Plotting goals for trips

I have changed my approaches to conference travel in recent years. A fair amount of these changes is related to reducing travel commitments to reduce my carbon footprint, as well as make sure I spend the time with my family I want to spend with them while my daughter is young.

For that reason, I am thinking through my trips in more detail.

Instead of asking myself: What do I need to do in this trip?

I ask myself: What do I want to get out of this trip? What do I want to achieve in terms of outcomes?

This different question may sound like a small change, but by focusing on what I want to achieve, I have been more focused in my activities – from attendance of sessions, meetings, and additional meetings with colleagues who attend the same event.

As such, I have been able to get more out of my trips – by knowing which outcomes I want and focusing on them, I get less random ideas and conversations, and more tangible results.

Does this approach sound like plotting and scheming to you? Perhaps it is, but this approach has helped me in getting more results from my trips, so plotting and scheming I shall.

How do you prepare for conference trips?