Have a Plan — This doesn’t have to be an elaborate scavenger hunt of your city’s trendiest locales. Just be mindful of who you’re trying to get to know, and the vibe you’re setting for this first interaction. You may want to avoid over-crowded trivia and karaoke night at the neighborhood dive bar (unless you’ve discussed how much the both of you love that sort of thing). When in doubt, stick to neutral and mellow settings. If the date is going well, there’s always time to suggest a change of scenery.

Be Positive and Upbeat — Conversation is key when it comes to first impressions, but this doesn’t mean it’s time to unload all your insecurities and grievances. While it’s a good idea to be open and honest, that’s not the same as treating that booth you’re sharing like a confessional. Keep things light, friendly, and (it should go without saying) fun. If things go well, you’ll have plenty of time to enlighten your date to your cemented familial and professional resentments, so leave some fun surprises for the holidays!

Listen and Observe — Allow space for your date to speak and share, and encourage casual exchanges by asking questions about their hobbies and passions, and really taking an interest in what they’re saying. Much of how to make good impression on a first date revolves around you being open and genuinely interested: The more engaged you are, the better your chance at making a connection and making your date feel comfortable. Your best bet at creating a good impression is making people feel understood and accepted.

Mind Your Manners — If you’ve had a good upbringing, this should be an obvious one. Be gracious, kind, and polite to all those you encounter (e.g. servers, hosts, etc.) – not just your date. If you’re rude to the waitstaff, demanding at the bar, and a bad tipper to boot, your date will notice. They say you can easily judge someone’s character by how they treat those who can do nothing for them. That goes for you, too.

Know Your Limits — While a drink or two might loosen you up, and get you open enough to share a few cute and awkward stories about your adolescence, know your limit. Getting extra sloppy on the first date has the potential to create embarrassing encounters and blocked numbers. If your date suggests going shot for shot… well, you can decide if that’s your new partner in crime or a red flag.

Follow Up — Everything went well. You were charming, engaging, gracious, and alluring. Now, make sure that your date knows that you’re interested in a second get-together. Follow up, make your intentions clear, and don’t squander the goodwill you’ve built.

Cheat Sheet

What do you need to know when it comes to how to make a good impression on a first date? Here are some links with more info:

• Elite Date — Things To Do On A First Date To Make A Good Impression
• Cosmopolitan — 8 Ways to Make an Amazing First-Date Impression
• Matchmaking Institute — 6 Tips to First Date Success

LISTENING: Anyone can talk, but the best people can truly listen. If you do not take the time to hear what people are saying, you will be a frustrating person to work for or with. When an employee needs your ear, stop and focus to make them the center of your attention.

COMMUNICATION: After you listen, make sure you can speak. You must be able to clearly explain your goals, intentions, and vision to your staff. Be transparent whenever possible when explaining why decisions are being made or why shifts are occurring. The easier it is for you to be understood, the better chance your staff will do as they are asked.

PRIORITIZING: You know there are a million things that need to happen, but what is the best sequence and order in which to get them done? What effective ways can you manage your workload so that the most important things happen first? Great leaders know the what and when of their business.

DELEGATION: You can’t do it all — it’s a basic fact to keep in mind when considering skills that every leader needs to have to succeed. The best leaders know how to manage a team and pick the best people to do the best work. When building a team, think of them of colleagues like X-Men: Each has a special power and it’s up to you to know when and how to ask each to apply these talents.

NEGOTIATING: Leaders are making deals all day long. Whether agreeing to a price with a vendor or getting a new client to give your team a shot, the best leaders can find a way to win each battle and make everyone feel as though they came out on top.

HAVING HIGH EQ: EQ stands for Emotional Quotient, the ability to read people. It may be a more important quality than IQ in today’s workplace. If you can have a consistent grasp on the way your staff is feeling and understand their reactions to certain things, you can anticipate their emotions and help navigate them to better places and more positive outcomes.

SELF AWARENESS: A great leader knows exactly who they are. They know their own strengths and weaknesses. They understand who they work well with and what their trigger points are. You also know your own limits and how to take care of yourself to bring your best work to the table.

DECISIVENESS: As a leader who will need to make many decisions each day. And although you can take the time you need to consider things carefully, it’s important to “make a decision” and stand by it. The more you waver, the less others will trust the calls you make.

