Managing Event Stress

Few can argue that producing and managing events can be a stressful occupation. In fact, most of us got into the event business for precisely this reason. We thrive on the intensity, the pressure, the constant change. Unfortunately, the things that drew us to the job we love are often the things that eventually drive us from it, create stress, or at a minimum cause us to adopt a less than healthy lifestyle.

Just a few short years ago, my diet consisted primarily of cigarettes and energy drink. I rarely slept more than 4 hours a night, and what free time I had outside of work was often spent with email and cell phone no more than a few feet away. It took the birth of my daughter (and the associated break) to make me realize how stressed out and unhealthy I had allowed myself to become. None of the work/lifestyle choices I had made were necessary to my role as an event producer. Rather, I had adopted them willingly, by making the same mistake as thousands of event managers before me. I was equating stress with productivity. If I was stressed out, I must be getting SOMETHING done, right?

In actuality, stress has the opposite effect on a person's productivity, by creating mental fatigue and leading to poor decision making ability. Over a longer period of time, stress can begin to impact our physical well being as well. So to do our best work, it is imperative that one control the level of stress we experience. But how can one do so in an event environment, with it's relentless pace, constant change, and difficult working conditions?

Plan, Plan Plan – Nothing creates unnecessary stress like not having a detailed action plan for your event. Although most of us have at least a rough idea as to how our event should flow , few of us take the time to map an entire event out hour by hour, move by move, and position by position. At first glance, such detail may seem excessive, especially since things rarely go exactly as planned. However, by “recreating” your event in advance, you'll be able to identify and correct resource and logistical conflicts before they arise during the show. And if your event schedule does happen to derail, your “road map” and understanding of all the interconnected pieces can save you time and take the stress out of getting back on course.

Don't be afraid to delegate responsibility – A major contributor to event stress is feeling as though there's just too much for one person (you) to do. So don't even try – if a task can be delegated to an assistant, an intern, or another staff member, do so prior to and during your event. Not only will they appreciate your entrusting them with the additional responsibility, it'll free you from many of the mundane yet time consuming aspects of event operations and allow you to focus on your big-picture functions.

Take short, frequent breaks to relax and reassess – During an event, few of us feel as though we can afford the time to step back and take a break. This in turn exacerbates physical and mental fatigue, contributing to stress and poor decision making. However, giving your mind and body the opportunity to rest is crucial to continued performance over the long term. Likewise, stepping back from the event for a short time will give you the opportunity to assess your progress without distraction or influence. Breaks don't need to be long – stepping back for five minutes every couple hours will do wonders for your stress and performance. Find a quiet spot, turn off your radio and phone, and just breathe. Think about the progress of your event. What problems have you encountered, or should anticipate? What needs to be done within the next hour? What is the most important? Can you delegate any functions to focus your attention on the larger issues? By answering these questions now, you're more likely to feel in less stressed and in control of your surroundings and less like a billiard ball bouncing at the whims of others.

Listen to your body – Our bodies are amazing machines. Just like your car, it's filled with warning systems designed to tell you that it's not functioning as it should. Pain, fatigue, and stress are all signs that something is amiss and should be corrected as soon as possible. Still, the operations of modern society have trained us to ignore these warning signals, and to hold them as a lesser priority than “outside” performance indicators created by society and our work environment. Nowhere is this more evident than in event management, where long hours, pain, and exhaustion are often worn as a badge of honor. However, just as ignoring a warning light in your car may result in decreased gas mileage or engine damage, ignoring your body's internal signals will eventually result in decreased performance, poor decision making ability, and an increased risk of personal injury. If your body is telling you to take a break, find any means necessary to do so. If your in pain, rest for a few minutes and get checked out by your medical staff. If you're thirsty, drink. It may seem obvious, but ignoring these signs of stress will not only affect your body, but ultimately your performance as a whole.

Eat for the long haul – To continue on with the automotive analogies, your car will only run as well as the fuel you put into it. The same goes for our bodies. Those candy bars and energy drinks you've been slamming all day may have been a quick fix to keep you going, but they're unlikely to keep you sustained for the duration of the event. As anyone with children can attest, the associated crash that comes with such high-energy, low substance fuel can severely impact your stress levels, attitude, and performance. If you can't sit down for a proper meal, make sure you have plenty of healthy “quick food” around (Fruit, granola bars, plenty of water). It may not give you the initial rush, but you'll likely go farther than you would on that carbonated rocket fuel you've been living on.

Remember the big picture – it's easy for all of us in the event industry to believe that what we're doing is worth all of the physical pain and stress we endure to “get the job done”. But the reality is that although special events can make life enjoyable, they are not the same as saving lives, rebuilding communities, or healing the sick. At their core, most events are held to inform and entertain the public, which although an honorable pursuit is not necessary for survival of the species. By allowing our work stress to control our lives, we not only cause damage to our well being, but impact the well being of our families, friends, and co-workers. We owe it to them to remain physically and mentally healthy. So when your schedule has gone off the rails, you're over budget, and the portable toilets are overflowing, take a moment to laugh at the absurdity of it all before taking care of business. After all, toilets aside, we event peeps have it pretty good.

* If you haven't already done so, take 30 seconds and donate $10 to relief efforts for the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami by texting REDCROSS to 90999.