  • Headphones
  • Snacks
  • Lip Balm and Hydration Spritzer

Next, depending on how modern your carrier is, start your search of death for movies, TV shows or music you may want to watch or listen to throughout your flight and save these to your profile. Your tired and grumpy, it’s 3 am and I can’t sleep brain, will thank you for this later.

Don’t forget to hydrate. Drink lots of water and keep that brain fog away from you when you land. The inflight team are more than happy to top up your drink bottle for you and this is a far better option than using lots of disposable cups that will need to be recycled some how.

Destination

You’ve arrived! Thank goodness. Whether the trip is for work or pleasure there is something to be said about arriving at your destination.

Accommodation or Hotel

If you’ve rented an Airbnb or a similar setup it’s great to get familiar with your surroundings. Check out security, where your local shopping and transport is.

If I am staying at a hotel, I make a point of getting to know the front of house staff, actually all staff that I interact with. Introduce yourself, ask about their day, when they finish etc. Their role sees them dealing with transient clients by nature and when someone makes an effort to connect with them, it gets noticed.

If you are a part of a loyalty program with the hotel, I talk about looking forward to seeing them next trip. I will often ask about something we discussed in a previous stay, whether that be what their weekend had in store or how their pet was. Truly caring and connecting with others makes a big impact to your stay. I have often been upgraded or had complimentary food or beverages given to me. Additional nights have also been awarded…just for caring.

Meals

The first thing I tend to do when I get to my accommodation, other than unpacking, is to visit the local supermarket or grocery store (again, my reusable bag comes in handy!) and I purchase items that can easily store in my fridge and will support my well being while I am away from home. Items you will often see in my basket are:

  • Carrot sticks
  • Nuts
  • Apples
  • Treats (if I am being naughty!)

These items along with my pre-packed meal replacement shakes or bars will support me when I’ve had a long day and the fish and chips or burger on the room service menu is calling lovingly to me.

If you are one of those who doesn’t like to eat alone in a restaurant, other alternatives to room service are meal delivery services like UberEats. I have also had custom meals made for me that are not on the menu such as steamed broccoli with a piece of fish or chicken. Being away from home often doesn’t mean your ‘normal’ way of eating has to be interrupted…it simply takes you politely asking if it is possible.

Home Time

YAY! or BOO! depending on whether your trip was work or pleasure. Regardless you’re now homeward bound. We’ve covered of the travel itself component above so won’t repeat that here, but what happens when you actually arrive home.

Unpack

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received from a frequent flyer was to fairly immediately unpack my suitcase. This gives you a true feeling of being at home again. You’re no longer living out of a suitcase and let’s face it…your clothes need washing anyway right?

Don’t forget to leave your ‘Daily Essentials’ pack in the suitcase for next time and if necessary…top up the supplements and meal replacement sachets.

Finally…

Take a note of any items or tasks that would help you if different next time. Don’t leave it until you’re ready to travel next to get this ready…it may be forgotten by then.

and…Put your feet up, spend time with those you love and relax….until next time.

Hope you’ve found this useful…Please leave me a comment below with any questions or tips you may have that I haven’t mentioned above…Until next time…Don’t wish for it, work for it.