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  • New Identification Technology Being Tested At TSA Pre-Check Lines

    New Identification Technology Being Tested At TSA Pre-Check Lines

    New Identification Technology Being Tested At TSA Pre-Check Lines

    AUGUST 10, 2017 CARMEN WHITE

    Already knew that the perks from TSA Pre-Check were pretty sweet? Well it looks like they’re getting sweeter. Already being tested in a few airports, TSA has started using a new identification technology for Pre-Check travelers. They will no longer need to show a boarding pass at security. Instead, a photo ID will be all they need to pass through to their gate.

    TSA Pre-Check New Identification Technology

    Their Credential Authentication Technology will verify authenticity of a passenger photo ID and validate information from the ID against TSA’s Secure Flight vetting system. With this system, boarding passes will only be needed once you board they plane. Reducing the hassle of finding the boarding pass, whether on paper or on a smartphone, is expected to decrease wait time through security.  And more importantly, this new technology will be used to detect and reduce the number of people who use fraudulent  identification to board a plane.

    How it works:

    Pre-Check travelers simply hand their photo ID to the TSA agent at the security checkpoint. The agent will scan the ID using the credential authentication technology system. From there is will verify the authenticity of the document and cross-reference against the Secure Flight database.

    This system is currently being tested at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Dulles International Airport, O’Hare International Airport, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. It will continue to expand to other airports in August.

    What is TSA Pre-Check

    TSA Pre-Check is a service provided by the Travel Security Administration. For an additional fee ($85 for a five year membership), travelers get to speed through security checkpoints at airports nationwide. Those interested apply online, submit to a background check, fingerprinting and in-person meeting with a TSA officer. Once they are approved, they can use the TSA Pre-Check security line. Additional perks include not removing laptops, shoes, belts, liquids or jackets through security.

    I personally have been on the fence on deciding to pay for a Pre-Check membership or not. But seeing the TSA is continuing to innovate their processes is exciting. Who knows what additional perks they may bring within the next five years!

     

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  • Your Health Matters: 6 Tips to Relax While Traveling

    Your Health Matters: 6 Tips to Relax While Traveling

    AUGUST 2, 2017 JESSICA MARCHESE

    Are you constantly stressed while traveling for work? Being away from your home and family can easily throw anyone off. Not to mention a completely different schedule than your daily routine. Whether you are new to business travel or an seasoned roadwarrior, many parts of the journey can leave you feeling anxious.  Knowing how to relax while traveling is an important but often overlooked variable of business trips.

    Tricks to help you relax while traveling:

    Plan ahead 

    Visualizing where you’ll be, what you will be wearing and events you will be attending can establish a schedule and even control. Before you head out the door, spend a few minutes researching. Knowing the address of your hotel and where it’s located will eliminate a few harried minutes at the airport. Or if you are attending a conference, download the schedule beforehand and plan out which sessions you’d like to see. Going in with a game plan might just help keep you confident and ready for other experiences.

    Don’t over-schedule yourself 

    Speaking of scheduling your time, try not to overbook your day. Factor things like jet lag, amount of sleep, work deadlines, etc. before committing to additional plans.

    Unplug

    Though it can seem impossible, try to have a few intervals during the day to unplug from work. If you can’t do that, even 15 minutes before going to sleep can recharge you for the next day.

    Wellness

    Make sure to take care of your health while on the road to help melt away the stress. Take advantage of hotel wellness programs, hit the gym, or grab some healthy snacks to offset an unhealthy traveling diet.

    Family Pictures 

    If you are missing your loved ones at home, save pictures of them on the background of your phone or computer. Seeing your family members may bring a smile to your face as you go through long days of meetings.

    Save time for a vacation 

    Our last tip is to take a vacation when you are done with work travel. Whether a full vacation or just a weekend ‘bleisure’ trip can open your eyes to a new place. Connect with a travel advisor at Andavo Travel, Christopherson’s leisure travel division, to plan a trip for complete relaxation.

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  • Your Health Matters: Tips for the Business Traveler – Add Wellness to Your Travels

    Your Health Matters: Tips for the Business Traveler – Add Wellness to Your Travels

    JUNE 12, 2017 LANEY WILLIAMS

    Wellness Travel ideas for business travelers

    Hygge

    Pronounced “hoo-gah”, this Danish concept is catching popularity. Roughly meaning “the pursuit of coziness” – it’s an established time to curl up with a good book and hot mulled wine. In wellness travel, this could be stepping away from the chaos. Enroll in forest walks, classes in reading or writing haiku, watercolor classes, and alpine treks.

    Conscious Eating

    Sometimes the food is the highlight of a vacation. In our society of diets and fads, it’s easy to feel guilty about indulging, even when away. Conscious eating is less about sticking to a regime, and more about being mindful. The focus is instead on where food comes from, how it’s produced, how your body will respond to it, and if it’s the best choice for you.

     

    Digital Detox

    Staying connected is becoming more and more important these days. With emails, social media, news feeds etc, it can be impossible to get away. Hence, the latest in wellness trends, digital detox. Resorts offering a digital detox often ban technology in public areas, and some don’t offer Wi-Fi at all. Other places require guests to surrender their devices upon arrival, returning them only after the program or stay is complete.  They’ve found that guests sleep better and are more present  overall.

    Mindful Meditation

    Meditation is practiced around the world, but it has recently reached critical mass stateside, with apps zooming to the top of the Apple App Store best-seller list and pop-up, pop-in studios sprouting across the country to help busy people calm their minds.

    Whatever the individual practice, the benefits of meditation are grounded in scientific fact: A recent study reported that mindfulness meditation provided a cure for pain relief, while devotees report reduced stress, clearer thinking, and diminished anxiety.

    High-Tech Wellness

    These spas blow the traditional spa out of the water.  Focused on identifying and addressing chronic health concerns,they use advanced technology to do it. Some use stem-cell biotechnology to help treat autoimmune diseases. Or full-day medical intakes that incorporate a body composition analysis, blood draw, and metabolic rate test. Vitamin deficiencies, allergies, and food intolerances can be spotted and treated, while more pervasive conditions have a chance to be identified and addressed through a combination of traditional and holistic treatments.

    For guests suffering from persistent but vague ailments that have eluded diagnosis or treatment, high-tech wellness facilities are the perfect place to drill down and get to the root of what ails you.

    Equine Therapy

    Horses have long been recognized as therapeutic for those working through trauma or emotional issues. Many luxury resorts have started incorporating equine therapy programs as a source of creativity and connection. Some programs focus more on communication rather than riding. Popular as team-building exercises, they facilitate better listening and communication, while also reflecting human behavior. Other popular options include painting classes on the live canvas of the horse, to express emotions and center energy.

    No matter how you de-stress, there is a wellness option out there for you. If interested if finding your own relaxing vacation away, please contact our Andavo Travel advisers.

  • 80+ Self Evaluation Performance Phrases

    80+ Self Evaluation Performance Phrases

    By Margaret Wood

     

    We all tend to be a little too critical of ourselves in our self-evaluations, some to the point of beating themselves up verbally. Understanding that self-criticism of your performance needs to be well balanced is essential. If you don’t demonstrate self-respect in the process, you stand the chance of losing other’s respect as well. (more…)
  • 200 More Useful Phrases for Performance Reviews

    200 More Useful Phrases for Performance Reviews

    By:  Margaret Wood 8/17/2017
    While most employees look forward to their performance reviews (raise time!), if you manage a team and dread writing  performance evaluations, or even your own self evaluation, you may find that you eventually run out of things to say or just want to say it differently. (more…)