Twelve Rules for Safe & Productive Work Travel

12 RULES FOR SAFE
& PRODUCTIVE
WORK TRAVEL
Paula Grayson
EVP, Agency Customer Success | Opus Agency

UNEXPECTED DOWNTIME DURING FLIGHT DELAYS,
slower-than-molasses WiFi, dead phone batteries, never-ending taxi rides—
business travel is a grind. Putting on hundreds of events around the globe each
year means Opus has seen it all.
We’ve worked in all sorts of conditions, from a working barn on a rural ranch to
the first class lounge at Dubai International. Opus gathered tips from the events
industry’s most grizzled road warriors to keep you safe, sane, and successful on
the road.

Don’t forget to leave a copy of your itinerary—including flight times
and hotel stay—with someone at home who can expect your return.
When it comes to important documents, the old adage holds true:
“two is one and one is none.” Make copies of your passport, important
cards like driver’s license and insurance info, and even credit cards,
and give them to trusted family members or friends for safe keeping.
Maintaining copies in secure online storage is another good option.
KEEP THE HOME TEAM IN THE LOOP.
ROAD WARRIOR PRO TIP:
13OPUS AGENCY

When confirming your destination, give the hotel or venue name,
along with the cross streets. This gives the impression that
you’ve been there before, and know exactly where you’re headed.
In addition to streamlining the payment process, driver identities
are on display before getting picked up in most ride sharing apps,
along with user ratings. In addition to confirming the driver’s
identity before entering the vehicle, check that their license plate
matches what’s in the app, and don’t hesitate to ask your driver to
wait until you get inside at your destination before leaving.
RIDE-SHARING SERVICES
ARE YOUR FRIEND.
2
Confirm your rideshare’s license plate before getting
in! More #TravelTips in this @OpusAgency #eBook:
bit.ly/opustravels #EventProfs
4OPUS AGENCY

Apps like Find Me enable friends or loved ones to
track your whereabouts for a set amount of time.
Traveling alone is sometimes a necessity, but there’s a lot you can do
to mitigate the risks. Walking back to the hotel after a late post-event
dinner? Grab a trusted colleague and walk together. Taking a taxi back
to the airport? Find someone else from your hotel with whom you can
share the ride. Remember: there’s power in numbers.
GO WITH A BUDDY!
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Someone knocking at the door and claiming to be hotel staff? If you
weren’t expecting them, it only takes 30 seconds to call down to the
front desk to confirm their identity before opening the door.
Your hotel room door should have a safety latch—use it! It’s the simplest way
to keep unwanted guests out of your room (even people who may have gotten
access to your keycard). Keep valuables in your room’s safe, and keep the
Do Not Disturb sign on your door (you can always call for fresh towels to be
brought up to you).
It’s best not to keep your keycard
in its labeled holder, and avoid
letting strangers overhear
your room number.
LOCK IT UP.
46OPUS AGENCY

Keep your luggage and bags to a minimum—it’ll help you look like an
experienced traveler at all times. Cross-body handbags are great for
traveling—they keep items close to your body and more secure.
While away from your home city, do your best to appear as though you know
exactly what you’re doing and where you’re going—even if this isn’t always
the case. Appearances count for a lot—a confident commuter at home in her
environment makes a much less enticing target for harassment of any sort.
Keep your eyes up (and off your phone) while walking from place to place,
move with intention, and take the time to assess new environments when
entering them. You’ll look like a local with somewhere to be, rather than a
distracted out-of-towner.
PRESENT AN IMAGE OF
CONFIDENCE AND BELONGING.
5ROAD WARRIOR PRO TIP:
For travel, it’s all about projecting confidence and
belonging. More #TravelTips in this @OpusAgency #eBook:
7OPUS AGENCY

Make it a habit to identify two major exits whenever
you enter a room or building for the first time.
Learn the emergency evacuation procedures in your hotel
and any event venues you might visit (snap a pic of your hotel
room’s escape map with your phone). In an emergency situation,
especially in a large crowd, it’s not always easy to stay cool-
headed. Getting to know the layout of the buildings you’re
occupying will help reduce crucial decision-making time, and
ensure you get out of a dangerous situation safely.
BE PREPARED TO GET OUT.
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Fly airlines consistently to gain select status. The
creature comforts are a nice bonus, but it’s really all
about shorter security lines and priority boarding.
Slogging through a crowded airport is an unfortunate reality of most
business travel. Minimize your headache with tools like Global Entry
(which includes TSA Pre-Check), mobile passport check-in, and mobile
check-in apps with electronic boarding passes. Prepare everything you
can ahead of time, rather than in line at the security checkpoint.
STREAMLINE YOUR
AIRPORT EXPERIENCE.
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Type out your email replies before paying for/connecting
to in-flight internet. The lack of internet access at the start
of your flight will help you focus and accomplish more—just
remember to download any necessary documents to your
desktop beforehand.
You might think a six-hour cross-country flight will be a great chance to
catch up on your to-do list, but there’s no way you’ll get six hours’ worth
of work done in that time. Noisy or obtrusive neighbors, turbulence,
crowded conditions—these will all cut down on the efficiency of your
work. Set a reasonable goal for yourself, and once you’ve achieved it,
focus on rest and recuperation until you land. You’ll be more productive
once you’re on the ground.
PLAN YOUR IN-FLIGHT
PRODUCTIVITY CONSERVATIVELY.
Planning to work through your 4hr flight? Count on 2 good
hours. More #TravelTips in this @OpusAgency #eBook: bit.
ly/opustravels #EventProfs
810OPUS AGENCY

