A travel tip to keep you sane

I used to do some back-to-back travel (Left Coast back to Flyover Land, then Right Coast), usually all within a week or two of each other.

Here's a trick I learned to stay sane while traveling, especially if you're traveling overseas (and I've done my share of that).

Travel in stages. Break your trip down to manageable mental chunks, like this:

1. get to airport

2. check in luggage

3. get through security

4. find gate

5. board plane & don't get bumped

6. flight

7. find baggage claim

8. find luggage

9. find shuttle

10. arrive at hotel

11. find room ready

I don't start to even think about the next step until the current step is completed. I've found this takes a LOT of stress out of traveling where, as we all know, many things can go wrong and probably will. At least this way you aren't worrying about something that's not within your grasp at that moment.

Postpone the worry, so to speak. Try it the next time you travel -- it works!