I took a three-day weekend to celebrate a friend’s wedding in Sonoma. Instead of flying and renting a car, I decided to drive. Though it's a long drive, I love being able to stop along the way to pop into cities I love: Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, and a few other places. I’d love to share thoughts along the 10+ hour drive of how to work on the go. I’ll keep this issue brief because the purpose of this weekend is to celebrate friends!

Thinking is work

During long solo drives I’m reminded how much creative work comes from deep thinking. In professional work, our stream of consciousness is focused on the heaps of things we have to do for the next hour, day, and week. I wouldn’t categorize driving as something I enjoy, but it is an act that allows me to appreciate the quiet time to think about fewer things at a deeper level.

Writing with voice

Voice memos never stuck with me primarily because I don't like hearing my own voice. After recommendations from the Twitterverse, I used Otter to do some verbal writing for this trip. It is awesome! The transcriptions are accurate and with my phone being connected to my car via Bluetooth, it was a great experience recording ideas and essays I want to write without the distraction of holding the phone. The experience feels like having conversations with a friend riding the passenger side.

Devices

Depending on the trip, I’ll pack only an iPad if it’s a shorter trip. If it’s one where I have to sit and take meetings somewhere, I’ll pack my laptop and mobile workstation. Even though I pack devices, I truthfully get the most done on my phone. Since traveling entails meeting with friends and being on the go, it’s difficult to find the time where pulling out a laptop or tablet is appropriate. I’m not advocating for working on your phone in front of your friends though! A lot of writing I do is while waiting for an order at a coffee shop, charging my car, or right before bed. With the right constraints and setup, the smartphone can be a powerful creative tool, perhaps the most powerful.

That’s it from Sonoma! I’m hitting the road back to Southern California as we speak. Until next week.