Last week, I went to Boston. It was a short, yet productive trip. I had some good meetings, ate some great food, and got upgraded on two out of four flights. Not bad!

Here’s the problem. When packing, I forgot stuff. Important stuff, like a case for my contacts. I forgot to check the weather, which meant I was ill-prepared for the rain and cold temperatures. Most of June I have been in the midst of multiple personal crises, which has made it difficult to concentrate. I mustered all of my concentration to actually do my work last week, and there wasn’t a whole lot left for things like packing. So this is where a list would have come in great handy. (Pictured: a random packing list I found laying around) Not just a list for this particular trip, but a generic list for all trips, both what to pack and what to do. I have heard of people using Excel spreadsheets, laminated sheets and Sharpies, or multiple printed copies. Whatever works for you, I suggest you put together a generic list and at least look at it for every trip. It may come in handy when you’re not at your best! I am working on my own generic list, and will post it next week. Good luck!