As an event professional, business travel is part of the job. You’re probably familiar with the common pains of traveling: long flights, even longer layovers, and the most dreaded: jetlag.
Here are 10 tips and tricks to help you travel like a pro.
- Pack like you mean it. The most essential part of packing the right way is owning the right carry-on for you. Find the bag that allows you to pack your suits, toiletries, and most necessary items in the most compact way possible. For added organization, buy packing cubes so you can compartmentalize everything in your life. You can make your life even easier by making smart swaps, like swapping out heavy running gear for a lightweight bathing suit.
- Skip the line. Qualifying for TSA precheck is akin to winning the lottery. You could potentially win the lottery every time you fly by participating in a DHS trusted traveler program such as TSA Precheck or Global Entry(perfect for international travel). Not only can you avoid the long lines at airport security, but you can also avoid the embarrassment that is allowing people to see your mismatched socks in the airport security line. This handy chart allows you to compare the costs and benefits of each DHS travel package.
- Buy travel insurance. As a planner, you know,something can (and will go wrong) no matter how much you plan. To secure a little piece of mind, buy travel guard or travel insurance. Many commercial insurance companies provide travel insurance, so you can insure yourself against those epic travel disasters.
- The cloud is your friend. Another way to guarantee some piece of mind is to store essential information in a cloud-based storage site. Store scanned copies of your ID, passport, business cards, and even a photo of your luggage in the cloud. In case you lose anything essential, you have copies of everything in a completely accessible place.
Pro tip: photocopy your ID before your trip! - Negotiate everything. When you get to the rental car shop or the front desk of your hotel, ask for an upgrade. It might be cheaper to ask for an upgraded car or suite in person, and businesses will be more likely to give you those deals. They need to meet their budget and get rid of their inventory.
- Take your healthy habits with you. You are going to be waking up and sleeping at odd hours, you are going to be on your feet for most of the day, and there are a thousand items on your to-do list. This is the worst time to feel sick or worn out. Seek out healthy options at the complimentary breakfast. During the day, drink as much water as you can. Water has incredible benefits, most importantly that it helps fight off fatigue.
- Record room numbers. Writing down which room you're staying in or where you parked can help save you confusion and time when you’re on the move.
- Skip the jet lag. Travel like a pro by avoiding the jet lag altogether. Eat, sleep, and live by local times, no matter how tempting it is to fall asleep at 8 PM. You can support this by taking a dose of melatonin, a natural dietary sleep supplement. Read this article to understand the appropriate dosage of melatonin needed to get you through the day.
- Give yourself an hour. On the way to your destination or after you've just arrived at your hotel, take an hour to yourself. Meditate, read a good book, or listen to new music. You are going to be flooded with things to do and people to meet for the next couple of days. Take sixty minutes to yourself.
- Enjoy the experience. Not everyone gets to travel to new locations. Walk around the city, sit in a local coffee shop, and enjoy the experience!
Any tips you’d like to share on how to travel like a pro? Share them with us in the comments!