Time flies

Make travelling time into productive time, urges Patrick Forsyth

Iknow I’m not alone in being in two minds about travelling. On the one hand arriving somewhere you want to get to is a delight, but so much about getting there, by air at least, is hateful. Post-covid chaos apart, the whole routine is pretty grim: queues, more queues, and the flight itself in a cramped metal tube where you see dire movies and eat indifferent food whilst praying for no delays or crying babies.

However, such a journey does offer certain benefits for the writer.

A regular complaint in these pages is the battle to fit writing in with a hectic life. So, the first advantage offered by air travel is time, and some of it at least, is spent in an environment in which you can work. Queuing apart, much of the pre-departure time is spent sitting waiting. The clue is in the name: laptop. You can get typing, better still if you can gain access to an airline lounge where you can usually sit at a table. If you are flying economy then it may be worth paying to get access to a lounge. Check it out, there are various schemes, and it does not cost too much (besides it could be a taxdeductible expense). Such an arrangement is especially useful if your departure is delayed. A lounge is a prime people-watching area too, so you may glean new material from your stay.

Secondly, there is the flight itself. More time is available here, more so on long haul. Now I can almost hear some readers saying to themselves that all this is difficult; it’s not easy to concentrate on writing in such circumstances. Other tasks may fit too, I have done a lot of proof-reading during journeys. To the problem of successful concentration I would offer one word: habit. For many years I did business trips to Singapore three or four times a year. Though difficult at first, it didn’t take me long to find I could shut out the world and concentrate. This led to a huge number of productive hours, and I must have written many tens of thousands of words ‘on the move’. If you earn money from your writing, then you’ll need little reminding that productivity is important; it can positively increase your revenue.

By its very nature travel (of all sorts) can consume a great many wasted hours, from watching films to staring out of the window. Even allowing time for some of this, before you take your next journey to an airport, charge up your laptop, consider the time you have available, make some notes and get to work. You could boost your productivity – and maybe your earnings too.