ADAPTABILITY: Life moves fast. Business moves faster. Any organizational leader in an needs to adapt to a changing marketplace and they need to lead their team through each change with ease.

INNOVATION: Success comes through constant evolution. You need to know how to create and innovate, whether through iteration or invention. If you make the same choices again and again, the results may stay the same. The world will go on and you need to think about how your company can make strides toward tomorrow (i.e. the future) today.

Cheat Sheet

It’s never too late to hone your skills, no matter what level you’re at. Here are more skills every leader needs to have to succeed today.

• Business Insider — 19 Soft Skills Every Leader Needs to Be Successful
• Forbes — 10 Coaching Skills Every Leader Should Master
• Inc. — Top 10 Skills Every Great Leader Needs to Succeed

Part of being a responsible technology user not only involves educating kids regarding potential dangers and ways to make high-tech a more organic part of everyday life. It also involves knowing when to disconnect your devices and make connecting with your family a priority instead. So set good examples regarding both when and how you use technology. Granted, can still enjoy your own online connected time for work or play as well. But by building it into your family’s schedule and routine in a healthy way, you’re ensuring that everyone knows and is clear about not only proper rules of netiquette, but also household rules as well.

For those who truly want to make online safety a family affair, many experts also recommend focusing on the latest trend in online safety: Digital citizenship.

Microsoft offers an interactive toolkit that can help you teach it. The site offers free brochures, fact sheets and information about a number of topics, and equates the process of teaching kids digital safety with teaching them how to swim. Using it, children can start with the basics and gradually progress to learning more advanced high-tech skills.

Another great resource for families is promised by the Family Online Safety Institute. Recently, the organization announced an initiative to create an interactive online program called Good Digital Parenting which focuses on the positive aspects of connecting online. The effort is aimed at helping teach and empower kids, teens, parents and teachers to become responsible digital citizens, and hopes to offer children achievements and awards for doing positive things like volunteering online or helping others.  The organization is hoping these “gamified” program aspects and built-in tools for public sharing help start a ripple effect of awareness, and spark further interest and conversation.

“All too often, online safety discussions focus on the dangers of technology,” said Stephen Balkam, CEO of FOSI. He hopes this program will “transform the discussion and create resources to inform, inspire and empower kids to make the right choices online.” The idea behind the initiative is essentially to leverage existing social media platforms that young people and their parents already use, such as Facebook and Twitter, to help spread an uplifting message. To sign up for updates, parents can visit https://www.fosi.org/good-digital-parenting/. Teachers can also get involved, as FOSI provides them with videos and web-based activities to use to inspire their students.

For more information, also be sure to see Parenting High-Tech Kids: The Ultimate Internet, Web, and Online Safety Guide.

Cheat Sheet

Go deeper on the best things to do in winter in Washington DC with help from the following guides:

Thrillist – 16 Things To Do in DC This Winter

Washington DC – 50+ Things to Do in DC This December

Washingtonian – 12 Things to Do in DC This Fall and Winter

Problem: Rental Car Crash

Solution: Get Insurance

You can have lot of confidence in your driving ability, but driving in a foreign place (whether local or abroad) can be a concern. It’s worth getting rental insurance to have peace of mind. At the very least, drive with the rental agency’s number on-hand so you can call for help if you’re involved in a collision. And always use a GPS or at the very least have a buddy handle navigation for you.

Problem: Your Flight Is Canceled

Solution: Get Flight Protection

It goes without saying, but it’s always a good idea to check your flight’s status regularly or setup a monitoring program to do so for you. When an airline rebooks you for a new flight, it should be free of charge to you – but canceled flights may not always be refunded. International flights, when booked through a site like Expedia, do offer flight cancellation protection plans, but always read the fine print to see what you’re getting into.

Problem: Lost Luggage

Solution: Use Nametags

It sounds silly, but those little tags that come with your luggage should absolutely be filled out in case your luggage somehow gets lost. If you think your bag is lost, you have to check in with your airline to see if the bag was possibly delayed. If it’s lost, then you have to file a claim and hope it doesn’t end up somewhere else. Beyond that, it’s up to you to avoid storing valuables in your luggage. Cameras, laptops, ID, cash and other high-value items should be packed in your carry-on luggage. If you’re really paranoid about losing your stuff, carry an extra outfit on your carry-on and get some travel insurance.

