My Flight Delay Checklist

A recent flight experienced a delay, so I had extra time at the airport. Believing time is precious, I immediately went to “open my to-do list” mode, considering what I could do, seeing I had extra time and was not at my desk. Here are my go-to activities when I’m enduring a flight delay.

Engage in purposeful inactivity! Sometimes, I find a quiet place to sit and focus on doing nothing! I let my mind wander. At times, this means I get a bit of rest. Other times, a new idea for a course or keynote topic pops into my head. While it is “doing nothing,” often more than nothing comes out of this “activity!”

Read. I never, ever leave home without at least three books. As flight delays rarely result in any demands on me, I take advantage of my alone time and try to learn something.

And I also have some not-so-usual activities during a flight delay…

Go on an “imagine if” walk. Flight delays provide an excellent opportunity for some exercise. Go for a walk. Most major airports allow for long walks without having to go in circles. But don’t just walk! With many people from varying backgrounds, lots of advertising, and different destination names to view, it’s a huge opportunity to let your mind go wild with “imagine if” thoughts. I often get ideas for articles or solutions to a problem from these walks. For example, I saw two planes from two different airlines, in gates adjacent to each other, going to the same destination, with departure times about 5 minutes apart. Imagine if anybody who booked on either flight rushed onto whichever plane they saw first. (Strange, I know!) But that odd thought helped me derive an issue mitigation plan to simultaneously develop two solutions to a problem. It allowed stakeholders to choose which one made it easier for them to execute. It resolved stakeholders’ conflict about our proposed solution and addressed the issue while keeping our stakeholders happy! I’m thankful for that strange “imagine if” walk!

Meet someone new. I’m an extrovert, so engaging in conversation is enjoyable for me. I often start a conversation with another person experiencing the same flight delay. I ask about their life journey and share mine if they ask. I learn a lot when I am lucky enough to find someone happy to chat with. I get a view into their decisions and their rationale when making decisions. It often gives me new perspectives I can consider when making decisions. It has enhanced my life journey and the journey some of my projects have taken on the way to success.