YouNeedMe.com, Seattle, WA: March, 2000 Newsletter - Hints for the Road Warriors of the Business World

Hints for the World's Business Road Warriors	March, 2000 Vol. 2, No. 3
If you're new to the world of business travel, the following hints, ideas and links will help streamline your life on the road.

A client of mine is a well-seasoned international business traveler. She's so organized she makes her international trips seem like little more than an overnighter to the seashore. To my eye, she's pretty much got it down to a science. You will, too, with a little help from me and the other experts to which I'll be referring you throughout this newsletter.

Packing For Business: Let's start with some basic advice about the clothing you'll want to bring on your trip. A good motto to start out with is "pack light and pack right."

As far as clothing goes, the material you choose is very important. If you want to look crisp and not scrunched, purchase outfits made from wool or a knit and polyester blend. Also make your life easier by sticking with basic colors that allow you to easily mix and match your outfits.

Always bring a basic, all-purpose coat. Zip-out linings are essential if you’re traveling between different climate zones. Resist the temptation to overpack. Your back will thank you as you get into your trip.

Travel Kits:

If you don’t already have one, assemble a travel kit and store it in a convenient location in your bathroom. Having this ready to go will eliminate last-minute shopping and scrambling around when you’re packing for a business trip you didn’t even know you’d be going on three days—maybe three hours!—ago. Sound familiar?

I suggest these travel-sized items:

Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling Gel
Liquid Soap
Moisturizer
Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Floss
Mouthwash
Blowdryer (upscale hotels usually provide these)
Shaving Cream, Razors
Contact-Lens Solution
Q-Tips™
Cleansing Pads
Ear Plugs
Tylenol™ PM (just in case)
Sewing Kit

When you return from your trip, note the items that need replenishing and purchase them on your next trip to the drug store. You shouldn’t have to think about what’s missing the next time a last-minute business trip falls in your lap.

Airports and Delays: We've all experienced flight cancellations and unexpected delays. These events are especially frustrating if you're on your way to an important business meeting. This is the time to take a deep breath, find out how many hours you have between flights and start looking for one of those business kiosks some major airports have installed. They're great places to check e-mail, do some faxing and spruce up your PowerPoint presentation.

Transportation and Reservations: For peace of mind and freedom from unnecessary confusion, never leave for your trip without physical copies of the following documents:

Confirmed and guaranteed hotel reservations
Airline reservations
Confirmation of vehicle rentals or other ground transportation
Visa and passport for international travelers

Image: World travel If you are lucky enough to have administrative support and time permits, I suggest creating a comprehensive travel notebook for long, complicated trips. Information you could include would be:

Flight Information
Ground transportation phone numbers and confirmation numbers
Address and phone numbers for all confirmed lodging
Maps and directions to client sites
Appointment schedule
Address, phone numbers, e-mail and fax information for key contacts

Leave an extra copy of this information with a home or business contact -- just in case!

Hotel Services Every Business Guest Needs

When you make your hotel reservations, be sure your room will have a desk, desk lamp and desk phone. This setup will enable you to stay organized as you take care of phone calls and paperwork. Also be sure there’s a DSL or second phone line next to your desk. Checking and sending e-mail and making business contacts or calling the home office can take place simultaneously with this arrangement.

Beware of hotel Fax Services. Some hotel chains post large service fees for faxing documents. You might be better off finding an all-night copy center such as Kinko’s or using Federal Express or another overnight service. Most convenient of all might be signing up with an Internet faxing service such as eFax.

The Portable Office

If most of your business travel involves your vehicle, check out mobilegear.com for a good selection of mobile office products designed to keep you organized and on schedule while conducting business on the road.

Supplies

Whether you’re traveling by plane or auto, always take along a mini portable office. Some items to include are: postage, envelopes in various sizes, file folders in a few different colors, paper clips, Post-it® notes, a small stapler and a tape recorder with extra tapes.

Organizing Systems

For an excellent, comprehensive resource check out Susan Silver’s book "Organized To Be The Best!," specifically Chapter 12 – "The Traveling Office: How to Travel Smoothly and Get Things Done." I won’t try to reinvent the wheel for you because Susan has thoroughly and thoughtfully covered the basics in her book. You can click on the book icon and order from Amazon on my site.

Maintain Your Health and Energy While On The Road - some tips to help you stay healthy and fit while you’re away on business:

Exercise: Use the hotel's gym facilities even if it's only for 30 minutes a day. If you're a female jogger, try to find a jogging buddy. If you're not sure about the neighborhood, ask the concierge for route advice. For some really useful ideas and travel information, go to travelsmith.com. This company's clothing makes a lot of sense for business travelers.

Nourishment: If you have special dietary requirements, such as kosher or vegetarian food, be sure to notify the airlines ahead of time.

Bring along your own water bottle on the plane and keep sufficiently hydrated throughout the flight. Image: No alcohol Try to avoid coffee, tea, cola and alcohol while in the air. (I sound like a big party pooper, don't I?) Unfortunately, those drinks will only dehydrate you and prevent you from feeling your best when you reach your destination.

Vitamins and Medications: Remember to pack sufficient amounts of the vitamins you normally take. Also include vitamin C with Zinc just in case a cold hits you while you’re on the road. Refill your prescriptions prior to your trip, especially if you’re starting to run low on your medications. If you run out of time, ask someone at home or in your office to pick up your prescriptions and FedEx™ them to your hotel.

Good luck to all of you Road Warriors out there – newbies and seasoned warriors alike!

All the best,

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