Whether in the office, at home, or on the road, one has to balance their time and focus. With today’s technology, a leisure travel moment can be used as an opportunity to maintain productivity. With the right set of productivity tools and applications, achieving an ideal, well-balanced experience (with the whole family) is possible.
There are several must-haves that should be in the modern day traveler’s arsenal of productivity tools; all of which are supported by cloud-based computing technology. With these tools at their disposal, urgent work-related concerns can be accomplished quickly and efficiently thus allowing more time to explore a new destination.
The productivity tools in Google Drive, for example, include documents, presentations, and spreadsheets that enable users to collaboratively work on a project without any worries about tracking real-time revisions. Plus, users do not have to sign up for a separate file-sharing program with the Google Drive program. Since the application operates through the cloud, users do not have to lug around any external data bank or a bulky laptop with massive storage capabilities. The range of Google productivity tools can be opened using different devices, including tablets and smartphones.
For those who are involved in marketing and promotions, signing up for a massive email application program can help facilitate the project collaboration process. Solution providers, such as MailChimp and AWeber, can cut the time it takes to send an email to a huge list of contacts. Through these solution providers, users can have their own customer relationship management system depending on their level of subscription. Moreover, instead of the usual boring emails, these email marketing programs provide subscribers with the flexibility to design and send customized professional emails.
Always bring a noise reduction headset just in case the project team needs to meet via a video conference. With this handy dandy device, distractive noises are filtered while the meeting is ongoing. Aside from its work-related benefits, these headphones can be used to keep the little one focused on a child-friendly game or movie while reports are being finalized, or allow you to block out all the background noise while you try to focus on your online poker game. Also, just in case WiFi connectivity is not as consistent as expected in the hotel or lodging facility, bring a short Ethernet cable to ensure connectivity for important projects.
Speaking of team collaboration, invest in a program that supports talk, video conferencing, and chat messaging functions such as Office 365’s Microsoft Team, Slack, and a host of other programs. With various team messaging and networking systems to choose from, always look for the one with intuitive and easy-to-learn features. Also, look for networking programs that integrate calendar and scheduling functions that will remind participants of the next meeting whether at work or on the road. In an age where geographical distance is not a liability for networking and collaboration, one can easily balance work and leisure with the right combination of technology and tools. Even without a physical office, a one can accomplish any task list in no time.
Many companies have even gone as far as to set up corporate housing in frequently traveled cities for relocating executives or even more short-term assignments. Especially in these types of situations, it’s important to have your team working functionally regardless of the distance between all parties. These cloud-based solutions to common problems facing the modern-day traveler help to alleviate the concerns based around connection.