by James Michael

Created on: January 15, 2009

Business travel isn't glamorous. Usually, it's a grind. But there are some simple strategies to make any business trip more bearable.

ASSUME YOUR LUGGAGE WILL BE LOST
That's right. Just write off your luggage from the start. Determine what is absolutely essential to the success of the trip and aim to fit it in your carryon. It requires a lot of planning ahead the first time you do this, but it gets much easier each successive time.

First Things First
First up in the carryon: the real business trip needs. That likely entails a laptop, power supply, foreign plug adapter (if needed) and files you'll need for any meeting or presentation.

You will also need to make sure you are presentable. If you need to wear a suit, make sure to either wear it on the plane or that it fits in a carryon garment bag. You don't want to show up for a meeting in a tracksuit and running shoes.

Necessary toiletries also need to go in your carryon. I learned this the hard way on a trip to Stockholm when all of my toiletries were in my checked luggage that was, inevitably, lost. The kit the airlines gave me contained laundry detergent that didn't dissolve in water (a interesting feature for clothes detergent), a razor that was about as sharp as a letter opener, and a deodorant stick that smelled worse than me after a 12-hour trip.

Looking Good . . . Smelling Good
When packing your toiletries, pretend you're going camping. What do you need as a minimum to be presentable? Ok, a guy might not need to shave when he's camping like he will for business travel, so make provisions for that. Remember, nobody says you have to use these toiletries; I pack the stuff I really use in my checked luggage. The stuff in my carryon is for emergencies on business travel only. In fact, I have a Ziploc bag of the supplies sitting unopened in my closet, ready at a moment's notice.

Go to the drug store or Target and find the smallest travel sizes you can. Remember the TSA's carryon guideline of 3-1-1 when buying travel sizes: a three-ounce limit for liquids that must fit just one, one-quart Ziploc bag. Liquids get heavy so don't push the size limits.

I usually fit all of this stuff, including one business-casual change of clothing, in a rolling carryon bag that features a zippered laptop access opening. If you are flying business class, you can safely bring a carryon garment bag (useful for suits) with most of this stuff packed in it, plus a laptop briefcase.

BACK IT UP
For me, no business trip is complete without multiple

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