COPING WITH STRESS, VITAL IN A EVENT MANGER'S LIFE

Planning an event is exciting. However, the process of crafting a complete event from a client's brief can become overwhelming sometimes. The constant juggling of tasks is enough to stress anyone out along with managing fine details and multitasking without flinching.

The job requires both mental and physical activeness, from planning to organising to ensuring that every part of the plan is executed and the client's do not have any area that they could go back and complain about is basically how the cycle works for an event manager.

The passion for the job drives many event mangers to continue and work on the next project and their body gets used to the less sleep and reduced time for self-care, but the stress eventually leads a burnout. One can identify if it is occasional stress from work burnout with two most basic symptoms, i.e. dissatisfaction and decreased productivity along with serious health concerns like depression and high blood pressure. The most common signs of the burnout may include:

• Irritability or frustration: The constant stress can lead one to feel constantly irritated and frustrated from constant activities that are happening around them.

• Physical exhaustion, fatigue, headaches: With so much on the plate, from big decisions like finding the exact location for meetings, conventions and conferences to every small requirement for the event, the managers work full time and are always on the move.

• Lack of motivation: For every event manager, the biggest task is to ensure a successful event and a satisfied client which is not always possible and can lead to lack of motivation.

• Self-doubt: As the industry expands and new and creative people enter the field, one might doubt their existence in the industry.

• Decision fatigue: While delegating is the key, the decisions are still made according to the managers and they are accountable for each decision at the end of the day.

• An increase in mistakes: The stress may cause one to make more mistakes as they might not be fully concentrated while making decisions.

Changes in sleep patterns: Event mangers do not have fixed sleep patterns, while some events can be in different time zones and one has to stay awake every night for long hours.

Changes to Avoid Burnout

Being great planners, every event managers understands the importance of efficiency and productivity and how getting work done is the primary focus, and stress management is a key part of the process. Thus, it should be ignored and some simple steps can be adopted in the lifestyle to bring back the peace of mind and tranquillity to your event planning routine.

Finding the right time to disconnect and setting the boundaries from work is essential for creating better work and life balance. While some event planners do not mind replying to texts or answering calls around the clock, others prefer not to accept phone calls later than a certain time. Ensuring flexibility is good but there should a stage where one feels comfortable to switch off. Both the team and the clients must understand the guideline of your plan.

Changes in Working Pattern to Avoid Stress

• Delegate: Being a control freak is helpful for some people as they can get the work done in the best way that it can be done in but pulling off a huge event is an enormous task and feeling rushed (and stressed) is not a good option if one is already stressed and feeling burnout. It is better to take a step back and ease up the event planning schedule. It is important to handover task to other people and controls the subconscious drive for perfectionism.

• Checklist: Overloaded, that's what it may feel when one is about to break down from constant decision making. The best way to avoid unnecessary stress is to have a checklist. A large event may require attention to various details and there are high chances of small things slipping through the cracks. A detailed Event Planning Checklist is recommended to keep one on track while there are various things on the platter and ensure that you meet necessary deadlines along the way.

• Lighten the Load: Event managers are in charge of various things at work making sure that the event goes as planned that carrying around the excess load. One can contact their exhibit management firms to help them out and lighten the load by handling shipping and payment details, storing supplies between events, managing exhibit installations and dismantling at event venues and more. The save time and simplify the process but will also help yourself in managing other things efficiently.

• Deadlines: It takes almost a village to plan a successful event. Synchronising with the different departments to plan and strategize the whole pre-event marketing and finance and ensuring clear deadlines to have tasks completed on time. One can reduce stress by reaching the venue before time and spending 24 hours at the venue for a stress-free event arranging and execution.

Conclusion:

Recharging the mind is important to uplift the spirit, refresh perspectives and upgrade soul. It is important to adopt lifestyle changes along following the tips mentioned above to meet with the aim is to stay calm, cool, collected and is ready for the next challenge that comes one's way.

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