Page 141 - Time Management

Time Management
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almost surely save you time and stress.
• Request a seat that has an empty one next to it. Ideally,
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your seat would be in a three-seat configuration, with the
middle seat empty. Unless the plane is full, that seat has a
good chance of staying unoccupied and can become a
“desk” for your briefcase. Then at the airport, have the
gate attendant check on that middle seat. If it’s no longer
empty, try to relocate to another seat that provides what
TEAMFLY
you want.
• Think about seat advantages and disadvantages: an aisle
seat (more legroom) versus a window seat (the view
might serve as an occasional, welcomed distraction).
• Position your seat to maximize work. If you’re handwriting
things, get a seat that gives you elbow room on your writ-
ing side.
• Unless you’re very tall and need the extra legroom, avoid
bulkhead seats (the ones with no seats in front of them).
They rarely provide any place accessible for your brief-
case or bag.
• If the airline provides the option, use your frequent flyer
miles to upgrade to business or first class, which will be
far more conducive to work. Upgrading is especially ben-
eficial on long flights. Upgrades are most available on
wide-body jets, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays,
and Saturdays, and at departure hours other than 8-10
a.m. and 5-7 p.m.

Commuting
Whether it’s on a train into Manhattan or on freeways around
Los Angeles, commuting has dramatically expanded the “dead
time” required for work. Yet commuting offers many opportuni-
ties. The New Yorker reading the newspaper on the subway or
the Californian with cell phone in hand—these images now
come to mind when we think of commuting. Are these com-
muters killing time? Or are they enhancing it? Or even putting
themselves in danger? (One study found that talking on a cell

®
Team-Fly