Productivity Tip #1

When traveling, test traveling at different times of the day to test and determine which one is MOST productive and efficient for you. Contrary to popular practice, taking an early flight (when you have the option not to) is not the most productive option – especially if you sleep on the flight. Also, you want to consider traffic to and from the airports and coordination considerations. I now travel more often at midday – avoiding traffic as well as getting things done prior to the flight, being wide awake and working on the flight and then picking up loose ends when I arrive at my destination. It’s all about “Perfect Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.”

Productivity Tip #2

Upgrade your hotel room and/or pick a different hotel or apartment when traveling to familiar cities. You’d be amazed at how different each choice can be. I vary my hotel selections from trip to trip for variety as well as based on what I am doing. If I am meeting with several clients, I will rent a 2-bedroom suite or apartment so that I can have visitors in a comfortable environment. The point is TEST the options – sometimes an upgrade is less expensive than hiring a separate boardroom.

Productivity Tip #3

This one’s a personal favorite of mine, it’s been called time shifting – recording your favorite TV shows or sports and watching them without commercial interruptions (saving you time) when it’s convenient for you. With Tivo and Digital Video Recorders, there is no excuse not to do it. I simply will not watch live TV anymore. If it’s sports, I’ll start to watch it 15 to 30 minutes after it starts and “chase play” through the commercials. I simply cannot afford waste associated with commercials.

I am not the only one doing this – the entire world has embraced time shifting. All it takes is the foresight to plan ahead and make the commitment to stick with it. Trust me, once you start, you will never go back.

These productivity tips are important because we all have the same amount of time – 24 hours in our day. The difference between successful people and less successful people is their use and leverage of time.

The more productive you can be, the more time you gain to do what you really, really enjoy.