When you think of the world’s most stressful professions - what comes to mind? A Firefighter, Police or Military officer, a reporter or journalist (think unsociable working hours in volatile scenarios); or maybe even a senior corporate executive. Well, you would be correct (if that’s what you were thinking!) - however, Event Planners were listed as having the 5th most stressful profession on the planet; scoring a 51.5% stress score (2017 Career Cast Survey) - which comes as no surprise to us as eventprofs.
The effects of stress play a significant role in a person's overall well-being. For some, a certain amount of stress can be positive; and they may even recognise they thrive under controlled pressure; however, a high level of continuous stress can lead to burnout - which is a state of physical and mental exhaustion.
The Stress-Health connection
A great first step in tackling stress reduction for eventprofs is recognising the signs that stress is harming your mental, physical, and emotional health. Key symptoms of stress overload can include:
- Low energy
- Digestive issues
- Trouble concentrating
- Mood swings
- Disrupted sleep
- Aches and pains of the body - including headaches or muscle tension
- Poor mental health, including anxiety and low mood
- Over or undereating - including an increased desire for foods high in sugar, salt and/or saturated fats.
- An impaired immune system
- Lack of interest in non-work-related activities
Key Stressors for Event Planners
Being an event planner is a labour of love, and there’s no better feeling than when your event comes together seamlessly. As eventprofs, we are experts at maintaining a calm and composed demeanour; even amongst the most challenging of circumstances. Through our experience and conversations with our colleagues; we’ve defined the following 5 areas as key stressors that are ever-present throughout the event planning process:
1. Tight Deadlines
Sometimes clients want full-scale events organised in a very short period of time - and then some want the impossible - creating stress around managing the expectations of clients while simultaneously trying to demonstrate your aptitude as an eventprof.
2. Work/Life Balance
Closely related to point 1, due to tight deadlines, work/life balance can sometimes be impossible to achieve; with late nights and early mornings being a frequent occurrence - the exhaustion this creates only adds to the pressure to deliver.
3. Stakeholder management
This is the most enjoyable, yet can also be the most stressful part of event management. Synchronising communications between service providers, suppliers, the client(s), speakers, guests and venues can be challenging (to say the least)
4. Budget control
Every aspect of your event is defined by the budget available, and often satisfying client desires within allotted budgets can be challenging. Keeping track of costs, quotes and invoices requires time, concentration and effort. This goes hand in with having to set realistic expectations for your client.
5. Unforeseen circumstance
Life can be unpredictable - so it stands to reason that event planning also suffers the same ill at times! Ever wondered ‘what could go wrong?’ - it’s usually the most unsuspecting issue that rears its head - creating stress for you as a planner - at least if you plan with us at The HAC, your venue wont be the issue!
Habits to break to reduce your stress levels now
1. Extreme perfectionism
This is probably the hardest habit to break as an eventprof! Of course, we want an event to run perfectly, and understandably so do our clients. Choosing trustworthy and reliable service providers, suppliers and venues can go a long way towards this. As a rule of thumb - understand that unforeseen circumstances befall us all; and your project management, organisation and contingency planning skills are what will save the day (if needs be)!
2. Over-committing and over-promising
Closely related to extreme perfectionism is over-committing yourself. In an attempt to retain clients, it can be tempting to automatically say yes to any requests - no matter how unrealistic achieving them may be. It is always better to take the pragmatic approach; managing your client's expectations; rather than over-promising and under-delivering. Tactfully and honestly explaining why additional requests can’t be fulfilled due to time or budget constraints (for example), may be uncomfortable - however for your clients, it will build further respect, confidence and trust in your abilities.
3. Tech overload
Advancements in technology have made life easier for all of us. However, there are ways of using various forms of tech that can add to your stress; rather than reduce it. In particular, when it comes to communication; you can have too much tech. Decide which channels of communication you will be using, and try to limit them to those. It’s also worth adjusting your notification settings so you are not constantly interrupted by digital noise. After all, do you really want to instant message on Teams, Slack, Google Chat, Zoom, Instagram DM, Whatsapp, text, Telegram, Yammer; and Monday.com all in the same day?
4. Neglecting your own needs
This is easier said than done - with looming deadlines and unexpected occurrences (that somehow always seem to happen at the last minute!), oftentimes it’s our own needs that we put on the back burner to get the job done. However, as the saying goes you can’t ‘pour from an empty cup’. Taking care of your physical and mental health puts you in the position to give your best. As an eventprof, your work life revolves around creating amazing experiences that satisfy the needs of others - remember to extend that brilliant skillset to yourself, making your own needs a priority too.
Top tips for stress relief
Now we’ve covered what makes event planning so stressful, and some habits we should break, what about things we can do proactively to reduce stress levels now and long term.
Make technology your friend
Use event management software that makes your life easier. This will enable you to streamline processes you may do manually or on several different programmes. Learning a new system can be intimidating, or even frustrating in the beginning; however investing the initial time and effort means you can work smarter, not harder.
Use checklists
Checklists may be a feature in your event management software, or you may have them stored somewhere else. Checklists reduce stress levels by making sure that all the essentials (and more) are covered, without you having to remember everything yourself - freeing some valuable mind space.
Work with trusted suppliers
Build up a directory of reliable suppliers that you know can deliver the goods no matter what. The best suppliers will have their own contingency plans in place, allowing you to feel secure in the knowledge that if the unthinkable happens - they already have it covered.
Set boundaries
Do you have clients and colleagues that are well-meaning, yet take up way more time with you than necessary? If so, it’s time to set some boundaries - decide what acceptable boundaries look like between yourself and your stakeholders - being on call 24/7 for everyone is not sustainable - whether you are in the office or at an event.
Cultivate your team's skill set and delegate
Being the brilliant eventprof that you are, sometimes means that you also suffer from underutilising your team’s skills. You may be able to single-handedly organise an Ice Sculpture convention in the Saharan desert at the height of summer - however, that doesn’t mean you should! Allow your team to shine by delegating appropriately, spreading the workload; and therefore the pressure.
Celebrate your achievements
The world of event planning is so fast-moving, it can be easy to move from one goal to the next with zero recognition of the achievements you are making. Take a moment to celebrate the small, and the big wins of your projects - reinforcing your confidence in yourself and your team - a true positive boost to morale.
Prioritise your health through work/life balance
Don’t wait until your mental and physical health is at rock bottom before you address it. Your health needs to be a priority to you. This goes hand in hand with establishing boundaries of contactable hours and taking regular breaks. Prioritising your health looks like eating a nutritious diet and getting adequate sleep and exercise. Ensuring you build time into your schedule for spending time with loved ones and indulging in your hobbies is essential to reducing the effects of stress and general all-round well-being.
If you're looking for a world-class venue with a knowledgeable team to take the stress out of event planning, contact The HAC team for more information and viewings via email at