Problem: Lost Phone

Solution: Back Up Everything

Smartphones and apps can put every important thing you’ve booked on a trip into one convenient location, but it doesn’t hurt backing up all of that info in a travel notebook or to the online cloud as well. Relying on your phone to either stay fully charged or at-hand throughout a lengthy trip can be a hassle, so keep your addresses, itineraries, and phone numbers on paper where you can reference them close at-hand. Going analog is sure way to help avoid hiccups when learning how to handle the 10 worst travel emergencies. So is backing info up to the cloud so you can restore it quickly should you need to replace a lost device.

Problem: Dealing with Injuries

Solution: Bring a First Aid Kid

You should never take any unnecessary risks during a trip. Wear your seatbelt. Don’t drink too much and get behind the wheel. Avoid high-crime areas at night. But if you do get an injury and it’s a small one, a first aid kit can help. Plus, it’s better than having to search for a pharmacy on the fly. For major injuries, contact the front desk of your hotel to call a doctor.

Problem: Natural Disasters

Solution: Stay Aware

Every year, exotic locales are targeted by hurricanes, violent storms, or political unrest. Wherever you’re traveling and whatever the conditions, it’s good to keep a close eye on what alerts or threats may affect your upcoming travels. The State Department’s Travel site is constantly updated with international news that could affect travelers.

Problem: You Got Robbed

Solution: Be Prepared

Avoid putting your goodies in obvious spots like in your back pocket or in an unprotected purse. Instead, use travel wallets that are either hung around your neck or under your shirt. There are also alternatives you can explore like offerings from Clothing Arts, which strictly makes pickpocket proof clothing that’s not an eyesore and safe from robbery.

Problem: Lost Passport

Solution: Bring ID, Print Out Information

Contact the U.S. Embassy immediately for a temp passport. However, you’re going to need to prove who you are, so definitely travel with a back-up form of ID. To minimize mishaps, when traveling inside a country you’ve already entered, travel with a printout of the passport vs. the passport itself.

Problem: You Hate Your Hotel Room

Solution: Talk to the Manager

If you’re not in love with the room you’re staying at, talk to someone at the front desk – ideally a manager. They should work with you and move you to a new room. If the hotel’s booked solid, find out if they can accommodate you with a discount, freebie, or stay at another property.

Problem: You Get Arrested

Solution: Try not to get arrested.

Some prescription medicines are classified as illegal overseas, so if you must carry pills with you, make sure you follow local guidelines and have official documentation from your doctor on your to avoid suspicion. Similarly, if you ever get arrested for any reason while overseas, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy, and contact friends and family immediately.

Cheat Sheet

Don’t sweat the small stuff, but having a plan in advance can help you better comprehend how to handle the 10 worst travel emergencies:

• Fox News – 8 Worst-Case Travel Scenarios and How to Prepare
• HuffPo – 13 Tips to Stay Safe Through Any Travel Emergency
• New York Times – How to Use Twitter and Facebook for Emergency Travel Information

Cheat Sheet

There are more than just six ways to escape the dreaded friend zone. Strategize your way out at these links:

• Psychology Today — Escape The Friend Zone: From Friend to Girlfriend or Boyfriend
• Men’s Fitness — Is There a Safe Way to Escape the Friend Zone?
• Complex — Here’s How to Escape the “Friend Zone,” According to Science

Pick the Right Destination

You’re probably saving a pretty penny by choosing a flight with a layover, so why not try to at least pick a layover destination where you’ll enjoy being stuck? Make the most of your time by planning to spend downtime in an interesting city where you can check out award-winning local restaurants or hit up some signature stores and collect one of a kind souvenirs. Just don’t forget to leave yourself some time to make it back to the airport for your next flight.

Get Your Grub On

Yes, the point of accepting a connecting flight and dealing with a layover is to save money, but if you’re going to sit around twiddling your thumbs for a few hours, you might as well treat yourself to a delicious and filling meal. Airport cuisine isn’t typically known for its quality, but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat like a king – many terminals at major cities now offer high-end restaurants and fine dining establishments to frequent. A little up-front research online can help you locate great spots to eat.

Allow Room for Rest

If you’re traveling for work or going on vacation, make sure you allow yourself time to grab a little extra rest and relaxation. You can even rent a room or AirBNB nearby to get some peace and quiet. Sometimes, overnighting at a destination can save you a considerable amount of cash (especially if you pair a couple of value-priced one-way flights) and give you some much-needed downtime while on the road.

