I'm continuing to be inspired by all the traveling I've been doing (and will be for the next two weeks). This week this inspiration is translating into my top 5 Tips that I've developed throughout the years and am glad to share with you today.
1. Input all traveling details into your calendar. Printing every piece of paper and confirmation is burdensome (not to mention not very eco-friendly) and relying on memory is, well..., not recommended. Entering everything into my calendar and synching it with my smart phone has been a god-send. It particularly came in handy, when I was running late to the airport, after a longer-than-planned installation, and needed to quickly figure out where to park. Here are the exact details to include:
a. flight times - back and forth
b. airline (I once almost ended up at the wrong terminal, thinking I was flying US Air, but it was Delta instead)
c. confirmation #'s
d. where you're flying from (this may sound so obvious, but I live right between Philadelphia and Newark airport and can easily fly from either)
e. parking garage (and any coupons you want to use - parking can really add up)
f. ground transportation (shuttle, where to buy the ticket, etc)
g. hotel address and phone number (in case the plane is late and you have to call to confirm you're still coming)
2. Pack one extra outfit. I am a big fan of only packing what I will absolutely wear. I really don't like coming home and having to wash all the extra clothes that I didn't wear. Having said that, I recently came from a short trip, where I could have used just one extra outfit to go to an evening reception. From now on, I will make sure to pack an extra outfit.
3. Switch your shoes from one day to the next. I've learned this back in my corporate days, when we spent long hours on the floor of a trade show. There is nothing better than being able to wear a different pair every other day.
4. Bring all the right chargers. If I want to stay connected, I have to make sure to bring my phone and computer chargers. You may have more devices that you need charged up.
If you're traveling in the summer and are bare-foot, bring a pair of socks. This may sound like a silly tip, but seriously, you can use them to walk through security (after you've had to relinquish your shoes, on the airplane (where AC is usually cranked up very high) and at the hotel instead of slippers.
