Mercury is the planet of communications, so a lot of you may already notice some messed up connections of late: gadgets act up, flights get delayed or cancelled, emails get lost, and so on. Many believe that these are to be expected, as this is a known period of the year when Mercury appears to move backward in its orbit.

The last Mercury retrograde for 2016 is upon us, starting on December 19 and ending on January 8, 2016. For a lot of people, this is the time when extra attention must be put on everything that concerns communications, technology and travel.

You don't need to believe astrology for the following tips to apply to you. Below are some of the things that can help you dodge some of the problems that Mercury retrograde 2016 might bring.

When making bookings, make sure that you double check everything that you type and input on your screen or on paper. Pay close attention to the dates, the time, and the place where you're headed, and make sure that you check the confirmation more than once. It is also best to write everything down.

Have one bag devoted to all of the important travel documents. This is especially applicable to those who are traveling by air, as there will be a need to repeatedly show passports, tickets, boarding passes. There are a lot of great travel organizers out there-invest in one, it might just save you from a missed flight.

Always set aside an ample amount of time during layovers and stops. During Mercury retrograde, there are higher chances of delays, so when you're booking a connecting flight, see to it that it's not so close your arrival.

Finally, do not panic. Those who believe in Mercury retrograde must also know that this period is not the end of the world. Use it to your advantage, and consider it as a time to get more organized and careful in making plans. Mercury turns direct again on January 8, 2016, and by this time, you'd have already figured out that all there is to do, really, is to simply be more careful and cautious.