How to Your Make Travel Time Count

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Why being frugal could be bad for your business. 

You only have to stand in any hotel lobby for a few minutes to hear exhausting and miserable travel stories. It happened to me last week. I had just arrived at the Four Seasons in Palm Beach to attend Alan Weiss's Thought Leadership Conference when it was all around me: "I took the red eye," "I haven't slept more than four hours for the last two weeks." "I booked my hotel on a discount site and my room hadn't been renovated in years." "I was cramped between two chattering men on my flight and couldn't read, sleep, or watch a movie."

Why do we do it to ourselves?

First a warning: this is not a list of ways to be frugal, save $50 on a hotel reservation, or find the cheapest way to get from Seattle to New York. In fact, it's quite the opposite. But follow this advice and you will arrive at your destination rested, energized, and ready to focus.

1. Pick a day flight.

No one is going to thank you for taking a red eye. If you do so, you will arrive exhausted, uncomfortable, and irritated. Research has shown that driving a car while severely sleep deprived is as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. So why go to work sleep deprived? Pick a sensible day flight that allows you to maintain your sleep needs and get work done. Look around any airport lounge, and you will see people feverishly working. Stop trying to stay at the office.

2. Don't spend three hours trying to save $50.

If you haven't noticed, most hotel sites have very similar prices now. Investing your time trying to save a few dollars or deliberating over whether to choose the 10 a.m. or the 11:30 a.m. flight is not worth your time. Pick a flight and book it--and save your time.

3. Upgrade to productivity class.

First class needs to be renamed productivity class. You aren't just paying for the half-decent food and a real cup for your coffee; you are paying for increased productivity. Have you ever tried to work in coach? No power outlets, your fellow passengers' elbows encroaching from all directions, and little room for your laptop and papers. A flight in first class gives you unlimited power, additional breathing room, and frankly the comfort and rest you need to inspire you to think about your latest business idea in a new way.

4. Use the white noise to boost your creativity.

I love writing on airplanes. Especially those without distracting wi-fi. As I finish up writing my new book Thoughtfully Ruthless: The Key to Exponential Growth, I have discovered that airplanes are one of the most inspirational and productive places for me to write. It is due to the white noise, the remarkable views from the plane window, and knowing I am completely free from distraction. What can you schedule to think about on your next flight?

5. Buy a corporate jet.

Okay, this is a little ridiculous, especially for small businesses, but for larger corporations it sometimes actually saves you money. When I worked for the British telecommunications company Marconi, we used to travel between our Pittsburg, Milan, and Coventry offices on a weekly basis. At the time, Arnold Schwarzenegger was experiencing personal money troubles and he could not pay for the customized private jet he had ordered. So Marconi snapped it up for a bargain price. It even had "I'll be back!" still written above the doorway. That private jet saved time and money for company employees, and the discussions that happened en route while everyone was in private comfort enabled many acquisition and business decisions to be made rapidly.

There is a time when a business is starting up in which everyone needs to be frugal, but such frugality comes at the cost of your team's time and energy. Are you ready to put yourself--and your productivity--first?
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