Keep all your cords and devices in a dedicated travel bag
that you can easily grab each time you travel, rather than
scrambling to make sure you have everything when packing.
There are a zillion tech solutions for travel productivity, but there are a
few essentials that can end up saving the day. Air cards, spare device
chargers, mobile battery back-ups, international power converters, and
a portable wireless mouse will make life a lot easier. Some frequent
travelers even pack travel monitors to give their weary eyes a break
from staring at a small laptop screen.
DON’T FORGET YOUR GADGETS!
911OPUS AGENCY

Looking at a long drive with no calls on the schedule? Catch
up on those personal calls you’ve been meaning to make, or
hone your professional skills with podcasts or audiobooks.
If motion sickness isn’t a concern, use your air card to hop
back online from the passenger seat.
Flying in and out of major cities often means considerable time in the
back of a car getting between home, the airport, and your destination.
Depending on the city, this can translate to hours spent on the road,
which can totally sap your productivity. Whenever possible, plan ahead
to put that time to good use. Schedule status updates and team huddles
for when you know you’ll be in the car. Just don’t forget to bring your
hands-free device!
MAXIMIZE CAR TIME WITH STRATEGIC
PHONE CALL SCHEDULING.
1012OPUS AGENCY

It’s so easy to get caught in the work travel trap of late nights,
heavy dinners, and little sleep. Listen to the little voice in the
back of your head saying “make good choices.”
Life on the road can burn you out. When you get caught up in the
pursuit to maximize efficiency while away from home base, it’s easy
to go a little off the rails. Block out time in your calendar to take a walk
around a nearby park, exercise in your hotel gym, or even spend an
early morning taking a short spa session. Your lowered stress levels
and renewed focus will make any worries about lost time melt away.
SCHEDULE LEISURE TIME
TO KEEP YOURSELF SANE.
Work travel got you down? Scheduled me-time saves
the day. More #TravelTips in this @OpusAgency #eBook:
1113OPUS AGENCY

A little accountability goes a long way—try to find
a travel buddy who will join you in making positive
choices on the road.
Eating healthy, exercising often, reading or meditating regularly—these
are all activities that require regular repetition. Going on the road for
a week is a great way to completely blow those habits up and halt your
positive progress completely. Instead of trying to do everything just as well
as you do when you’re home, try achieving smaller versions of these same
goals. Rather than reading two books a month, focus on reading for 20
minutes each night before bed. The feeling of accomplishing these goals
will help you maintain your habits at full speed once you get back home.
DOWNSIZE YOUR PERSONAL
HABITS TO STAY ON TRACK.
1214OPUS AGENCY

TITLE GOES HERE
As Executive Vice President of Agency Customer Success, Paula's expertise lies in
bringing on new clients and developing the team and systems necessary to successfully
manage new initiatives, while meeting client business objectives and strategies.
Through her work with all of Opus’ clients, Paula has put this expertise to good
use in service of extremely high-touch events involving world dignitaries and CEOs
from around the globe. In the process, she has developed lasting partnerships with
clients who know and trust the level of work and customer service she provides.
A seasoned veteran of the integrated event management industry, Paula
joined Opus in 2000 and has extensive experience in all aspects of client
event marketing initiatives. She has successfully executed enterprise
global events, city seminars, conferences, client trainings, C-level
events, incentive programs, complex registration programs,
and more or less any ancillary activity you can think of.
OPUS AGENCY is a brand events and marketing agency. We create and manage hundreds of
events and campaigns every year, all over the world, including things like strategic executive-level
summits, immersive brand experiences, and conferences with 30,000 attendees. We have amazing
people that share strong values, and a specific methodology that ties everything we do to customer
success. We call it TeamCS™.
Interested in putting Opus to work for your brand? Contact Kristin Waters to learn
about partnering with Opus Agency.
15OPUS AGENCY

Twelve Rules for Safe & Productive Work Travel

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Twelve Rules for Safe & Productive Work Travel