As an event pro, you wear a number of different hats on any given day. From managing guests to decorating your space, you’re tuned in to every detail of booking an event at your venue. We know how easy it can be to get overwhelmed with so many details, deadlines, and unforeseen obstacles, so we’re sharing three ways to relieve event planning stress before your next event.
For in-the-moment stress relief, breathing exercises can help calm both your body and your mind. When you’re stressed, your heart rate increases and you tend to take shorter breaths. By intentionally taking longer, deeper breaths, you can send your body back into a more relaxed state.
There are different versions of breathing exercises that you can test to find out which works best for you. One option is the 4-7-8 method. (Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and finally exhale for eight seconds.) You can also try visualizing something, like a balloon, that will help you envision deep breathing.
These breathing techniques can come in handy when something goes off-plan or when dealing with a difficult guest. Find your perfect breathing exercise and use it to de-stress so that you can tackle whatever situation at hand.
Another effective practice to relieve stress when you’re facing a problem is to simply take a short break. When worry and anxiety begin to take over a situation, a short break can be calming and eye-opening. You’ll return to your project with renewed creativity, perspective, and motivation.
What are some helpful ways reset throughout the workweek? For short day-to-day breaks, take a walk around the block, step away from your desk and listen to a song, or even spend a few minutes playing a game on your phone or meditating.
When planning events, we spend a lot of time focusing on the happiness of others, often sacrificing our nights and weekends to make sure our events go off without a hitch. While we love what we do, it is easy to forget that we need time for ourselves too.
Don’t be afraid to turn off your phone and do something for you - whether it is an exercise class 3x a week, a monthly massage or facial, or a week’s vacation, it’s important to do something where you are able to focus on your mental health. Often this time away makes us realize that our world won’t fall apart if we put up an out of the office message for a few days.
Another added benefit - you’ll be able to come back to work with renewed creativity, perspective, and motivation.
Whether you’re looking for tips to book repeat business or a platform to simplify event management, Tripleseat is here to alleviate your event planning stress.
Editor's Note: This post was originally published on the Gather blog.