Most of us mortals can't just travel all the time without working. And if you're in business, in any business, or even if you are working for someone, you got to keep in touch with people and be rather responsive so that the paychecks keep on coming in. Doing that can be tricky while you are on the road but there are ways to do it effectively and here are some of the strategies you can use.
- Writing emails while offline, sending them while online - I usually stay pretty close to places where I have Wi Fi but sometimes getting Internet access is not as easy as I'd like and I only get it for a few hours while I'm at a coffee shop or in a hotel lobby just before a longer trip by train, bus or plane. What I found is that I can easily respond to 80% of the emails I receive while I am offline. Writing the emails takes the most time, so I can just take dedicate my full attention to this when I don't have WiFi and then, when they are done, I just need a couple of minutes online to send them on their way, which I can do this even on a slow connection (easier to find).
- Set meeting in the morning or late at night (your time zone)-I found that the best way to make sure I can attend meetings is to schedule them just a few days in advance (not more) and to set them early in the morning or late in the night. This way I can be sure I will be in my hostel or hotel and I will have reliable Internet access. I prefer setting meetings in the morning if possible as I tend to be rested and more focused. I don't set meeting during the day as I never really know where I will be and the fun stuff usually happen during the day.
- Get an international calling card - This can be a real life saver. I use http://www.nobelcom.com/ and what it does is allow me to place international calls for pennies even if I don't have an Internet connection. I just dial a special access number from my mobile phone or any landline and then the number I want to call. I can also receive calls for free and with the Noble Com App (http://www.nobelcom.com/nobel-app.html ) I can call anyone from my smartphone using Wi Fi networks or my mobile data connection. There's nothing like keeping in touch with your business partners over the phone.
- Get an English speaking VA – You can also keep in touch with your business partners through your VA. By using the calling card I can call my VA and give her instructions on what she needs to do, who to contact and what emails she needs to send on my behalf.
- Use chat apps and set auto-responders – One way to keep in touch with your partners is by chat apps like Whatsapp or you can even send text messages through the Nobel App. Moreover, try to set up email auto-responders that keep people in the loop about your availability and reassure them that their email will be looked at soon. It's way better than not answering at all for days on end.
One other recommendation is to set aside at least 3 hours of very productive work every day in the morning, to get the important things done before continuing with what you have planned for the day.
