Most
people view business travel to be a stressful and time-consuming
process. Preparation for any trip takes time out of your schedule.
But imagine if you had to pack and unpack your suitcase several
times a month! Business travel also opens the door for a unique
set of concerns. If you forget something (a bathing suit, a toothbrush)
on a personal vacation, you can usually replace it while on your
trip. But if a business traveler forgets a presentation or an important
report, it could have much more serious consequences. Business travelers
also feel the constant pressure to be "at work" while they are away.
They type away at their laptops at the airport, draft letters on
the plane, and make cell phone calls in the taxi. Consequently,
many business travelers never have (or take) the time to relax during
their trips, and come back more stressed and worn out than they
were before they left.
But planning and preparation can cut down on some of these concerns.
Having a set of PROCEDURES that you follow each time you travel
will alleviate some of your anxiety and reduce the likelihood of
an emergency occurring.
PACKING FOR A BUSINESS TRIP
Problems such as running out of legal paper or misplacing an important
phone number are stressful enough within the confines of your office.
Without the safety and comfort of "home," feelings of unpreparedness
and vulnerability are multiplied. But you can reduce the chances
of forgetting something important if you SYSTEMATIZE your trip preparation.
If you often have to travel on short notice, keep a pre-packed overnight
bag ready at all times -- including travel-sized toiletries, duplicates
of important personal items (travel alarm, night light), and sleepwear.
Then, when duty calls, all you have to do is pack your clothes just
before you leave. And it is particularly important in business situations
to simplify your travel wardrobe -- bring items that you can mix
and match, that don't wrinkle, and that don't require special care.
The last thing that you want to worry about as you prepare for an
important meeting is hauling a lot of heavy luggage around. Of course
you want to dress is appropriately for the occasion, but you can
avoid over-packing by thinking through your wardrobe ahead of time.
You can also save a lot of time by pre-packing a travel briefcase.
Keep this traveling office well stocked with office supplies --
pens, stapler, notepads, paperclips, a calculator -- whatever you
tend to need on the road. Also create a travel folder for collecting
those papers and materials (presentation overheads, reference items,
unfinished work, travel information, etc.) you will need to take
with you.
Either fill your folder as you plan your trip, or keep a list clipped
to the front of the folder. Then, make a note in your calendar to
double-check your list and finish filling your folder the day before
you leave. And once you have settled on an itinerary, record all
of your pertinent travel information -- agenda, flight information,
hotel reservation --on one sheet that you keep close at hand throughout
your trip. There is nothing more frustrating than shuffling through
a stack of papers trying to find your hotel's address with an impatient
cab driver waiting!
TRAVELING FOR CONVENIENCE
The business traveler's main goal is to get to his or her destination
with as few problems and delays as possible (well, I guess that's
a major concern for every traveler!) Start by making all of your
arrangements through a travel agent. This will save you time, worry,
and possibly money, as many travel agents are privy to deals that
the general public cannot access. When you are booking your flight,
have the travel agent go ahead and request your seat assignment
along with your reservation. Ask to be seated as close to the front
of the plane as possible, so you can be one of the first off of
the aircraft. Also, aim for the earliest flight possible to give
you plenty of "buffer" in case of delays.
You can take a lot of the guesswork out of your trip by becoming
familiar and loyal to a chain of hotels that offer extra services
for the business traveler. What are you always needing while on
the road -- a copy machine? Fax? Modem? Courier service? Then look
for accommodations that provide these services directly at the hotel.
Also keep an eye out for those free services that make mornings
easier -- continental breakfasts, the coffee machine in your room
(if you are a caffeine junkie like my husband), an iron in your
closet, and a newspaper by your door. These small touches will save
you a lot of time, help you feel more at home, and get you going
quicker in the mornings.
THEY CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT YOU!
Some people have the mistaken impression that, if they leave the
office for even one day, the entire operation will fall apart without
them. Although some matters which come up will need your personal
attention, very few will require your IMMEDIATE personal attention.
By preparing your staff to deal with emergencies before you leave,
you will reduce the number of times you must be interrupted while
on your trip.
Take care of as many matters as you can before leaving town. Return
phone calls, respond briefly to any outstanding letters, and inform
important clients and colleagues of the dates that you will be unavailable.
The fewer loose ends you leave, the fewer fires you should have
to put out while you are gone. But if your staff should need to
contact you, make it easy for them to reach you. Prepare 4 copies
of a written itinerary before leaving -- for you, your secretary,
your spouse, and the front desk at the hotel where you will be staying.
Your staff will be less likely to panic if they have a clear idea
of where you will be and what you will be doing each day that you
are gone.
