Let’s get real about event planning burnout for a minute. It’s a real thing. With so many tasks on your plate, so many deadlines to meet, and so many events to coordinate, it’s practically impossible to find time for yourself. And despite everyone telling you a vacation is in order, you keep plugging away because you feel you must.
The good news is, there are small steps you can take throughout your hectic day and week to ease the pressures. You still probably need that vacation. But these are the tips to help you avoid burnout and stay motivated in the moment.
1. Recognizing Burnout Risks
The first thing you can be doing to avoid burnout is to recognize when you’re at risk of experiencing it. Half the battle is learning to identify when you’re close to burning out so you can address it. So many event planners get swept up in the day-to-day that they lose track of just how much their tasks are affecting them. Look ahead at your schedule and try to anticipate seasonal busy times, overly stressful days ahead, and challenges that might keep you from taking a pause.
2. Setting Boundaries
Practice saying no when you’re asked to do or be when you’re not in a position to do so without compromising your sanity. Event planners should set boundaries, including committing to breaks from screens and work. And there’s always another “ask” when you’re planning an event. Just be mindful of what you’ve promised to deliver and define what might be considered above and beyond. Only say “yes” when you’re confident you can take on more without overburdening yourself or your agenda.
3. Change Up Your Work Environment
Another helpful insight to keep in mind to help bring some balance to your hectic, event-planning life involves changing up your environment. Sometimes, all you need is a brief change in scenery to help break the pressure and monotony of the busy day. Don’t be afraid to pack up your laptop and head to the park for lunch. Let yourself have a work-from-home day. And even aesthetically pleasing things, like bringing a bouquet of fresh flowers to your desk, can brighten even the most stressful days.
4. Self-Care Where You Can Get It
If you feel like you’ve had your event planning foot on the gas for weeks or months, you definitely need to take the vacation. But if the timing isn’t feasible for sunny beach time, you have to practice self-care efforts where you can get it. That means incorporating time for yourself to breathe, unplug, and relax, even if it’s just a few minutes every day. Book the pedicure. Schedule lunch with an old friend. Meet friends for a quick Happy Hour meetup. And be mindful of the following that contributes to your overall health:
- Healthy snacks and food choices
- Staying hydrated
- Getting enough rest and sleep
- Taking the stairs and exercising
5. Ask for Help and Delegate
Since we’re being honest, let’s talk about your ability to ask for help and delegate. Are you taking on too much because you think you have to do so? Stop. Trying to tackle event planning on your own is only going to lead to event planning burnout. Recognize when it’s time to bring in reinforcements. Give yourself permission to ask for help from colleagues, other event planners, and your vendors. Remember, your business will grow and scale when you root your efforts in collaborative efforts. And working together with others will only strengthen the event planning community.
6. Leverage Time Management Tools
Speaking of asking for help, are you using all the innovative tools at your disposal to help preserve your time and energy? Stop overburdening yourself with manual tasks that can be digital. Use scheduling apps and tech-based resources that shave minutes and hours off of your workday. Be open to trying new things, too, as it keeps you flexible and adaptable as a professional.
So, yes, if you need a vacation this year, start planning one. But if you’re not able to book that cruise just yet, consider these insights that you can incorporate effortlessly into your everyday life to help relieve some of the pressures of event planning and avoid event planning burnout.
For more insightful inspiration about growing your business and living your best event-planning life, make sure you get to The Event Planner Expo 2023 this October!
