5 Ways To Handle Event Stress

Planning an event is a walk in the park...said no one ever.

Event stress is a real ordeal and it can manifest itself in tangible and intangible ways. The event planner literally has their hands in every aspect of the event at one point or the other. At this point, I'll pause because I know someone out there is saying- "nope, not me, I'm just in charge of xyz."

If you can say that sentence, then you are not THE event planner. An event planner oversees and can execute the overview of the project, coordination of the various entities, hosts the event, is the problem solver, decision maker, representation and the list can go on. You may not be involved in the nitty gritty details if you have a team covering different aspects, but you can be sure that the event planner knows what every subgroup is doing.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown and the weight of planning an event and meeting deadlines can be bone and soul crushing. Persons in the course of planning an event may experience headaches, eye aches, joint aches, a few moments of being short tempered and occasionally a curse word may slip out.

These symptoms are common, especially if you are new to the planning scene. The good news is they can be temporary. Here are some ways to reduce the stress:

1. Write a list.

Writing a list is a very therapeutic activity. It allows you to categorize your thoughts, itemize what is to be done, as well as to help you to see what needs to be prioritized. Plus taking a few minutes to write the list can allow you to regain some measure of control to the activities that are going on around you.

2. Focus on one activity.

Persons have the misconception that multitasking means you have to be doing 5 things simultaneously. However, this is actually detrimental to productivity. Mistakes are more likely to be made and it actually increases the time you have to spend on the various projects. By dedicating a set time to focus and give your attention to a task, you can be more effective and efficient in its completion. This also reduces the stress because you have less things juggling in your mind.

3. Take a break.

There are some who take their lunch at their desk to have a "working lunch." You may think this is helping you to wade through the workload, but sometimes all you need is a break. Leave the desk, stretch those legs, take your time for lunch. This helps to renew your energy for the task at hand.

4. Reduce your overtime.

Personally, I believe that overtime is a sign of poor time management. The reality is that work will always be there. Overloading your plate to handle "pressing'" issues that will still be there tomorrow does not make you a model employee. Yes, emergencies happen which may require you working longer than the allotted 8 hours. However, you need to value your time, because that means you value your health. Be upfront with your clients with timelines, don't promise to do a two day job in one because then the pressure builds and overtime work seems inevitable . This affects your mental health and your relationships. So try to put a cap on the amount of overtime you work.

5. Delegate.

Being Superman or Wonder Woman is appealing. We like to be the one to swoop in and save the day. Event planners especially have an issue with relinquishing responsibility and allowing someone else to take over the reigns. This is why it's important to have a team you trust and delegate them the tasks that you can't do. You can't be in two places at once. So share the load.