How to Work Better on the Road

Are you on the road more often than behind a desk? Do you think it might be affecting your performance and attitude? It’s understandable. Even though business trips and client visits have their perks, it’s easy to get in a rut. However, with a few small adjustments, you can make working behind the wheel breezier, healthier, and more inspiring. Here are several tips for how to work better on the road and boost your initiative and career.

Keep Your Car Shipshape

A stale, messy car is never a pleasure to sit in for hours on the road, nor is a car that sounds like it’s on its last legs—or rather, wheel. Whether you’re making a quick round of local clients or taking an extended trip to another branch, drive a vehicle you enjoy being in. Get regular checkups at the mechanic, including regular oil and other fluid changes; tire inflation, rotation, and monitoring for wear and tear; and regular tune-ups to ensure your car is running like a thoroughbred. A monthly cleaning and detailing routine wouldn’t go amiss, either. Reducing the dirty and grime around you will keep you mentally and physically healthy on the road.

Make Your Car Your Second Office

Nothing feels better than being ready for any request or emergency. After cleaning out your car, equip your trunk with an organizer. Many brands and styles are available, but all are excellent for organizing binders, storing documents, packing stationery and business cards, and filing paperwork until you return to your home base. They’re ideal for organizing papers, pens, erasers, scissors, sticky notes, and any number of other office supplies. Knowing everything you need is at hand is a positive attitude adjuster.

Eat Right

The temptation to save time and slide through drive-through after drive-through in search of coffee and sustenance is constant on the road. But eventually, all the carbs, caffeine, and grease will catch up with you. For long stretches, always keep a cooler of water and healthy snacks in the back seat (though, if you plan to chauffeur anyone anywhere, keep the floors clear. Still, it doesn’t hurt to have something to offer a hungry traveler). Carrot sticks and celery, hummus, cherry tomatoes, trail mix, cheese and crackers, fresh fruit, and other healthy treats are best. And if you must have coffee, keep it looking professional in a travel mug.

Take Time to Yourself

The destination is important, but the journey is the real story. It’s your story as well. Want to know how to work better on the road? Enjoy a meditative break between stops. Don’t hold a sandwich or cup of coffee in one hand and drive with the other. Pull over and take a moment to rest, preferably in a spot of natural beauty. Go for a short walk, and make plans to exercise a bit at some point. Remember, recharging your batteries is the key to maintaining peak performance in your duties!