Rules of the Road: Busines Travel Tips for the Pro-on-the-Go

Love thy Luggage

• Correct ergonomics are as important on the road as they are at your desk.
• Use lightweight rolling luggage and/or sturdy carts.
• Invest in a backpack or a bag with wheels (with space and padding for your computer) to replace your briefcase.
• Ask for help when lifting heavy luggage into overhead bins.
• Luggage design and engineering has improved! Buy new high-quality luggage that meets your needs and fits your body. Rolling luggage features extendable handles that reach your hand without forcing you to slouch. A good handle should fit in the palm of your hand like a firm handshake; if a handle seems to bite your palm or you can't reach your fingers around it, find another style.

Be the Leader of the Packing

• Start packing your bags two days before you leave. Finish packing the day before you leave.
• Keep a compact bag for travel items you always use (shaving cream, toothbrush/paste, hair dryer, razor, lotion). Never unpack this supply -- only restock it. Buy duplicates of items for home-use.
• If you travel with carry on luggage only, then when you check-in at your hotel, ask for toiletries to be delivered to your room (toothpaste, razor, lotion, etc.)
• If you pack the same clothes for most trips, then never unpack. Bring your travel laundry with you on your next trip and immediately use the hotel laundry service. Pack enough clothing so that you always have one clean outfit ready for the first day of your next trip.
• Search the internet for "travel clothing" that matches well and resists wrinkling.

Time Is Up

• Aim to complete your travel-to-do's two days before your departure.
• The day before you leave, make a list of those things you’ll need to do upon your return. Do not do anything on this list until you return.
• Arrive at the airport with a few hours to spare. Enjoy the Business Class Lounge, write in your journal, have a (non-alcoholic) drink. Slow down and socialize with anyone who intrigues you and also seems to be living at a relaxed pace.
• Wake up early or forego an optional social event in order to explore your destination. Enjoy a cultural experience that makes the trip positively memorable.
• Schedule thirty minutes every day for personal time to practice stress management techniques; set your alarm early if necessary.

Move It

• Exercise, exercise, exercise.
• Take a walk from your hotel or take a taxi to a more interesting location and walk from there.
• A swim in a pool or in open water is a great way to refresh your body and mind. For many people, thoughts and emotions flow more easily near water.
• Stretch your back from the inside-out by breathing deeply.

Body Basics

• Pack a few energy-bars in case you need a quick burst of energy to maintain steady blood-sugar level.
• The night before you leave, eat lightly and get plenty of sleep.
• To avoid muscle cramps on long trips, eat a banana before your flight.
• To avoid blood clots, walk up and down the plane aisle for 5 minutes ever hour.
• While traveling, avoid alcohol and caffeine. Drink at least 8 ounces of water per hour.
• Exercise before leaving and/or when you arrive at your destination.
• When you arrive, spend some time in the sunshine. Ideally, for every time-zone you cross spend one hour outside at your destination.
• To avoid muscle strain, arrange for heavy equipment to be delivered directly to the site where it will be used.

Get Back to Where You Once Belonged

• Before you leave home, schedule a massage or your favorite relaxing activity (yoga class, hot tub soak) for the day of your return.
• Create a "welcome home" ritual that gives you a strong sense of being firmly grounded on familiar turf. Before rushing to retrieve messages, unpack, or take care of business, spend a few valuable minutes reestablishing your connection to your home base. You can light a candle, sit back in your favorite chair, enjoy a beautiful view, or call a local friend.

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