While flu season may be over, it is important to remember that traveling exposes us to bacteria and viruses to which our bodies are not yet adapted. In order to stay healthy and avoid becoming sick while working on the road, One+ magazine offers a few great tips for meeting professionals to follow in particular.

• Utilize the hotel gym. Aim for 30 minutes of cardio and some light stretching. Blood flow keeps the immune system alert.
• Eat enough food. Get enough sleep. It sounds very simple, but according to a study at UC Boulder, sleeping only 5 hours a night and having limited access to food can cause individuals to gain two pounds a week.
• Stay hydrated. Most meeting venues provide bottled water or a pitcher with glasses, so take advantage and try to drink 8 glasses a day.

In light of the Boston Marathon bombings, the US is currently under Elevated Terror Alert, which indicates a significant risk of terror attacks according the US Department of Homeland Security’s advisory system. This most likely has an impact on the delay of the TSA knife policy change as well.

A lot of people wonder why the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) would once again allow certain knives on board, especially after the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. According to an article in Travel Weekly, “the TSA’s reasons for the policy change was to bring the US in line with a policy endorsed by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a [UN] agency that, among other tasks, attempts to standardize rules governing the transportation of dangerous items.”

Here are some top meeting destinations in each of the mentioned regions:

North America:

1. Orlando
2. Washington, DC
3. Las Vegas
4. Miami
5. Chicago

Central & South America:

1. Riveria Maya/Cancun/Quintana Roo
2. Rio De Janiero
3. San Juan
4. Buenos Aires
5. Punta Cana

Europe:

1. London
2. Paris
3. Amsterdam
4. Barcelona
5. Brussels

Asia/South Pacific:

1. Shanghai
2. Singapore
3. Sydney
4. Beijing
5. Bangkok

flipit! USB Charger

Airports and hotel rooms have limited available outlets. This gadget is great for charging multiple electronic devices simultaneously. The flipit! USB charger has a thin plate that fits between the outlet and another plug, allowing you to charge two items with the same outlet.

USB Voice Recorder

Taking notes at a meeting is a common practice. However, important key points are often missed because they cannot be jotted down quickly enough before the speaker moves on to the next slide or topic.  The USB Voice Recorder is a simple solution to this problem. The device records and stores audio, which can later be uploaded to your computer. Not only does this device save room in your bag, this paperless tool promotes a greener workplace.

Portable Humidifier

Hotels and conference rooms typically offer complimentary bottled water. This travel-friendly portable humidifier (weighing less than 1.5 lbs) utilizes such water bottles to create a more pleasant sleeping environment. Simply plug the device in on the hotel nightstand and screw in the water bottle to avoid respiratory and sinus issues caused by the dried-out air of indoor heating and air conditioning.

MOO © Classic Leather Business Card Holder

Meetings are a perfect place for extending your personal networks. This business card holder is small, sleek and holds up to 25 business cards. It is also ideal for credit cards or hotel keys as well.

No matter the occupation, forging through the end of the work week can be a challenge with the weekend looming on the horizon. Click the image below to view the 12 Ideas to Increase Productivity infographic courtesy of Success Sculpting, Inc. These tips offer proactive ways to stay focused and accomplish tasks at hand.

In the past, meeting ROI could simply be measured by attendance, adherence to budgets, and overall happiness of guests. Now clients are looking value meetings bring back to their organizations. In other words, was the meeting “worth it”? Did it help the organization achieve its goals?

How can planners step up their game? Simple.

When planning a program, a planner must keep the client company’s goals in mind. Whether an organization wants happier customers or increased sales, a planner’s objectives should focus around client objectives. This provides the planner with a clearer vision for success. If a program assists an organization in becoming one step closer to their goals, meeting ROI will increase without a doubt.

Reporting Income

• File a Schedule C with your 1040. This lets the IRS know if your business made a profit or loss throughout the year.
• On Schedule C, line 1 (“Gross receipts or sales”), report all the income made throughout the tax year. This should include amounts reported on 1099 forms issued by your clients.

Reporting Expenses

IRS Publication 535 has an extensive list of business expenses that apply when filing taxes, but here is a simplified breakdown:

• Home office deductions
• Office supplies
• Automobile mileage
• Travel, meals and entertainment

When reporting expenses, it is important not to stretch things too far, and always save your receipts!

Further Advice

Akalp says,

“If this is your first year filing taxes as a sole proprietor, you’ll soon realize that you need to pay self-employment taxes in addition to income taxes. This can leave you wondering what happened to all your hard-earned money. Many freelancers start out as sole props and eventually form an S Corporation or an LLC that’s taxed as an S Corporation, in order to reduce self-employment taxes.

While it may be too late to impact your 2012 taxes, the end of tax season is a perfect time to reassess what’s next for your business. Talk to a tax advisor about what business structure will be right for you.”

Ikea and Marriot have collaborated to create Moxy, a new chain of 150 budget hotels that will be popping up in Europe over the next 10 years.  Moxy sets itself apart as the first economy-conscious, 3-star hotel in the European market. The brand will cut costs by decreasing hotel staff and boosting efficiency through technological investments. Nodding to the more “self-sufficient” consumer, hotel guests will be able to check in on their own time via kiosks and mobile apps. The rooms themselves are also geared for the modern traveler. According to Marriot’s press release, “Guestrooms will be functional and well-designed, with upscale bath amenities, large flat screen televisions and built-in USB ports located within each wall socket.” Hotels will also offer meeting spaces with modern ergonomic seating, large writing walls and 56-inch televisions for presentation projection. The the first Moxy property is expected to debut in Milan in 2014.

Watch more here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XmW0YW5mYcQ