Happy holidays from eGeneration marketing! With some of the biggest holidays of the year quickly approaching, it’s likely that you and your family have big travel plans. Whether you’re hopping on a plane or driving across the state to your in-laws’ house, holiday travel can be unbearably stressful for anyone. Here are some quick tips on how you can make your holiday plans go as smoothly as possible.
Tip #1: Earlier is Always Better
You wouldn’t arrive to court 4 minutes before a claimant’s hearing, would you? When you’re traveling, it’s always best to air on the side of caution and plan for extra time. Millions of people travel in December. Airports will be packed and weather could cause delays. If you’re flying in or out of an unfamiliar airport, be sure to research rental car companies, nearby parking lots, traffic patterns, and hotel availability. This will give you a good idea of how much time you might need to allot when traveling this holiday season.
Tip #2: Plan Ahead to Increase Efficiency
When traveling during the holidays, you’ll want to stay as efficient as possible. A 6-hour drive to Aunt Myrtle’s can quickly turn into a daylong expedition if you fail to pack all of the necessities, coordinate rest stops, or bring along snacks. Much like you need to keep your firm running efficiently by planning ahead, establishing a game plan can make working remotely and holiday travel much more bearable.
Tip #3: De-Stress When Possible
Traveling can be very unpleasant, especially during the holiday season. Attorneys are often more stressed than other professionals. While your meticulous planning can technically allot every available hour to work, it’s important to schedule time to step aside and “unwind.” This could be as simple as a 5-minute stop at a rest station, or even just getting out of your airplane seat to stretch.
Tip #4: Pack Lightly
This is particularly important if you’re flying for the holidays. It is always much more convenient and efficient to pack as light as possible. If you can, try to never check a bag on an airline. Many flights will charge you $50 for a checked bag. In addition to saving money, you’ll be saving time: You can simply hop off the flight and drive to your destination instead of schlepping to the luggage conveyer belt with everyone else.
If your firm takes cases across the country, this is probably an art you’ve already mastered. The final step will be getting your spouse to agree!
Tip #5: Know the Busy Season
Holidays are often a busy time of the year for personal injury or workers’ compensation attorneys due to an increase in auto accidents or slip and fall injuries. But you’re not the only people who are busy. Most airports, bus terminals, trains, and roads will be packed as well.
If you can, try not to travel during the “peak” hours (5:00 PM on the Friday before Christmas & Hanukkah, for example). These will be the busiest and most stressful times to be on the road, or the most expensive flights available. Shop around, or leave earlier if possible to avoid the most popular times to travel.
Tip #6: Stay Connected – But Not Tethered
Attorneys are an integral part of any firm. When you’re away from the office, your employees may worry that you’ll be completely unavailable. While there’s nothing wrong with disconnecting completely while on vacation (we’d recommend it!), there are tools available for you if you do choose to work on your pending cases in your spare time. By using web-based client management software like eLuminate, you can ensure that you have complete access to your pending cases anywhere with an internet connection, but also manage tasks efficiently so all day isn’t spent on staring at your work device.
We hope that following some of these simple tips can help ease any potential stress that comes about as a result of the holidays. Safe travels, and enjoy your time with family and friends!