How to Get Things Done on an Airplane

     First, if you don't have any self-discipline you won't be able to work on a plane. Full stop. Planes are loud. Space is cramped. If you can't get over this and lock your mind on a task, then you won't get anything done. And let's be honest – if you don't have this sort of discipline, it's not the plane's fault.

    Second, there is only certain kind of work you can do on the plane by dint of environmental factors. Short flights aren't worth powering up the laptop – you can't get traction on anything before being asked to power it down. Anything that requires an internet connection is going to be problematic. In my opinion you need a good 90 minutes or more to really get something done. In terms of tasks, flights are good times to clear out email, get caught up on reading, or – my favorite – to get started on a big project that requires some lengthy thinking/writing time. I usually try to stick to one or two tasks max, but normally long and important ones. My reason for this is simple: when I'm in a plane I'm away from the office.

     I'm away from all the REAL disruptions that suck down my time. People who moan about the noise on the plane are missing the point. Plane noise is background noise. It's not directed at you, and for that reasons it's a hell of a lot easier to shut out than people turning up at your door or calling you on the phone when you're at your post.

    I look forward to my routine two-hour flights and my quarterly transatlantic trips as mini retreats. The last trip I made across the Atlantic (7.5 hours of work time) I completed a long-term strategic plan to add 5 million euro in revenue in 5 years and created a half-day training session on data analysis for our client development teams. It would have taken me two weeks to do each of those things in my office.

     And, finally, you need a good battery. I get 8 hours off my Dell extended battery with wifi off, all extensions/gadgets shut down (I have a batch file that gets me into Airplane Mode!), and screen brightness at absolute minimum.
In sum, for me it's all about focus. But then, isn't that what most of life is about.