4 Steps to Avoid Burnout as an Event Manager
Do you know what is said to be the 5th most stressful profession? You guessed it, event planning and management. With the pressure to deliver, the need to be on your toes to handle changes and the constant deadlines, there’s no real surprise. We’ve all done it, pushed through lunch, worked late, done weekends to get stuff done. And it isn’t sustainable.
It is also why training specialists such as Souters as well as employers themselves are working on ways to help event managers avoid burnout. Here are some of the most important areas to consider to help you avoid being another event manager at the end of their tether.
Start the day the right way
It might sound a little corny, but it is true – starting the day the right way can have a big impact on how you manage the stress to follow.
For starters, take 10 minutes when you first wake up to get your mind organised and calm. You could meditate if that’s your thing, focus on breathing or even something like taking a shower or enjoy a quiet coffee or tea.
Then have something to eat before you check a single email. Because if you don’t, there’s a good chance you start to work, deal with emergencies and never end up eating any breakfast. You need the fuel that comes from breakfast so it is not something you should be skipping.
Embrace the importance of delegation
As an event manager, it is tempting to do everything yourself to make sure it is done just right. But this path leads to burnout and usually not your best work. That’s why it is important to embrace the importance of delegation.
Work with your team, understand their strengths and make use of them. They are trained professionals who want to do their part of the project. By focusing on the things you must do and handing the rest off to them, you can be more focused and achieve a better result.
Know when it is time to go home
Working as an event manager can mean irregular hours, working weekends or evenings when you are running an event. But it is also important to know when it is time to go home and to avoid those extra hours where possible.
When you are at home, avoid doing work stuff unless it is an emergency. And set a very high definition of what really is an emergency! We’ve all worked with people or clients who think the smallest thing is an emergency and want to talk to you at 11 pm. Have a clear definition of an emergency and if something doesn’t meet it, put it off until tomorrow.
Take care of yourself
Just like starting the day right, taking care of yourself is something we hear a lot but that doesn’t always seem practical. However, if you want to avoid burnout, it is important that you do this. There are lots of ways to do it, depending on your personality and situation.
Sleep, food and exercise are three areas of self-care that cannot be ignored. You simply need to have a good diet, the right amount of sleep and fit in exercise where you can – even if it is just walking part of the way to work.
It is also a good idea to have other interests and hobbies away from work. This motivates you to take time off to enjoy them and to step away from work at the end of the day to do something else you enjoy. If you don’t have things you love to do, then it is the perfect time to find them and use them to help avoid event manager burnout.
