Talk to experts who specialize in burnout and they’ll describe it as a slow burn. It’s not immediate.
By not addressing what they’re feeling and not taking steps in the moment to de-stress, over time, planners will find themselves in a downward spiral.
Here are 5 proactive strategies for avoiding burnout:
1. Know the Signs
It’s important to be able to identify warning signs early on. Stress manifests itself in various forms — from chronic exhaustion to nagging anxiety to difficulty concentrating.
Recognizing when your behaviors start to change because of stress is the first step, said Rebecca Schwartz, Ph.D, an associate professor at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra-Northwell. Learn more from her in 8 Ways to Avoid Burnout.
2. Create Boundaries
Setting boundaries is important in any profession, but even more so for meeting planners. Long hours and big stretches of time away from home can take their toll, and it’s up to each individual to create healthy boundaries.
When you’re not traveling for a program, resist the urge to do any work outside of regular hours. Use all your vacation, and don’t skip lunch.
Learn to say no. If you’re short-staffed and your company won’t give you resources, don’t do three people’s jobs, or you will find yourself doing them permanently.
Find more advice at Setting Boundaries: 10 Strategies for Planners.
3. Be Proactive
One of the biggest sources of stress is last-minute changes. That final week heading into a meeting can challenge even the most seasoned planner.
The first line of defense is the contract. Use language that highlights any late changes that may significantly affect cost and the ability to adhere to the selected event date. Make sure that everyone understands that changes have implications, and can jeopardize the event schedule. Check out this article for contract strategies to avoid last-minute changes.
It’s also essential to arrive on site fully prepared. Office supplies, first aid, electronic supplies — getting caught without an essential item can create undue stress. Creating your own “black box” will help.
4. Practice Self-Care
Taking care of your health, especially when you’re on the road, is essential for avoiding burnout. With so much riding on the success of an event, many planners find themselves sacrificing their personal health routines, including diet and exercise, because there just aren’t enough hours in the day.
A lack of sleep is another common challenge, and can end up causing brain fog and making you feel sluggish. What’s worse, sleep deprivation can also cause hormonal imbalances that can spike your appetite.
It might not even be possible to get a good night’s sleep every night when you’re on site at a meeting, and that’s where fitness hacks come in. Don’t miss these 7 Fitness Hacks for Event Travel.
If you do a lot of long-haul travel, that’s even more challenging. Time zone changes can tempt you to give into the one-two punch of alcohol and coffee — the two biggest contributors to jet lag. It’s a recipe for burnout.
We asked fellow travelers and flight attendants for advice on how to survive long-haul travel here.
5. Eat Right
The key to eating well on the road is to plan ahead, and many planners bring healthy snacks with them — but it’s not always possible. There’s nothing like having just a few minutes between flights and trying to seek out something healthy to eat in between the pizza, hot dogs, and jumbo bags of chips and candy. You’ll find containers of celery and carrots with hummus, or yogurt, but that doesn’t equal a healthy meal.
The good news is that healthy food does exist at airports, and you can research where to go in advance so you don’t miss out if time is limited. These tips on where to go to find healthy airport food can help.
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For more suggestions for managing job stress and avoiding burnout, check out Skift Meetings Toolkit, our new how-to hub, with hundreds of information-packed articles about meeting planning.
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September 15 – NEW YORK CITY
