Below are the Ignite Your Potential coaches pointers for making “the bag drag” a bit easier. Know that you can never guarantee a “restful” journey, but these tips will help you feel more polished when you get there.
Dress
To state the obvious, get a few no-brainers, no-wrinkle, all-purpose work outfits down cold, so you don’t have to think about what to pack (especially for relatively short trips). Invest in a large silk scarf or cashmere wrap. It’ll serve as a travel blanket first and foremost, but make sure it’s also polished enough to function as a compact layer for meetings. (It’s impossible to escape the tyranny of male-biased air conditioning, no matter your destination.)
Pack
Bring a carry-on only, ever. End of discussion. (And even if you have a bag that fits the carry-on dimensions, be sure to check weight limits on international flights. Another tip is to bring an extra tote bag in there, in case there’s space to cram your nonessentials in the overhead bin at the last minute (and give yourself some extra leg-room). Also, make sure that the bag at your feet stands up on some sort of base; you don’t want a shapeless laptop bag dumping your belongings all over the aisle.
Self-Care
Pack a sheet mask or two for your final destination to help restore moisture at night. Hey, it’s a spa trip! Bonus: Put some rose water in a travel-sized spray bottle and use it to freshen up your face and/or underarms after a flight or long day.
To (help) avoid getting sick, take Emergen-C before and immediately after a flight. And—this is where it gets a little socially awkward—always clean the tray table, arms, and entertainment screen of your seat with a travel-friendly pack of disinfecting wipes.
Need more tips on how to successfully travel for work? Our award-winning coaches at the Ignite Your Potential Centers offer a complimentary 25-minute phone session to help. We are the #1 career coaches in San Francisco and Los Angeles, let us show you how we earned that praise.