Read Up

Nothing is better than curling up with a good book — even if you’re curling up in an airport and digging in (don’t think of it as a layover at all, but an opportunity). Save a book you’ve been dying to read for this moment, or grab something fascinating off Amazon or iTunes on-demand to make the most of your layover. Grab a snack, find a quiet area (hint: lounges make a great pitstop), and start turning pages.

Explore Your Environment

Why not have a little adventure at an airport you’ve never visited before? Oftentimes, a brief walk through different terminals will help you discover art exhibits, arcades, massage stations, gardens, restaurants, play areas for children and more. You can kill a decent chunk of time just exploring any given airport’s various amenities.

Window Shops

Many airport kiosks and storefronts for shopping. Why not take the time to check out all their wares? Some even offer premium shopping outlets to browse and buy high-end clothes and accessories at. You don’t even have to spend money to have fun: Sometimes, window-shopping can be just as fun as breaking out your credit card, and help you burn hours of time rather than sitting around bored.

Cheat Sheets

Don’t let downtime kill your wandering spirit. Learn more about how to make the most of your layover.

• Lonely Planet — 10 Ways to Kill Time at the Airport
• The New York Times — How to Make the Most of a Layover
• Smarter Travel — Airport Layovers: 9 Ways to Make the Most of Your Layover

Cheat Sheet

For more on the best hotels in the world, also see:

• Travel + Leisure – Top 15 Hotel Brands
• The Luxury Travel Expert – Top 10: Best Luxury Hotel Brands in the World
• CNN Travel – Top 10 Hotel Brands

Make a Routine

Even if it’s simple — work, gym, dinner, sleep — it’s helpful to follow one. If you have to be up for work by 5AM, aim to be in bed by 9PM to get as close to eight hours of sleep. Bring your workout clothes in a separate bag and leave in your car so you can go from work to the gym (or vice versa) to keep you on track of your fitness goals.

Plan Ahead

Your trainer says this to you while you’re struggling through burpees, but when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Try to make any major plans for the upcoming week by Sunday. Prep your weekday meals by grocery shopping and cooking over the weekend, so you’re not spending extra money —or going off your food plan—with takeout.

Set Short-Term Goals

Having something to strive for is way more helpful than you think. But entering a marathon might seems daunting if you haven’t run one before. Take baby steps. Think about what you’d like to accomplish for the week—even if it’s going to the dry cleaner—and build from there.

Stay Positive

Being a pessimist is incredibly detrimental to your self-growth. The moment you doubt the process, chances are you probably won’t achieve that goal. Positive reinforcement is crucial, especially for yourself: Be sure to surround yourself with people that are positive and supportive of you as well.

Eat the Frog

In other words, stop procrastinating. Delaying the inevitable can throw off your schedule. Tackle that report that’s due in two weeks today. Make that phone call you’ve pushed off for the last few days. Actually make plans with that person you text “Let’s hang out soon!” every few months.

Clean Up

Having an organized space will help you think better. Throw out old junk that you don’t need anymore. Put important papers away, or in a place for safekeeping. Every few weeks, do a deep clean in all of your spaces at home or at work.

Manage Your Money

If there’s one thing that causes infinite amounts of stress, it’s money. There are tons of money-saving apps to help you budget and save. If your job offers a 401K, sign up for it (and if they match your savings, take full advantage of potential contributions). On a short-term base, set aside a little bit of your paycheck (like 10 or 20 percent) for play.

Don’t Forget to Breathe

As much as planning ahead will be helpful in the long run when it comes to being more organized and effective, sometimes you just need to cool off and take a break. Make time to do something you enjoy, whether it’s reading a book, watching Netflix, or baking – a recharge will come in handy on a routine basis. 

Cheat Sheet

Need more tips to a better you? These links can help you.

• Inc. – 6 Powerfully Effective Hacks to Get Organized Right Now
• U.S. News – Why 80 Percent of New Year’s Resolutions Fail
• Keep Inspiring.Me – 20 Ways to Organize Your Life Now

CHEAT SHEET

To find out more about the best travel websites that can save you money, check out the links below:

• The Points Guy – 10 Best Websites to Find Cheap Airfare
• Insider –  The Only 3 Websites You Should Use to Save a Ton of Money on Flights
• Kiplinger – 31 Best Travel Sites to Save You Money
• Thrillist – 8 Cheap Flight Sites That Save You the Most