How to be productive while on the road

Many people that travel for business find that they are less productive while they’re on the road. This can be caused by a number of factors. Thankfully, we have some great tools and tips that can both increase productivity and keep your belongings secure while you’re on the go.


Tools for easier travel

There are virtually countless options in terms of tools that make traveling easier. The options range from luggage to apps, and everything in between.


TripIt is an easy-to-use tool that almost instantly reduces some of the stress of traveling. It organizes all of your travel details for you, including flight number, hotel information, and frequent flier numbers. With TripIt, you don’t have to worry about the details because they’re all neatly organized in one place.


Good luggage is also critical. It makes getting through the airport easier and can help keep you organized – a big plus when you’re doing business on the road. These are some key features to look for in your luggage:

  • Laptop compartment – It’s best to have a separate compartment for your laptop so that finding it at security, or even once you get to your destination, is easy. Nobody enjoys being the person who’s holding up the security line.

  • A wire pouch – Having a specific spot to place all of your chargers and other wires is perfect for anyone with lots of gadgets. You no longer have to wonder where you placed everything, as there is a designated pocket for it.

  • Convertibility – A convertible bag is ideal for someone who goes on a variety of business trips. If you need to carry everything through the airport one day and carry only your laptop the next, finding a bag that can serve both purposes is beneficial.

Security tools


It can be nerve racking to travel with all of your worldly possessions and then have to leave them unattended in the hotel room or unfamiliar office all day. Luckily, there are a number of tools such as laptop locks that can keep your devices secure. You can also use personal safes to keep all of your smaller items secure.


Typically, taking general safety precautions is sufficient. Either make sure that your valuable items are somewhere secure, or keep them close by whenever you can. If you’re interested in more tools and tricks to keep your things safe, take a look at this article.


Boosting productivity

Productivity tends to wane when we’re working from the road for a variety of reasons. Being away from our familiar tools and desk setup can quickly slow us down. Fortunately, there are many items that can help bring productivity back up, even when you’re in an unfamiliar workspace.


Internet access is vital for most jobs, especially when you need it to communicate with your coworkers. If your hotel does not offer Wi-Fi, consider investing in a wireless card that is easily portable and can provide you with instant Internet access.


Finally, consider bringing a back pillow. Hotel desk chairs are generally not ergonomic and can be seriously painful for your back if you sit in them for too long. Back pillows generally aren’t too bulky and can make all the difference when you’re working in an unfamiliar chair.


Being productive while on the road is imperative if you’re traveling frequently for business purposes. Luckily, these tools and many others like them can help make that possible.

5 ways you can make your business greener

Building a greener office is a fantastic way to simultaneously save money and help the environment. Some small businesses assume that going green takes too much effort, but that’s hardly the case. Here are a handful of quick and simple ways to make your office greener.


1.    Use double-sided printing whenever possible

Setting your printer and/or copier’s default mode to double-sided printing automatically cuts down on the amount of paper used in your office.  This is an incredibly simple step. And if anybody ever needs to utilize the one-sided printing feature, he or she can simply change the setting.

2.    Use a water delivery service

Getting rid of bottled water in your office can have a massive impact. Consuming bottled water is not only wasteful it can also be unhealthy. Plastic is made using Bisphenol A (BPA) which contains dangerous levels of estrogen and has been declared a toxic substance by some countries. Cutting back on that habit eliminates both waste and potential health risks.

3.    Turn lights and machines off when they’re not being used

This may seem obvious, but many people do not turn off lights and machines when they’re not in the office. Failing to do so can result in a lot of wasted energy and can cost your company funds. Encourage employees to turn off lights, computers and printers to automatically reduce energy use.

4.    Use recycled and recyclable products when you can

You can get recycled versions of nearly any paper product at popular office supply retailers. The recycled versions are often comparable in price to their non-recycled counterparts.


Also, if you must use disposable plates and cups, try to find recyclable or compostable options. It’s not enough to simply buy recyclable products, it’s vital to have an easy-to-follow recycling program. Stress to your employees the necessity of recycling those products, otherwise there’s a good chance they’ll end up in the trash.

5.    Cut down on commuting


Organizing carpools is rather easy to do. Simply match people up based on where they live. If you can, offer parking incentives to those who carpool. If your town has public transportation systems, try offering a bus or train pass to employees who can utilize those systems.


As you can see, these are simple and inexpensive ways to make your office greener. If you’re interested in even more green ideas, take a look at this article.

Help keep your keyboard clean with these suggestions

<p>You&rsquo;ve most likely heard that your keyboard could be dirtier than a toilet seat &ndash; but are the rumors accurate? Levels of germs on a keyboard vary, but are typically quite high. Some keyboards that have been tested have, in fact, shown levels of germs five times higher than germs found on a toilet.</p>

 <br /> <p>If that fact isn&rsquo;t sufficient cause to clean your keyboard, the simple fact that you touch it all day, every day should be. Luckily for you, we have some tips that can help you clean your keyboard both quickly and efficiently.</p> <br /> <p><strong>Detach the keyboard</strong></p> <p>No matter what cleaning method you are using, it&rsquo;s always important to disconnect the keyboard from your computer prior to cleaning. This ensures that you won&rsquo;t inadvertently perform any actions on the computer, as well as keeps your machine safe.</p> <br /> <p><strong>For a quick fix</strong></p> <p>A can of compressed air can easily get rid of the majority of loose dirt and debris. The dust and dirt that builds up beneath those keys can get thick pretty quickly. This clears that right up.</p>

 <br />

<p>Turn the keyboard upside down and spray the compressed air onto the keys. Then tap the keyboard on a flat surface a couple of times to get rid of everything that came loose. Follow that up by swiping the edges of the keys with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to get rid of the majority of the germs.</p>

 <br /> <p><strong>For a more thorough cleaning</strong></p> <p>If simply getting rid of loose dirt is not enough for you, try removing the keys for a deeper clean. They can be removed by gently prying them up with a screwdriver or a similar tool.</p> <br /> <p>Once the keys have been removed, you should utilize the air compressor to get out all of the loose debris. Follow that up by swabbing everything with a moist cloth and cleaning the keys individually with the isopropyl alcohol.</p> <br /> <p><strong>After a spill</strong></p>

<p>If you&rsquo;re simply doing a little damage control after a spill, the solution is simple. Disconnect the keyboard, turn it upside down right away and put a cloth underneath it to soak up all of the excess liquid. You will then want to leave the keyboard upside down for as long as possible to ensure that it is totally dry.</p>

 <br /> <p>If you&rsquo;d like more keyboard cleaning tips, take a look at this how-to guide.</p>