BUSINESS TRAVEL

Business travel can sap your strength and your sanity. You can't control check-in lines, flight delays or the behavior of a bored child in the seat behind you, but you can eliminate a multitude of other problems by incorporating the following ideas into your pre-trip planning. Instructions Collect information in a file folder as soon as you decide to make a trip. Make it the repository for contact names, airline tickets, hotel and car rental confirmations, maps and driving directions, and receipts. Speak personally with the key people you're traveling to meet and get a firm commitment from them. Plan only with assistants and you may end up meeting only with assistants. See 191 Schedule Appointments Efficiently. Create an itinerary and leave a copy at your home base. Factor in jet lag: Whether it's a three-hour difference between coasts or a lengthy overseas flight, the time change and trip fatigue can greatly impact your mental and physical energy. Also scout out