The most important step you can take is instructing your staff on
how to handle situations while you are gone. Clearly define what
issues warrant interrupting your trip and tell your staff how to
take care of any other matters that pop up. Have your voice mail
message direct callers to the appropriate party and assign urgent
matters to a colleague. The goal should be to present a seamless
service to your clientele. Customers don't want to hear that a problem
can not be resolved because "so-and-so" is out of town. Your duty
is to TRAIN your staff to head off problems that occur during your
absence.
STAYING ORGANIZED ON THE ROAD
Once you have embarked on your business trip, you may find that
you have a hard time staying on top of it all -- your schedule,
luggage, paperwork, expenses. There are, however some tricks that
will help you keep track of your belongings and prevent personal
loss. If at all possible, only bring what you can carry onto the
plane. Checking your bags wastes time and invites lost luggage.
Pack two small carryon bags rather than checking a bag -- one for
your work items and one for your clothes. If you do have to check
a bag, check the personal items and hold onto your business materials.
If you had to choose between losing your clothes and losing your
presentation materials, which would be the more tragic loss?
Keeping track of your expenses can seem like a real chore -- but
it's easy if you do your record-keeping as you go. Use separate
credit cards for business and personal purchases, and keep all of
your receipts in one place. Reserve a zippered pocket in your planner
or a manila folder for all business-related receipts. Then, mark
your expense form as you go along -- recording the item purchased,
the date, and the amount -- and retype it when you return from your
trip. You'll find this much easier than trying to remember where
and when you paid $5 for parking -- especially on long trips.
And what do you do with the myriad of paperwork business trips seem
to inspire? You may have brought some of this paper with you, but
the vast majority materializes once you have attended that first
meeting (and heaven help you if you are attending a lengthy conference
or trade show!) Airline tickets, agendas, and presentation materials
are all susceptible to being misplaced when you are in a strange
environment -- so try to keep all of your important paperwork in
one place in your hotel room.
And be sure to put out a sign that says "Don't Throw Away" if you
plan to leave papers sitting out while you are gone (those housekeepers
can be a bit too efficient!) Take a few moments to review the materials
you have received at the end of each day. Categorize the information
in a way that makes sense to you, discard what is unneeded, and
make notes while the ideas are fresh in your mind. And keep a notepad
nearby so you can make a running "to-do" list of items that require
your attention when you return.
SCHEDULING YOUR DAYS
Most people maintain a hectic schedule during business trips, running
from one activity to another. Delays are unavoidable in life, particularly
in travel. Unfortunately, very few people know how to deal with
unscheduled gaps in their schedule. Rather than making good use
of the time, they view the delay as a stressful event. So prepare
for delays. Start by building in a CUSHION on either side of your
appointments. Don't just leave enough time in your itinerary to
travel from point A to point B -- assume that 43 different people
are going to slow you down and you will have to make a detour to
point C along the way! Also have a contingency plan in case an activity
is postponed or cancelled -- bring work or reading material with
you to fill the time.
And let's look at this scenario -- you've been in meetings all day
from morning 'til afternoon. What do you do with your FREE TIME
in the evening? More work? If you were at home, would you come home
from a long day and immediately say, "Gee, I really should get more
work done"? Well, some people do, but that's a completely different
issue! Don't feel guilty about building room into your schedule
for fun stuff -- sightseeing or going to a movie or having a relaxing
non-business dinner. You are allowed some personal time on your
trip, too!
WHEN YOU RETURN
No matter how well you prepare for a trip, how well you train your
staff to head off emergencies, your return home will probably be
punctuated by a barrage of telephone messages, a pile of unanswered
e-mails, and a stack of unopened mail -- welcome to the information
age! And this doesn't even include the work that you've brought
back with you from your trip. Where do you start?
Sometimes just digging in will help you get a handle on all that
needs to be done. Go through your mail, voice messages, and e-mail,
making note of any issues that require your attention. Add these
"to-do's" to the list you've been developing while on your trip
-- then put your list in order of priority, with the most urgent
items at the top. Now that you have evaluated each item and developed
a plan of action, you can make the most efficient use of your work
time -- starting at the top of the list and work your way down.
Also, take a few moments to put everything away when you return,
both at home and at work. Nothing makes a business trip seem so
unfinished as a pile of clothes waiting to be hung up or a stack
of papers that you haven't taken the time to sort through. Go through
the materials you have gathered on your travels and divide them
into three piles -- "to delegate," "action items," and "to file."
If an item needs to be passed on to someone else, do it ASAP rather
than letting it clutter up your desk -- and the same is true with
reference items that simply need to be filed away. Once you have
cleared up these two stacks, the rest seems a lot less overwhelming.
Ramona
Creel is the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com
--
offering "a world of organizing solutions!"
Visit OnlineOrganizing.com
for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even
get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you. And if you
are interested in becoming a Professional Organizer, we have all
the tools you need to succeed. (Copyright 2000, Ramona Creel)
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