Event planning is often ranked among the most stressful jobs and if you have ever planned an event, you know how challenging it can be. Managing all the essential details, juggling multiple competing deadlines, handling unexpected vendor issues, and executing everything on-site, all while keeping your team calm, can be quite the task. However, with the right strategies and mindset, it’s possible to navigate the whole process with minimal stress.

Here are some key tips to help you stay stress-free while planning your next event.

1. Get Into The Details When Planning

The foundation of a stress-free event lies in thorough planning. Create a detailed timeline that outlines all the deadlines and key milestones. Keep it updated and follow up on pending tasks to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. When you have a solid plan in place and a mechanism to follow through on all assigned tasks, there will be little room for unexpected issues that can lead to stress.

2. Brief Your Team Well

Identify all the guest interaction areas in your floor plan and ensure you have enough staff onsite to help execute accordingly. Establishing roles and responsibilities for your team will help provide clear guidelines on how to handle specific scenarios. Once the teams and roles have been confirmed, communicate all the essential details clearly and facilitate a briefing session to ensure everyone has the opportunity to ask questions and the entire team is on the same page.

3. Understand Your Vendors

Coordinating with multiple vendors can be challenging. Be sure to have clear contracts detailing all the expectations and keep the lines of communication open during the planning phase so that vendors deliver on their promises. Ask all the right questions to ensure you understand the details of what they will be doing, when and how. Staying in constant touch and allowing for regular updates will help prevent any last-minute surprises.

4. Leverage Simple Technology

Plan to use technology to your advantage but keep it simple. Seek user-friendly tools for smooth registration check-in and consider using an event app to provide real-time updates and interactive features. Real-time announcements can also help engage your audience, especially if there are unexpected changes to the schedule. Be sure to arrange demos before selecting your event app or check-in software. It’s important to ensure it is suitable for your attendees as well as the overall event. Glitchy and unreliable tools will only frustrate its users and add to your stress.

5. Prioritize Attendee Experience

The success of events hinges on the overall satisfaction of its attendees. Get a head start on this by always planning from the attendee perspective. Pay attention to details like signage, seating arrangements, catering and other elements that enhance the overall experience for individuals. Remember to also consider pre-event communications as well. This will help manage attendee expectations and ensure dress codes, access information, parking details etc. are all communicated in advance. 

6. Prepare for the Unexpected

It’s important to be prepared for unexpected issues.  Allow yourself time to think through potential scenarios and create contingency plans for the risks that will have a heavy impact on the event. Whether it’s technical difficulties, weather changes, or vendor cancellations, having a Plan B (and even a Plan C) will allow you to remain calm and composed when such challenges occur.

7. Take Care of Yourself

Without question, schedule breaks for yourself. Do not allow yourself to eat on the go or stay on your feet for extended periods. Be sure to prioritize self-care so that you are at your best when dealing with onsite issues and challenges. Stepping away to practice mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, or even a short walk can help reduce stress and maintain your mental well-being.

Remember, attendees are not always aware of your detailed plans, so focus on creating a positive experience and allow yourself to enjoy the ride with confidence. You got this!

This article was written for Corporate Meetings Network