Ask the Expert – New Year Resolutions

By Ted Miller, HMCC, CHME, CHSP, CGTP, CGMP

Question: I need to get myself better organized with my increased travel schedule for next year, what would you suggest I do when I am on the road?

Answer: Let me make a simple suggestion, start listening to the lady on the GPS. You should plan your travel so that you are either moving in a circle or heading in one direction. While many of us still rely on MapQuest to plan our routes it can be hard to read and drive at the same time. The nice lady in the GPS can show you a map at eye level and also talk to you while you drive. Using this will keep you moving in an organized fashion and allow you to concentrate on your driving and business appointments.

Question: Since my travel schedule has picked up so much I am finding it hard to exercise and have picked up a few pounds. Do have any tips on how I can get back in shape?

Answer: I think most of us face the same issue, so let me tell you how I have overcome that problem. One of the cities I travel to most is Washington DC and rather than using a taxi to get to each meeting I make a point to use the Metro and then walk. It has helped me learn the city and actually takes less time for me to reach each meeting. Walking also lets me find new restaurants and gives me a chance during the day to browse their menus and pick one for dinner. After you start making a point to walk more it will become more of your routine. If you need to do a number of site inspections in one day it will get you in shape to handle several.

Question: For years I have done business travel in almost every month and have struggled with a way to organize my wardrobe for situations such as travel to warm destinations when it is winter at home or to have the correct business casual attire. What do you suggest?

Answer:  The issue most of us face doing business travel is not wanting to pack an excess of clothing. For my business meetings during the day I tend to be in business attire, so for the evening I will keep my suit coat and bring a contrasting pair of slacks plus lose the tie. That keeps you properly dressed with a minimum of clothing packed. The other advantage for a guy is you really do not need to pack more than one other pair of shoes. No one looks at guy shoes unless they are weird.

Question: I have just gotten new phone and am struggling to learn all the features. Do you have any suggestions on how to handle this?

Answer: It sounds like your phone is far more advanced than mine. When I went to learn about mine I simply took the instruction book with me as my inflight reading. It forced me to look at all the options and see what capabilities I had available. During the flight I was also able to go through my contacts and delete ones that are no longer relevant and mark others that needed updating. If you are stuck in an airport that can be a great place to select ring tones for different calling options.