Like many people, I spend a lot of time traveling.  And, I don't mind it but I'm always looking for things or ways to make traveling a bit more like home.  It's amazing how one or two little conveniences can relieve insecurities when you're in an unfamiliar place, new hotel surroundings, etc.

Interestingly enough, the topic came up at a recent conference.  What do you travel with that makes life a little more bearable so you can focus on the task at hand...which is work?  Here's what we came up with:

1.    Outlet - Maybe it's just the hotels I frequent, but they never seem to have enough outlets or they have them in the wrong places.  That's why I carry a 3 plug extension that also has 2 USB outlets.  It's small and I don't have to worry about cords all over my hotel room.  I can get work done and charge my gadgets at the same time.

2.    Book Reader - After listening to my friends rave about their electronic readers, I'm gonna have to break down and get one of these.  And now, there are many different kinds to choose from.  Besides the obvious advantage of not taking up a lot of space, there were a couple other benefits that intrigued me.  One was always having the latest and greatest sellers available; you can also pre-order books and have them delivered right to your reader.  But the biggest for me was the reader will stand up on a table.  I often travel alone and eat meals by myself...so being able to have something to read is important.  Having a reader stand up on a table is a great solution.

3.    Coffee (or tea) - There's nothing worse than waking up to terrible hotel coffee or tea.  In tiny cups.  So if you're like me and need that morning caffeine - even before I venture out to find a Starbucks - bring a couple of small disposable condiments with you.  For example, I'm a big fan of vanilla - and I've found vanilla instant coffee, vanilla creamer and even vanilla flavored sweetener.  Friends have done the same with their hazelnut fix.  And, I bring a travel size coffee mug.  I can use it for water on the plane then coffee in my room.

4.    Exercise - I'm not as good with this one as I should be but I do try to get in some exercise when I'm on the road.  And because sneakers can be bulky and hotel gyms can be expensive, I bring resistance bands.  They really work, take up virtually no space and I can exercise in my room.

5.    White Noise - Getting a good night's sleep is essential.  Otherwise you'll need to pack a lot of coffee (see #3).  One of the things that helps me sleep is having noise, similar to house noise, in my room.  I have apps on my iPhone that create white noise (or other sounds) to help me sleep.  If you don't have an iPhone, there are travel alarms that include a white noise feature.


Whether you're gone for one night or a week, being comfortable when you travel allows you to be productive and do your best work.  What comforts of home do you bring with you when traveling?

Photo Credit: ThinkPanama