Never underestimate the art of packing

On top of jet lag, 10.000 miles away from home, first-rate hotel room and the thought of 24 meetings in five days, you don’t find where your underwear and socks are!

That’s why packing should be your number one priority. When your mind is at ease, and you've packed all the things you need, your entire trip will go a lot more smoothly. Think of the relief you'll feel knowing all you need to do is unzip the bag and lift out your clothes. Whoever said you can’t mix business with pleasure? Learn to pack right and packing for a business trip will become one of life’s little pleasures.

Prepare yourself. Little details such as where you’re going and how long you’ll be there.

Check the weather before you go. Play it safe, take an umbrella wherever you go for a start, unless it has never, ever rained where you’re going. Always bring a sweater or sweatshirt even if you’ll be in Asia.

Pack that casual wear. You may argue that the entire trip is work-related, but you never know when you’ll find a spare hour or two or may’be the weekend.

Make an itinerary of everything you’ll be doing. It’s important to know exactly what your schedule is and anticipate the type of atmosphere you’ll be in.

Make a list. You might think that lists are unnecessary. But what happens when you leave something behind? Make life easy for yourself. Spend a few minutes thinking about all the things you need on a daily basis.

Raid the closet. Coordinate your outfits, clothing essentials and optionals. Choose suits or outfits that can be used with one pair of shoes. Choose exactly what you’d like to wear each day and write it down.

Take a check. The flight tickets; credit cards, including frequent flyer cards; passport; money; the laptop, plug and adapters and other essentials accessories.

Secure yourself. As a business person you’re a prime target for criminals, so don’t spotlight yourself any more than necessary.

If you’re traveling straight to your hotel room after the flight, consider wearing casual clothing during the flight, such as jeans and a sweater instead of business wear. However, if you packed your suit inside a checked bag, you may want to wear another suit anyway. Not having a suit to wear to a business meeting could be disastrous.

At least, don’t leave the actual packing for the morning of your flight. Pack the night before so you’ll know whether everything fits in the bag. You should lift your bag or bags to determine if they’re light enough for you to carry. Life will be easier when you can pick up your bags and walk out and hail a cab without any assistance. If you’re expected to immediately meet with a client or go to a meeting, you’ll find it especially helpful to have an unobtrusive, lightweight bag that you can shove easily into a corner…