Audrey Thomas

Productivity Pointer: Stress-free Travel Tips

Traveling today isn't what it used to be. But there are several things you can do in order to prevent last-minute surprises from creating unnecessary stress.  I recently interviewed some sales executives in order to glean some of their best travel tips.  Here's what they had to share:

1. #1 Travel Tip - Don't travel.  Often a 1-hour webcast is easier to get than a 30 minute face-to-face meeting. In today's fast-paced, techie world, webcasts are a welcomed mode of meeting.
2. If you travel, you've got expenses to track. In your briefcase keep a small 5 x 7 brown envelope (easy to spot) to hold all receipts. Keep a pen tucked inside so you can quickly jot down tips and other cash transactions which you won't want to forget. Traveling with a supply of blank expense reports will allow the opportunity to begin filling out your report on the return flight before your attention goes to matters at home and back at the office.
3. Travel with your own GPS. This saves much time and hassles in getting lost. Program client addresses as well as your hotel's address before leaving town.
4. If using Lotus or Outlook, drag travel confirmation emails to your calendar on the expected travel date. All important information will be at your fingertips when you check in for your flight, rental car or hotel.
5. Keep your airline, hotel and rental car membership numbers on your phone so you can confirm this information along the way.
6. When traveling, if you find accessing your CRM program on your Smartphone is a lengthy process do things the old fashioned way. Keep a printed copy of your key contacts for quick and easy access. You can easily export this information to an Excel spreadsheet for quick printing.

Applying 5S to the Traveling Process

When I deliver training on Productivity and Lean Office, I often teach the 5S method which is a systematic approach to bringing organization to any area.  When traveling, 5S looks like this:

Sort: When deciding what to pack, sort items into categories. i.e. Work clothes, Play clothes, shoes & coats, electronics, toiletries and medications, accessories, etc.

Straighten: The mantra to have here is "A place for everything." Know exactly where you're storing things while away from home. For example, I keep a green poly project folder in a pocket of my briefcase for every business trip. All travel confirmations are stored here along with receipts I gather along the way. Check out the product to the left called the Cargo Travel Organizer. Use this for electronics such as your iPod and camera, and all of those charger cords. One other inexpensive product I take with me on all business trips is a Voice Mail Log book. As I take messages down I have a specific place to write them each and every time. No more grabbing a scratch piece of paper or paper napkin.

Sweep: When lugging bags through airports and train stations, less is more, unless you're working on building those biceps and deltoids. An easy way to "sweep" is to lay everything out on your bed before packing. Then remove one-third. Get creative in wearing things more than once or discovering ways to mutli-purpose items. Any chance you can load your music on your phone and leave your iPod at home?

Standardize: Labels and Checklists are part of any 5S culture.  When traveling, include an address label on the inside of your luggage pieces as well as the outside. If possible, label all electronics with your cell number. There's nothing worse than leaving your camera in the backseat of a cab during the middle of vacation. Mom was right - put your name on everything.

Use checklists when packing, and not just for your clothes. I use a standardized checklist for all speaking engagements to remind myself to bring important things such as my favorite PowerPoint remote control, handouts for workshops, a GPS, and the client file for the event.

Sustain:  The Sustain step of 5S happens almost automatically when the first four "S"'s get  attention. To make sure your time away from the office goes smoothly, here are two final tips to consider when traveling:

1. With your cell phone, take a photo of all your luggage pieces. If an airline misplaces it you'll be able to accurately describe that black bag that resembles so many others. Take a close-up shot of any labels, icons or other marks as well.
2. Before leaving your office, make sure you turn on your Vacation Notice for your email and create an appropriate voicemail message. If your position requires it, provide a name and phone number for an alternative contact during your absence.