How to Stay Organized on the Road

When traveling between jobs, staying organized should be near the top of your priorities. Your adventure can transform into a nightmare within minutes when you don’t make the right preparations. From staying to safe to preparing for the unexpected, we have several tips you can utilize to maintain an organized journey.

Write a Packing List Before Your Trip

Although you may have an idea of what to bring, you will often find countless little things to throw into the suitcase when packing. This can lead to overpacked luggage and – in the worst case scenario – forgetting your essentials. Two weeks before your trip, dedicate an hour to sit and think about where you are moving. Some helpful questions include:

• What will the climate be like? Warm and humid or cold and dry?
• Will you be driving or flying?
• Will you be working in a similar job or are you planning a career change?

Questions like these seem straightforward until you find out you didn’t pack enough layers for a winter residency in Oregon!

Organize Your Backpack

You will most likely be carrying important documents like certifications, licenses, and maybe even a passport during your travels. Dedicate spaces in your bag or suitcase where you store only necessary files and items like these. It is best that these areas are not located in or near pockets sticking out of the backpack – these locations make your documents easy targets for thieves. There are few things worse than being asked for a certification at your new job and then spending several long minute rummaging around your backpack.

Record an Itinerary

With smartphones, keeping an itinerary has never been easier. An itinerary is a traveling agenda; it is a record of your hotel reservations, rental-car info, flight receipts, maps, and more. An itinerary app is designed for streamlining the process of juggling all your information in one place. Many apps let you share your information with someone else. Give your information to someone you trust, so if you need assistance your friend or family member will know where you are.

Don’t Completely Lose The Little Things

Traveling can get rough. You might end up in a one star hotel, lose some sleep, or get stuck waiting for a delayed flight. In moments like these, it can get easy to fall into micro-moments of despair. Don’t go full Spartan by only packing the essentials. Bringing something along that can help you escape reality for an hour like a tablet where you can watch a favorite TV show, or a fun book, can be the boost you need in the middle of a rough road trip.

Travel work is a great opportunity for new experiences around the country, but it can get hard to live your dream when you’re constantly worrying about not being organized. These tips help you prepare for the hard times – which there usually are – in between your travel jobs. Nearing the end of your current temporary placement? Find your new travel healthcare position at Ardor Health.