Use Down Time to Plan

Ok, that picture may be a little more involved than what I am talking about, but it does show what I am going to talk about; use down time to plan.

There are certain things that are very hard to do in life.  Probably in the top ten is responding to work emails from your laptop while driving a car down the road.  Besides the fact that there are several laws against this, it is simply not smart and very dangerous.

However, when you are on a plane with 5 hours of down time, this is the perfect time for responding to those emails.  The process is easy, download all of your emails using the free airport wifi, then you can respond to them from 38,000 feet above the Earth.  Now, when you reconnect, your emails will be sent.

In addition to responding to emails, I use down time to brainstorm and make lists.  I find myself thinking about long-range plans for my accounts, then, I work backwards and figure out what steps are needed next to get them where they need to be.  While doing this, I make a list of exactly what I want to do and how it needs to be done.

Often in making these lists and brainstorming, I remember prospects or other phone calls that need to made upon landing.  After we land, and I start working through my "to do" list, I mark each item off one by one.  I have said it before, and I'll say it a million times again; I don't care how great your memory is, the dullest pencil is better than the sharpest mind.  Usually when brainstorming, you come across something that makes you remember something else that your sharp mind failed to remember.  But, since you are writing a list of "to do's" for when you land, you will not forget this time.

Another great time for down time is when you are in your hotel room.  98% of business done through emails while traveling is done between the hours of 6 PM.-9 PM while people are in their hotel room.  Also, on a side note, 95% of the statistics you read on the internet are completely made up.  Yup, mine is completely made up!  A more accurate statement would be that the majority of MY business done through emails on the road occurs between the same hours from my hotel room.

This is the time when I get in from traveling and visiting accounts, but before it is time to go to dinner.  Usually, the day's events are still fresh in my mind and I have not crashed from exhaustion yet, so, a great time to get some work done!

Using down time to catch up on emails or make "to do" lists is a lot more productive than taking an extended nap on a plane, or zoning out in front of the TV in your hotel room as soon as you come in from the road.  You will see that this helps you to stay current with your business in other parts of your area that you are not visiting this trip.  Hence, no 15 hour days in the office when you get back trying to get caught up on emails!