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Trash Your Technology
Power Trip · June 27, 2003

When it comes to using technology on a business trip, less is more. For example, downsizing your laptop carrying case - jettisoning unneeded extension cords, batteries and peripherals - doesn't just lighten your load (and save your back). It also can expedite your trip through airport security checkpoints.

But can turning your gadgets off actually make a business trip more productive? Conventional wisdom says no. In a recent American Express survey of jet-setters, 71% said they check their e-mail every day. Heavy users (about 20% of the total) log on more than three times a day to see if they have any new messages.

For tech travelers, the operative phrase seems to be "the more the merrier." It shouldn't be.

A review of the gadgets that we take on our trips suggests that there are actually times when pushing the "off" button can boost our productivity.

Cell phones. You already know there are places where portable phones aren't welcome - on planes and in certain public areas, for example (see this article for more on cell-phone etiquette). But powering down your cell phone elsewhere on a trip can make sense, too. In a survey of technology users, training company Priority Management found that a quarter of the respondents said their gadgets didn't make them more productive. As part of a 12-step program designed to maximize technology, the company advised people to "decide when you will turn on your cell phone and respond to calls, and when you turn it off so you can focus on important personal pursuits."

Put another way, don't just switch off the phone only when you have to. That's how Michael Rolenz sees it. "I was trained as a research mathematician and some of my most productive times were spent working on problems in airplanes and late in the evening after dinner in my hotel room," he says. In those situations, a cell phone isn't just unnecessary, but it's also counterproductive, he says.

Laptop computers. Business travelers can't seem to live without their laptop computers, as I discovered when I wrote a recent column suggesting portable computing devices should sometimes be left at the office. (About 74% of business travelers carry a laptop, according to the National Business Travel Association.) "I would be really ticked with myself if I were to leave the laptop at home simply because I didn't want to deal with security at the airport," responded Kraig Rosencrantz, a traveler from Sedro Woolley, Wash. "There are times when it probably wouldn't be needed, but when it is needed, it is irreplaceable."

The question is, when is it not needed? Most laptop-use surveys, which are sponsored by companies with a vested interest in encouraging notebook PC use, conclude that there's no place we shouldn't bring our PCs. But Cathy Baar, a teacher from San Diego, begs to differ. She uses a computer to check e-mail, for which a cyber-cafe is normally enough while she travels. Certainly, there are other parts of a business trip (say, a sales call or a business lunch) where a portable PC would just get in the way, too.

TV, radio and the Internet. When you're traveling for pleasure, there's nothing more relaxing than kicking back on a rainy afternoon and watching a ballgame. But on a business trip, any kind of mass medium can be an unwanted distraction (Web sites included, of course). Cat Mikkelsen, a consultant in Atherton, Calif., is so aware of television's disruptive capabilities that she asks the maintenance crews to remove the TV from her room when she checks in. "Presto. A bigger room," she says. How about the radio? I'm one of those travelers who are never happy with the preset stations on a rental car radio. Result: a loss of focus and possibly even control of the vehicle.

It's unclear how much TV, radio or Internet sites we draw on while we're away on business (although one memorable Westin survey found that about half of all travelers confessed to watching TV in bed). Frequently, our first instinct isn't to turn these devices off, because we find them entertaining and informative. However, when you add up all the time you spend channel surfing over a four-day business trip, it's clear that these media are draining your productivity.

How I've turned it off

Identifying these gadgets is only part of the solution. Now that you know your tech toys can be trouble, how do you make sure they don't get in the way of your next trip?

I can't tell you how to do it, but I can tell you how I did it.

The first to go was the television. About eight years ago, I tossed out my TV because I found it eating into my afternoons. I work from a home office, and CNN always seemed to catch my interest after lunch. All told, I saved about 10 hours a week by not owning a TV. Next, I tackled my Internet usage. In the absence of TV, I had become an online junkie, obsessively checking e-mail. I found that declaring a moratorium on Internet use (usually 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.) helped curb frivolous surfing.

The most difficult step was turning off my cell phone. Take weekends, for example. That's the easiest time to power down your handset. After all, most clients don't call on the weekend. But they're also the most difficult because my weekend minutes are free. I've found that a cell-phone blackout (also during the evening) works best. Of course, it's impossible to take advantage of my free night minutes. But I'll survive.

I'm not the only business traveler who struggles to use technology in a balanced way. Many don't go to the same extremes that I do. I'll admit, tossing the TV was a little over-the-top.

Others go further, shutting themselves off from the outside world, and its technology, while they go about their business. Carol Baker, a former superintendent of schools, comes to mind. She sometimes takes off without any technology. "I manage quite well without a daily news or technology fix," she says. "It's amazing how the world goes on without me."

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator based in Key Largo, Fla. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion.