Business executives often travel frequently and are always prepared to leave for far-off destinations on a moment’s notice. They’ve got the program down. Bags are packed in a jiffy and the seasoned traveler leaves home confident that essentials and nice-to-haves are not left behind. Have you ever taken a trip under hasty circumstances, only to find you’ve forgotten half of what you really need? Experience is a great teacher, so check out these tips from the pros and smooth out the wrinkles of last minute travel.

If you’re traveling by car, transportation issues are simplified. Check your oil, water and tires, including your spare. Fill up on your way out of town. If possible, drive at night. There’s less traffic so you’ll encounter fewer traffic problems. If you’re traveling through or to a major metropolitan area, plan your arrival to miss the heavy commute hours. This can save you a few frustrating hours stuck in stalled traffic.

Traveling by air? Last minute travel by air can be costly if you book by conventional methods. If you have even a day or two prior to departure, the very first task on your agenda is a quick and diligent search of your local papers and online resources such as craigslist, auction sites and E-bay.  Google is also worth a shot. Just type, ‘air tickets for sale’ followed by your destination airport. You just may get lucky and find a great deal.

Now to packing: before you start tossing things willy-nilly into your bag, take a few minutes to jot down what you need to do and bring. This little trick may sound silly, but you’ll be surprised to find how helpful it is to organize on paper beforehand. Be sure to include a ‘before leaving’ category with tasks and errands such as stopping your mail and newspaper, returning library books or arranging for pet care. People who frequently make last minute travel trips keep such a list handy at all times. If you have medicines you need every day, get them on your list. Organize your clothing choices so you can mix and match most items. Plan to wear bulky items, such as an overcoat or boots.

Whenever possible, stick with a carryon. You’ll save time and hassles, both at check-in and your destination. Rolling your clothing saves space and reduces wrinkling. Upon arrival, hang dresses, pants and shirts in a steamy bathroom for 20 minutes. You won’t even need to iron.

Travel restrictions on baggage items change so frequently and are quite precise on items like shampoo and lotion. Just one additional ounce of shampoo or the wrong type of container results in confiscation.  Avoid this problem by buying these items when you arrive.

So don’t get in a tizzy over a last minute travel situation. Be thoughtful in your planning and stay organized. The worst case is then having to pay full price on your air ticket!

Have you ever met a person who passes judgment on something based on hearsay rather than their own experiences? I have to admit that I have experienced this many times during my career in social work. I am not trying to say that only people with mental health issues make these kinds of rash decisions or opinions; however it is quite common amongst this population. They convince themselves that something is bad so that they do not have to take the risk of trying something new. It is quite a challenge to get them to change their opinions.

I found myself doing a similar thing with my son. He is in his third year of college. He announced that he want to go on a Florida spring break. My initial response was absolutely not. I have heard stories and have seen pictures of the parties, drinking nudity and drug use that occurs during the spring breaks. I told him that this was only asking to get into trouble and that he did not want to get caught doing some illegal activity that would block him from going on to law school or from getting a good job. I heard Florida spring break and I reacted without letting him finish about what he wanted to do. He had brought this up on the telephone. He said we could discuss this more when he came home for the weekend. I told my husband that our son wanted to go on a Florida spring break and that I was totally against it. I wanted to want him in advance so that we would both be giving our son the same message when he came home for the weekend. My husband asked me several questions regarding what part of Florida he wanted to go to and who he was going with and where they would be staying. As my husband asked these questions I realized that I had not given our son a chance to fill in any details. I heard the words spring break and automatically jumped to conclusions and through out an opinion based on media coverage alone. I in fact was doing the same thing that I work with clients on not doing. My husband suggested that we hear what our son had to say about the arrangements and then make a decision.

When our son arrived home I immediately apologized for cutting him off and jumping to conclusions. I know that he is a responsible kid and he does have firm goals for his future. He shared that he wanted to go to a friend’s family condominium for the week. The friend and his parents would be there. This sounded like a great opportunity for him to relax and to have some fun. I cannot believe how quick I was to react without having detailed information.