[ajrsmom]

8 Business Travel Tips for Smart Women
by Marybeth Bond


Business travel takes you away from home and loved ones and can cause all sorts of unexpected issues. Make your travel easier with these time-tested tips.


Sleep Smart. Dark circles under your eyes aren't good for business. Many road warriors know that you can only use a certain number of whiteout sticks to cover bags under your eyes to mask jetlag or poor sleep nights in strange hotel rooms. So carry eye shields and earplugs. The wax types are better than the little foam earplugs. Pillowsoft, non-irritating silicone ones, are best. They are often sold as a swimming accessory.
They work well to mute noise, snoring and annoyingly chatty airline neighbors. Invest in a blow-up pillow to sleep soundly on planes. They also prevent your hair from being flattened as you sleep.

Carry C Rations. The airlines are starving us! If your flight is delayed or has mechanical problems, you may spend hours on the runway or circling in the air while your stomach is screaming. Airlines offer little more than the tiny, salty rations of peanuts or pretzels for short flights. Carry a nutritious and filling power bar and an apple in your briefcase.

Wake Up Right. Hotel alarm clocks and wake-up calls can be unreliable. Pack an inexpensive sports watch with an alarm and a stopwatch. The stopwatch is useful for your workout on the stationary bike in the hotel fitness center or to time your bubble bath. If you carry a pager, find out if it has an alarm function and learn how to use it.

Pack Lightly. If you need to be dressed in business attire for a meeting the same day you travel, wear it on the plane. Always assume your luggage may be lost and be prepared. Don't put yourself in the awkward and expensive position of being dependent upon taxis and tip-hungry porters. Pack the least amount of clothes and shoes you think you can survive on. You can wear the same mix-and-match outfits day after day. Leave room in your bag for the shopping treasures you can't resist along the way.

Take Dark Clothes. They don't show spots, wrinkles or dirt, and work for most situations.

Cut Down on Shoes. How many shoes does a business traveler pack? Too many, usually! If the shoe fits, wear it ... don't carry it. Wear the shoes you'll need for business and pack one pair of athletic shoes for walking, jogging or informal occasions.

Shop Guiltlessly. Spend some money on yourself and buy presents and cards for your loved ones' upcoming birthdays.

Communicate Home Easily. It is unproductive to leave messages on answering machines. If you are traveling to a different time zone, you may awake a cranky loved one in the middle of the night. The easiest and cheapest way to communicate home from most countries is via fax. Sending a fax costs less than a long distance call and you don't have to deal with time differences. Leave your hotel fax number with friends and family. If you prefer email, set up free email accounts for your kids and send them notes and postcards.