A business trip sounds like the ideal time to catch up on work. But how can you make the most of those few hours when you have the perfect excuse to switch off your phone?

The corporate world is divided about how much work you should try to do when you're on the way to a business meeting. For some managers travel is tiring enough and business trips should be earmarked for reading a trashy novel or catching up on your sleep. For others it's the best time to create an office on the go.

One director of an international publishing house who regularly crosses the Atlantic on business splits her journey in to segments as if it were a working day. She plans the trip to take in to account meals, sleep time, work and whether she will watch a film or listen to music. "Any work you do is a bonus, it's more important to arrive fresh," she says.

Low-tech solutions

The most productive way to work on the go can be to use low-tech solutions that don't require booting up and closing down and which don't rely on wireless connections.

A journey can be a good time to catch up on reading - for example, industry reports, trade publications, academic papers or the business sections of newspapers that you never have the chance to read in the office. A local guide book of the place you're visiting will ensure you're not in for too much of a culture shock. You can carry on reading while you're standing in a queue or waiting for a second cup of tea and you won't run out of batteries.

Business travel is also a good time for "blue sky thinking" - jotting down ideas in a notepad. Don't take important documents with you unless you have to and try not to work on something that has a tight deadline.

Making the most of technology

If you're someone who can't be separated from the internet find out in advance whether you can use a wireless network. More and more trains around the world have internet access. Consider upgrading to first class where you will have more room to use your laptop. Some operators offer "quiet carriages" for people who want to read but mobile phones are banned from these sections. If you're worried about your neighbour reading your screen consider investing in a laptop privacy filter that will shield the screen from prying eyes.