You’ve been working naked these past six months and it’s time to take a break. Come on, you know you deserve a vacation, even if it’s for only a few days. You can’t control everything that will happen while you’re out of town, but you can take a few steps to make your trip run more smoothly.

• Before you book a hotel room, find out if it’s next to a main highway.  (If you’re staying at a resort, don’t worry about it.)  If when you arrive at your hotel and realize that it is located along a highway, make sure you ask for a room that’s on the opposite side of the building. You’d think that the person at the front desk would do that automatically. Think again.

• After you use your room key, store it in the same place each time. Whether you put the key in your wallet, purse or briefcase, you’ll be able to find your key when you need it. Also, you’ll be less likely to forget your key when you leave your room.

• Skip the mini-bar unless you’re willing to pay $4.50 for a candy bar or $18 for a freakishly small bottle of wine.

These tips can apply to business-related trips too but to get your clients ready for your trip out of town, read Leaving town without leaving loose ends.

What do you do to make traveling easier?