How much can you actually get done when you're sandwiched in a cab on the way to the airport, toggling your bags on the way through security, or waiting for a gate assignment to be announced? It may seem hopeless, but there are strategies you can use to maximize your productivity on the road, and going meta, I actually wrote this article while on an airplane flying between Las Vegas and Charlotte. Here are four advices  that I feel like to recommend to whoever would like to feel more productive on the road. 

First, think about podcasts or audiobooks. Even in transit or walking through the airport, you can slap on a good pair of noise cancelling headphones and transport yourself out of the madness. If you choose your listening material wisely, you can actually turn that wasted time into professional development. You could listen to interviews of thinkers you admire, educational training material, or dive deep into seminal books. This is your chance to up your cultural literacy. 

You can also use some of your travel time, especially Uber time, for short phone calls. I don't recommend doing this at the airport unless you're able to use the airline's private lounges, because the loudspeaker announcements are just too distracting. But, in the cab, you can ask the driver to turn off the radio, and if you've prepared a list beforehand , you can knock out a number of short check-ins calls you need to do while you ride to the airport or train station. Maybe it is things from your personal to-do list, like making sure your tailoring is ready to pick up, or it could be wishing a friend happy birthday, or doing a quick project update with a colleague in another office. Whatever the case, there are often instances where a quick phone call is more effective than an email, and you should make use of this time. 

Once you are on the plane or train, you can also use your time to accomplish long-form writing projects. Many planes have Wi-Fi these days, but you have to opt-in to it and pay for it. Use that fact to help you focus. You can bring along a writing project you have been needing to do that doesn't require internet access. Maybe it is a few blog posts you need to pump out, or a crucial report, or an important memo to your boss. Keep the internet off and keep temptation at bay, so you can hunker down and finish your writing project. 

Finally, for most busy professionals, one of the first things to go is to get back in touch with hobbies . If you love reading, hearing music, writing poetry or any other activity that can be done on the road, and you have been sad not to do too much of it anymore, maybe this should be your opportunity to treat yourself. Travel is hard enough. You need some kind of reward for enduring flight delays, cramped quarters, and the general hassle of schlepping. Enjoy what you really want, just for fun, can actually be a great way to expose yourself to new ideas, paving the way for innovations, and a possible conduit to connect with colleagues or clients at a deeper level, if you share similar tastes. So, go for it, and don't feel guilty. It is diversifying your portfolio of skills. If you travel a lot for work, it is important to make the most of it.