Whether it’s for business or pleasure, taking a vacation is supposed to be about escaping the everyday and getting a chance to recharge. As we all know, that’s not always the case. To keep your travel plans on schedule, take some advice from our well-traveled expert, Ole Henriksen. Keep these ten simple tips in mind before your next excursion!

1. Pack with a plan. Always pack in a concise manner so you don’t bring too much along. “Give yourself two color schematics within your wardrobe of what you pack and just a few accessories,” says Ole. “By packing in this concise manner, you won’t stress out before you leave and you won’t have to scramble to think about what goes with what.”
2. Be creative with your clothes. “I bring jeans and one pair of shoes and change my wardrobe with belts and shirts. It’s all about being creative,” says Ole. “Jeans can take you all over the world. Put a sports jacket on to dress it up or a T-shirt to dress it down.”
3. Stick with the essentials. Bring only the bare minimum of your beauty products along. “I usually bring a cleanser, face mist, day crème with an SPF, a night serum and an eye crème for day and night,” says Ole. “If you’re prone to breakouts, bring your roll on blemish attack too.” The simplest solution is to use one of Ole’s travel kits for normal/combination, oily/blemish and dry/sensitive skin types. “These kits are the perfect size to allow you to bring along a scrub and a mask,” he says.
4. Take some tunes to go. Music helps reduce stress and allows you to feel at home wherever you may be. “Bring some of your favorite music as a special treat,” says Ole.
5. Pass the time with a book. Whether you’re looking to entertain yourself on the plane or relax back at your hotel, always bring great reading material.
6. Take your scent with you. “Always bring your favorite fragrance along in a travel container,” says Ole. “It always makes you feel good.”
7. Bring a notebook. “I always find myself inspired to write while traveling,” says Ole. “You never know, you may get a creative idea that will help your career or business.”
8. Set aside a specific time to check emails. “Try to set aside a little time in the morning to check emails and then drop it,” says Ole. “For me, I don’t want emails to control my day, so I deal with it in the morning and then relax.”
9. Bring your own food on the plane. “Pack a sandwich at home and put it in a plastic bag or container,” says Ole. “You can eat healthy on the plane with some nuts or seeds and then use your container again on the way home.”
10. Take your vitamin supplements with you. Keeping your immune system running well is important when you’re in crowded places. Since you may not be able to control every meal you eat, it’s important to give your body the nutrients it needs. A good multivitamin should do the trick.

Ole has traveled around the world with these helpful tips, but what is his favorite travel destination? “There are so many places I love to visit,” says Ole. “The island of Capri in Italy, Le Como in Northern Italy, Paris, Rome, London, Copenhagen, New England, Carmel, Sonoma, Aspen, and Bali are my favorites.” What’s your favorite destination? Share your top travel spots and your travel tips in the comments below!