Event planner burn-out is one of the main reasons talented planners leave the industry. Here are the signs you’re approaching exhaustion.
As an event planner, you are responsible for every aspect of the planning of the event. Among your list of responsibilities, you narrow down venue options, determine the event budget, arrange services, and most importantly, keep clients happy. You project a calm, confident demeanor outside and paddle with your feet underwater to stay afloat on the inside.
With the magnitude of responsibility resting on your shoulders, taking multivitamins and energy-boosting supplements is a great way to stay recharged; however, you can still feel overwhelmed. In those instances, you should reach out for help and external support.
We all want to stay motivated and constantly driven, but when does too much become too much? When do our feet drag us to work, and when do our bodies require us to snooze the alarm for another five more minutes? Well, could it be the end of the year fatigue, or could it be that you are burnt out?
Burn-out For Event Planners
The Burn-out Phenomenon is real. And because of its prevalence, it was added to the International Classification of Diseases by the World Health Organization.
What is event planner burn-out, and How can it make changes to your life?
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
- Increased mental distance or feelings of negativism or cynicism of one’s job
- Reduced professional efficacy
While these symptoms are similar to others we may feel in our day-to-day lives, the above indicators are specific to burn-out in a professional working environment.
You experience event planner burn-out because of the ongoing stressors in your life. It is in those times when your requests and demands require more from you than your resources and supply are readily available to give. When left unattended for too long, a buildup of Burnout will negatively affect how you do your job. It will distress your well-being, and it leaves no chance when it steals away from your joy and the relationships with those around you. To counteract the effects of burn-out and combat its effects early, you need to know what to be on the lookout for. Prevention is better than cure.
Signs of Burn-Out For Event Professionals
The following are signs that may suggest that you are experiencing burn-out:
1. Persistent Exhaustion
Regardless of how little work you do, you have a constant feeling of fatigue and exhaustion. Simple tasks that usually wouldn’t drain you, like going up a flight of stairs, leave you out of breath, and desperately wanting to take a break.
Related: The Physiology of Stress During Event Planning
2. Lack of Motivation
The urgency and motivation to complete tasks are at an all-time low. Your routine self would write tasks down for the day and accomplish them. Now, everyday responsibilities like getting out of bed are a drag. If it wasn’t for the commitment and responsibility to show up, you’d be more than happy to stay in bed and sleep the day away.
3. Declined Productivity
Burn-out tends to happen over a couple of months and even over the years in some cases. Comparing your job performance over the years can give a clearer indication of how done you are and the extremity of your fatigue.
Related: Productivity Tips For Event Planners: Get More Done With Less Effort
4. Being Preoccupied with Work, Even When You’re Not at Work
There aren’t enough hours in a day! Most of your mental energy and time is spent figuring out how you can tackle the next event. Perhaps there was a hiccup with the last event you planned, and now you’re constantly thinking up ways to improve the past errors. Or compulsively trying to come up with more ideas.
You love your job, but you’re so tired you can’t get it off your mind even in the moments when you should have time to yourself. Your brain needs those quiet moments to recover and recuperate from the stressors of each day. The carrying over mechanism will likely leave you feeling even more tired and frustrated.
5. Frustration, Cynicism, and Other Negative Emotions
Your thoughts lie more towards the pessimistic end of the spectrum. At first, you may not realize it, but with each new day, the possibility of having a great day is challenged with so much gloom and despair. If it isn’t the weather, it’s the florist. Or it’s the clumsy delivery guy who typically entertains you but only irritates you now. It is quite normal to experience these feelings occasionally. But as they persist further, you may need to reach out for help.
Ways To Cope With Event Planner Burn-Out
If you can relate to any of the above signs of being overwhelmed, there are solutions. There is help.
- Technology can help you stay in control. At ThymeBase, we specialize in making your event planning life more manageable. By using our event planning software, you save time and reduce stress. And client portals help create boundaries with your clients.
- Take your “me time” as seriously as you do your event-related tasks. Give yourself time off to get away from the business. Get a second person (or a virtual assistant) to answer the phones for you while you take a coffee break. Get a wristwatch so you don’t have to check the time on your phone where you might bump into a notification that might tempt you to start working again. Put your rest time on your schedule. You matter too!
- Be in harmony with your body. Be on the lookout for the body’s physical changes that indicate you are taking on too much strain. Once you feel the pressure headache swelling up, take a brain break before you tackle another stressor.
- Ensure that you get enough sleep! Reset your sleep rhythm by going to bed and waking up at the same time consistently. When your body gets the rest it needs, it will gladly conquer the world with you.
- Lastly, ask for help! You’d be surprised at just how many people will take you up at your request.