Top tips to reduce burnout when as an #EventProf
There is no denying the events industry is an incredible place to work but sometimes when you’re working across multiple events or have a massive project, it can be a scary and daunting place and sometimes burnout bites you in the ass before you’ve realised it.
This isn’t surprising, us #eventprofs tend to share the same make up…
Cool and calm, everything “under control”, super quick responses to our lovely clients, and spinning 80,000 plates while gliding across the pond like an elegant swan but in reality your heads under water and you’re only getting the air you need because you had your emergency snorkel in your production kit. That’s before we even think about our personal life.
So what can we all do to look after ourselves, to still be an incredible #eventprof but also have a healthy lifestyle.
Balance:
Note the lack of ‘work life balance’ phrase here.
We feel this phrase can have a negative impact on your well-being and this is very much a personal boundary for you to make.
Our industry is different to a lot of others so it’s very easy to hear your friends and family comment on your ‘work life balance’ in a negative way, which can take it’s toll.
The way you want to manage your time will change depending on where you are in life and there is no right or wrong answer here.
At the start of your career you might be really excited, working on international events, staying in incredible 5* hotels and seeing the world so you might want to be working a lot. You might want to go to every event the company is delivering to see and learn as much as you can, or you might be a serial networker and at an event every night after work.
At another time in your life, you might want to spend more time hanging out with family and friends, you might have a hobby, or you might have children or a pet and not want to be away from home as much. Or you might have taken a promotion that’s a big step up and you want to spend a lot of time getting to grips with your new adventure (congrats)!
"The point here is that the way you’re balancing your time is relevant to you, and you alone.
Make sure you are happy with your current balance, and be confident to make changes when you’re no longer happy with it!"
Tips on how to manage balance:
Aim for a flexible way of working with your employer, try and manage your diary so that you are there for your clients but can take back some time when you’ve had a busy period
Tag on a few days when you’re working somewhere amazing and see if a friend, partner, family can join you
Have fun onsite! In those few hours that you have free, team up with some of your pals and find something cool to see where you’re working
Challenge the calls – since covid the number of calls in our diary has increased massively. Be confident in asking if you’re required for each call and only attend the ones that you really to need to attend
Protect your diary – block time in your diary to get work done so that calls can’t be added. This will help to reduce working late to catch up on your actual job.
Turn off your communication after hours, #BREAKINGNEWS the world isn’t going to crumble if someone can’t reach you in the evening!
Imposter Syndrome:
Imposter Syndrome has been directly linked to burnout and recent research shows that 64% of employees have experienced burnout and fatigue. The link has been made because burnout is high levels of stress and anxiety that people feel when they feel they ‘aren’t good enough’ or are ‘faking it’.
If we break these feelings down, we often feel nervous and anxious the first time we are doing something that we haven’t done before. Whether it’s public speaking, jumping out of an aeroplane, or going for your first interview. This is totally normal.
If you want to develop and grow, you will need to put yourself in situations where something is new. To develop and grow, we have to step outside of our comfort zone.
Phil Knight once went to a factory in Japan with no money to his name, he blagged his way into a meeting to see if he could retail their trainers in America. He was asked what his company was called. He didn’t have a company registered and hadn’t thought of a name so he answered “Blue Ribbon” after thinking about his running trophies.
This one act of stepping outside of his comfort zone went on to become Nike!
Embrace the feeling of being an “imposter”, ask lots of questions and ask for support but this means that you are growing, developing and learning new things.
Sleep Hygiene:
Poor sleep is often one of the first signs of stress and burnout, here are our top tips to help you keep your sleep under control so that you stay energised:
Routine, routine, and I’ll say it again… Routine! Going out on a Saturday night and getting in at 4am is not going to help you if you have a 4am alarm on Tuesday to get onsite for your event. Keep your sleep routine in place as much as possible so that you reduce shocks to your body, even at weekends.
Beer, wine, gin, cocktails… A lot of us love a cheeky beverage after a long day when we’re on site. Another strange hotel room and it’s not your fav pillow. A glass of your go to drink feels like it will help you unwind quickly and get you to sleep but it actually gives you a miserable sleep. It knocks you out and blocks your REM sleep. Keep alcohol to a minimum and get yourself hydrated.
Emails & WhatsApp groups Need I say anymore, we are painfully contactable at all times these days. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb to give yourself a solid 8 hours of no contact. Worried about family getting through to you, add them as an emergency contact and if they call you, the call will come through at any time!
Stress Release:
Stress is part of the event world and it can be a good thing. It might even make us a bit more task focussed and efficient. But when there is too much stress it is a whole other beast, it can reduce our focus and all of a sudden brain fog is a real problem. Here are our top stress reliever tips to help get you back on track:
To do list: write your to do list at the end of each day. Without you even thinking about it overnight your brain processes and you’re more efficient the next day!
Delegate: Being a control freak isn’t cool! It increases risk of burnout and things going wrong. Invest time briefing your team. If you’re in-house, use an events agency (oh hey 👋🏻) and if you’re an events agency, book your fav freelancer or partner with another agency.
Talk about it: a problem shared is a problem halved. Whatever you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed or worried about share with your tribe, they might have some amazing advice or just be a great sounding board.
Schedule ‘Worry Time’: worrying reduces your productivity so allocate 15 minutes to get your worries into a list and then get a plan of action made to tackle and conquer.
Work Out: you might not have time to go to the gym every day (or want to!) but there is always time and ways to move your body for 30 minutes each day. YouTube a HIIT or yoga class, run or walk, go skipping along the beach or around the convention centre! Whatever it is that you like to do best :)
Read a book: reading a book is a great way to relax, especially at bed time!
Colour: get your colouring book, felt tips and unwind. Studies have shown that colouring relaxes the fear centre of your brain by reducing the thoughts of a restless mind. PLUS, it is known to enhance the creative side of our brains too!
Meditate & Breathe: you can even do this on a flight or a train.
Nutrition: maintain a balanced and nutritious diet to keep your body fuelled. Please remember that we do work in one of the world’s most stressful industries and at some point or another you’re likely to feel some level of stress, anxiety or burnout during your career. At Mowgli Events we pride ourselves on checking in with our colleagues, clients, partners and industry peers and encourage you to do the same. There are lots of fabulous support services out there, either via the NHS or EventWell who are making waves for the event industries mental health so if you do need more support, reach out.
And just remember, whatever you’re working on and whatever state your event is currently in...it will never be as bad as #FyreFestival!
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