Working in the events industry is no joke. Last year US company CareerCast ranked event coordinator as the 5th most stressful job in the world. It came in after military personnel, fire fighter, airline pilot and police officer (in that order).
This result was based on measuring 11 factors that they identified as stress contributors, namely: travel, deadlines, working in the public eye, competitiveness, physical demands, environmental conditions, hazards encountered, the life of oneself or others at risk, meeting and interacting with customers and/or the public, and the potential for job growth.
These are all applicable to those working in the events industry.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the people who excel in the event space are those who can remain calm and cheerful in spite of the huge amount of pressure they are under. And while some people seem to know how to do this naturally, the rest of us can benefit from a little help. Here are four powerful ways to help keep your stress in check.
- Single task
While this isn’t always possible, try to avoid multi-tasking, simply because it is a fallacy. Humans don’t actually multi-task, but instead switch rapidly between single tasks. Each time you switch between tasks, you lose focus and need time regain it. This leads to under-performance, even on simple tasks.
Be organised, have a “to do” list and a strategy, and try to carve out time to do a single task uninterrupted (especially for the important things). Your efficiency will soar, which will also help to minimise the pressure you are feeling.
- Build a good team
Working with people you trust and can rely on will remove a huge amount of stress from your shoulders. This includes not only your close team, but the suppliers you use. So make sure you build a good team around you.
Academic research has coined the term “the cost of conflict” to highlight the many negative effects conflict creates in the workplace. Number one on the list is that it contributes to stress, frustration and anxiety. Develop good conflict resolution techniques, and ensure that any conflict that arises is dealt with quickly rather than letting it simmer.
- Look after yourself
This is hardly a surprise, but if you look after your wellbeing, you will have a higher tolerance for stressful situations. As you know, this means you should make time for regular exercise, follow a healthy diet, drink lots of water, and avoid (or at least limit) caffeinated drinks and alcohol. Importantly, also take time for yourself to relax, to meditate, have a cup of tea, watch the sunrise or rock out to some heavy metal – whatever works for you. And no, screen time is not relaxing, but in fact can contribute to stress!
These should be year-round habits, which you also maintain (as best you can) during events you are managing.
- Make peace with the fact that things will go wrong
Even though you will have planned everything down to the last, tiny detail, the nature of events is that something (anything!) can easily go wrong on the day. Back up plans are great, but not even the best organiser will be able to anticipate every possible outcome. Making peace with this likelihood will reduce your stress levels significantly.
Plan as best you can, and then keep an open mind and flexible attitude so that you can quickly accept any compromises you have to make and move on. Most guests probably won’t even notice. And you may be pleasantly surprised, as sometimes the “mistakes” can become highlights.
