jawbrep blog

Your flights booked, and now it’s airport time. Airport’s
can be stressful places nowadays, and these tips are
designed for stress reduction…

* Leave home early

Airport stress starts the moment you leave home. Don’t sit
in traffic watching minutes tick away. Aim to arrive at
the airport two hours early (usually required for
International flights). Then if there’s traffic delays,
you’ve still got plenty of time.

* The check-in Line

Now you’ve arrived, next step’s check-in. Usually, there’s
multiple lines you can choose from. Which looks quickest ?
Maybe the longest line is quickest ? Here’s a couple tips.
If you see lots of families and children in a line, avoid
it. By the time they’ve found all their tickets, and
sorted their luggage jumble, they’ve taken twice the time
of a couple or single person.

Look for a short check-in line that’s not easy to see. Look
at each end of the check-in aisles, and maybe there’s a
valid check-in hidden by a pillar, that few people see.
Happened to me just recently, and cut a half hour off my
check-in time - a half hour I spent relaxing in the bar.

* How long to walk from lounge to gate ?

Maybe I should publish a guide to ‘walk-time’ at different
airports ! I’ve walked anything from 2 minutes to 20
minutes after a call to Gate.

Ask at check-in. It’s an important question. When that
screen flashes ‘Go to Gate’, it’s much less stressful if
you know how long you’ll take to walk there. All your good
work of stress-reduction goes down the tubes if you walk 5
minutes and then realize your gate is way the other side of
the airport terminal.

Sometimes you even have to go through more security, or
another passport check, and find a line waiting there. I
once travelled out of Spain, and this exact same thing
happened. A long passport control line stood between me
and my gate, where departure was scheduled just 15 minutes
later. Luckily myself and 5 others decided to go right to
the front and explain the situation - no one objected to us
going thro first.

But try to avoid this un-necessary stress by checking in
advance.

* Invest in the Executive Lounge

If you travel often you might get free entry to an airport
executive lounge. If not, you can often pay a small amount
to use it. The ideal low-stress airport experience begins
in the executive lounge. Away from all the airport hustle
and bustle, relax with free drinks and nibbles. Read a
newspaper or magazine and you’re soon in just the right,
relaxed frame of mind for your journey.

* Nervous ?

Don’t feel embarrassed to be nervous. A lot of people are
nervous of flying, but you know it’s much safer than your
car journey to the airport. If you can’t use an executive
lounge, then there’s a couple other options to reduce your
stress. Try shopping ! Yes, retail therapy can help take
your mind off your nervousness and stress. No need to buy
anything - just wander around looking…

Follow the above tips and you’ll have a relaxed and stress
free airport experience, all ready to enjoy your vacation
or business trip.

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We often hear “less is more” - and certainly that is the case when you’re on the road. According to Consumer Reports 8% of passengers who check luggage report something lost or stolen, so if you can’t afford to lose it, don’t check it.

As a professional speaker and professional organizing consultant, I spend 80% of my time on the road, so having what I need - and getting it there as easily as possible is essential. Here are six things I’ve learned:

1. Choose your travel bag carefully. Some are heavy before you even start packing - and lifting them over your head after you’ve packed them requires a weight lifter.

2. If looking good when you get there is important, wearing something that travels well and is still suitable for the occasion will save valuable luggage space, and if bag is lost, you can go “as is.”

3. If you’re going to be in the same hotel for several days, consider sending ahead bulky items, such as exercise clothes or reading material, to arrive before you do. (If you require a signature on the recipient end, you can easily trace the package when you arrive if necessary.)

4. Choose clothes with lots of flexibility - for example, a pair of flattering slacks, which will work with a casual sweater during the day or a dressy jacket for evening.

5. Shoes take up lots of packing space, so when making wardrobe choices, minimize the number of colors you need.

6. Get travel sizes of toiletry items. Carry them in a hanging bag with clear plastic dividers so you can see in a moment’s notice what’s missing. If you travel frequently, always keep this bag packed and ready to go.

The most important thing to take when you travel is a good attitude. Spend less time fretting about the frustrations, and more time enjoying the opportunities, such as a time to read without interruption or a fabulous meal at a local restaurant. Keep your sense of humor and happy traveling!

Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger’s Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

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