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Did you know, in a recent survey CareerCast lists event coordinating as the 6th most stressful job? Next to, fire fighters, police officer, military personnel, and broadcaster. Crazy, right?!
This is not something to brag about. In fact, it’s a bit heartbreaking. Stress can lead to serious illness. If event coordinators feel this way, I can only imagine how entrepreneurs who don’t have a dedicated planner or event staff feel when planning their own events on top of running their business.
If event coordinators feel this way, I can only imagine how entrepreneurs who don’t have a dedicated planner or event staff feel when planning their own events on top of running their business.
Can planning an event be stressful, sure it can be, but it doesn’t have to take over your life or business, and in honor of Stress Awareness Month, we’re sharing some tips to help the everyday entrepreneur and business owner manage the stresses of event planning.
Here are 5 ways to help you manage stress when planning events.
1. Have a plan and stick to it. Sounds simple, right? The first cardinal rule of planning an event, is to have a plan! Be sure you have a purpose and vision for your event, consider all the things you want to accomplish, who you want to reach, who you’d like to collaborate with, and can support you in the areas you need. Having a plan to work of off of, one that’s laid out carefully and with intention, will help guide you in what needs to be done and how far you’ve come in the planning process.
Keep in mind your plan is a working document, but for the most part, your timeline of things that need to be done in order to complete the event will still be very standard, no matter what kind of event you’re planning. So relax, and be flexible.
2. Delegate. Now that you have a plan in place, start delegating tasks. Planning events is a lot more fun with a team that will support you. Work on the areas you must, your areas of expertise and then hand the rest off to your admin assistant, your graphic designer, your marketing person and so on.
There are many moving parts to an event, and trying to do them all on your own can definitely become stressful. If you don’t have a team, consider partnering with like-minded businesses to make the event even better and more efficient.
Side note: If you’re ready to take the next step and hire a professional to plan and promote your events, schedule an Event Strategy Session with us today and learn more about how we can support you.
3. Hold Yourself and Others Accountable. As I mentioned, events have many moving parts. Have a project management system in place that allows each person involved to know and see what’s being worked on and who’s doing what at any time during the planning process. This can be a simple spreadsheet, or a tool that works for your team. I’ve been using ClickUp over the past year and it’s been a great way for my team to easily create and check off tasks while keeping each other accountable for the work we’re all doing to make our events memorable and successful.
4. Celebrate Milestones. Events are meant to be fun, and so should planning them. When developing your plan include important milestones, like selling your first 25 tickets, or booking the venue. When you reach those marks, celebrate!
Toast the team with a glass of champagne and begin to enjoy the process instead of stress over it. You’ll be a lot happier when you can give yourself some grace and focus on all the amazing progress that’s moving you toward your event goals.
5. Breathe.Take a step back, and breath. Get out of your own head. Do something that brings you joy and sparks creativity. This is especially helpful for when you find yourself stuck or need to make a tough decision. If you’re ever in a hard place, or the stress of planning your event gets overwhelming go back to step one, revisit your vision and plan to remember why you started this project in the first place. In case of any serious illness or injury, you should always see a doctor and make sure you’re okay.
Bonus Tip! If event planning is not part of your full time work, but you still want to be a part of the process, block out a set amount of time each day to work on the details.
Planning an event doesn’t have to be all stress and no play. Make the event planning process fun by implementing the tips we shared.
Your Turn
If you need someone to help get you started or need additional support email us at celebrate@angelagraceevents.com and learn how we can help you plan and promote a successful and memorable event.
Angela Quisumbing is a multi passionate mompreneur. She is the CEO + Event Strategist for Angela Grace Events where every day and everyone is a reason to celebrate. She is also the host of the Facebook live show, Angela Grace Celebrates Live where she features tips, industry experts, and tools to help you plan and promote a successful and memorable event. She’s also an aspiring speaker and a self-proclaimed advocate for lifelong learning.