Q: Hi Steve: I was just promoted and my new job will require a fair amount of travel. I have never done a lot of business travel, and I want to impress my boss, so I was wondering if you had any tips to share?

Adrian, California

A: Although we are in an era where technology such as the Internet and Web conferencing have reduced some business travel, the fact remains that for many entrepreneurs and other business professionals, business travel is a way of life.

For some of us, business travel is an opportunity to take a break from the daily grind, yet for others (like myself), we are simply too busy to not work during travel time, begging the question: How do we make the most out of it?

Here then are my Top 5 ways to make the most out of your travel time:

1. Go Mobile: Wireless technology has made it so that, for good or ill, we never need to be far from the office. A good wireless laptop enables you to work in airports, on planes, or in trains and transmit your work product home (or wherever) the next time you hit a “hotspot.” Even better, there are some laptops now that are so advanced that you are always online no matter where you are.

Even if you don’t want or need a wireless laptop, do not overlook the opportunity to utilize wireless technology in your phone and/or PDA. A variety of tools like Blackberrys and their ilk allow you to send and receive email (and attachments), Word documents, and more in the palm of your hand. It makes time in airports very productive.

2. Catch up: How many articles, magazines and business books do you have laying around that you have been meaning to get to? Bringing them along on your next business trip is a great way to catch up. Similarly, if you have work-related reading, such as reports, memos, or files that have been waiting in the “In Box” too long, grab them and go.

A few hours on a plane or train is also a good time to write that report without interruption. The key of course is that your laptop better have a long-life lithium battery. Now, it may be that you feel overwhelmed with the idea of starting a large project when you know that it will take a lot longer than your allotted travel time will allow. No problem.

The key is to “chunk it down.” That is, before you go, divide the project into workable chunks, and then dedicate your trip time only to a few of those chunks. This has the added side benefit of making the project much more manageable once you get home.

3. Use the clock: Time differences can be your friend. If you are based on the west coast and travel east for a few days, you can work until 8:00 pm calling and emailing people on the west coast. East coasters can do the same thing in the morning.

4. Sharpen your saw: In the seminal book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey tells the tale of the man who took forever to saw down a tree because he was to busy sawing down his tree to take time to sharpen his saw. But if he had, his job would have gone much faster.

Busy as we all are these days, it is indeed hard to take time to sharpen the ‘ol business saw. But business trips are a perfect time to do so. Books on tape or audio seminars are a great use of travel time.

5. Plan for fun: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Sure it is great to be productive on your trip, but just don’t forget to plan for some sightseeing or nightlife. It takes the edge off.

Today’s tip: FEMA and the SBA have teamed up to help small business damaged by the recent hurricanes. Their “Disaster Recovery Centers” can be found in a variety of cities and states. You can locate them here.