The past year has challenged the event industry with decisions that we’ve never thought we’ve had to make. In some ways, these decisions have provided us with innovation and creativity. In other ways, these decisions have produced scarcity and isolation. Either way you cut it, going through a pandemic, isn’t a situation that you willingly stepped into. But here we are.
The most concerning challenge is ensuring the mental health of our industry, and equipping our standing industry colleagues with the support they need to keep the industry afloat until the floodgates open back up for the event industry. Here are a few ways that we can keep our industry
Check-in with colleagues often
This is a precarious time that necessitates contact. Unfortunately, we aren’t in a position where we meet and socialize often, so staying in contact with your colleagues is a great start for ensuring the mental health of others including your own. Reaching out to your colleagues doesn’t have to be an enormous task. It can be as simple as a simple text message to see how they’re doing, or perhaps you can have a socially distanced visit. There are many ways to inspire connection with your colleagues especially with the technological platforms available. The whole idea is just ensuring contact with your colleagues and in return, you get the fulfillment that comes from giving your time and sincere effort.
Keep an eye out for burnout
Although staying in contact is very important, it is our personal responsibility to keep an out in our industry communities for any signs of distress, or burnout. We are at a time where there is consistent pressure placed on our lives. Not only is there pressure from not being able to secure employment, but there is also pressure from those that are currently employed, in positions that are working twice as hard due to little or no additional support. Companies are operating pretty leanly now in an effort for them to get through the pandemic. So it’s important that we look out for each other on both sides. If you are looking for some ideas on how to navigate stress and burnout, take advantage of my free managing your burnout course for event professionals here.
Encourage self-care
Managing your burnout does require forms of self-care. So during this time take time to take care of yourself. Although business isn’t back where it was, there is still pressure, uncertainty, that produces distress within us. Self-care isn’t always about a massage, although that could help. But it can mean taking a day off here and there, making sure you log off of work at a certain time, doing personal travel, or taking a daily walk. Anything to break up the norm of your days will be helpful in just giving you a little bit of relief. We still have challenges to endure in our industry, so take care of yourself, give yourself some time off, so that you can sustain the long haul.
Look into new opportunities
Many industry professionals can be hesitant when talking about new opportunities. I get it, you’ve been in the position that you are for a while, or you’ve been planning events for a certain company for the longest time. Yet there comes a time in everyone’s life that you might need to explore some additional opportunities. In fact current circumstances could point to the fact that you need to consider other opportunities. There are many friends and industry colleagues that have had to rebuild their careers. Some out of choice, and others, out of necessity. One thing I know for sure is that the pandemic has put us all in positions where we have to learn more, innovate more, and look at different ways to expand. Sometimes that expansion has to come within yourself. So, you might are thinking to yourself that you have an urge to expand. Perhaps there is another area that you would like to explore. Now that the opportunities are available, this may be your time to go for it. If you feel this prompting, don’t shy away from it, listen to yourself and take the leap, because you don’t know what other awesome and amazing opportunities are on the other side
Ride the wave of innovation and explore new frontiers
In times like this, there’s a lot of creativity and innovation. In our industry, we’ve sought new frontiers not only in technology but also in the new ways of how we meet and engage at our events. Right now, our industry is in a position where we are exploring how hybrid meetings will look. This is a very exciting time that we can change the dynamic of how meetings operate in the future. So you could look at this time as Wild Wild West. Do what you need to survive, but yet you might stumble upon something similar to a gold rush of opportunity, and may be able to share that opportunity to help lift up the industry. So be encouraged to explore everywhere because you never know what golden nugget you will find.
Getting through the challenges in life is all about perspective. You can choose to think that things will never return to what they used to be, or you can choose to believe that this is an opportunity to see things from a fresh perspective. Whatever you decide I encourage you to really take a step back to take care of yourself, others, and get the space you need so can gain the perspective that you need. Let’s not work with our heads down so much right now that we don’t look up and seek out those opportunities that are available to enhance our businesses, ourselves, and our lives.