No matter how seasoned you may be as a meeting planner, every event throws a curveball (sometimes multiple curveballs) once you arrive onsite. Something is practically guaranteed to go off script at every event, so most industry professionals know to expect the unexpected.
If we aren’t careful about preparing ourselves for these inevitable stressful situations, a single frustrating moment can quickly snowball into an emotionally draining day or week. But with the right mindset and a few go-to strategies, we can meet those moments with resilience and grit.
Here are five positive-thinking power-ups to help you stay sharp, steady and energized—even in chaos.
[Related: 8 Hospitality Industry Professionals Share Tips for Managing Stress]
1. Establish a Morning Ritual
Before the hustle of the day kicks in, take just a couple moments in the morning to set the tone for your day. Whether you choose to start with a two-minute meditation, a quiet prayer, your favorite pump-up song or a handwritten affirmation on a notecard to carry with you, find a ritual that centers and energizes you and make it the first thing you do when you wake up. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; it just has to be yours. Ask yourself what gets you in the zone and double down on that each morning as you visualize a successful day and set the tone for it to take place.
2. Create Closure to Your Day
When the day wraps up, how do you bring yourself back to center? Maybe you type out a few sentences in a journaling app about the standout moment of your day that’s worth cherishing or laughing about. Sometimes, creating closure to your day can be as simple as sitting in silence for five minutes, letting the noise fade and giving the meaningful and highlight-worthy moments space to rise to the surface. A consistent end-of-day ritual gives you a sense of closure and something to look forward to: a big exhale and relaxing reset after a busy day.
3. Set Your Soundtrack
Music has the power to shift your energy in seconds. Build a quick playlist of three to five songs that lift you up—maybe a few that hype you up, a couple that remind you of your event’s host city or some calming instrumentals that help you reset. Keep it handy on your phone so you can pop in a headphone between sessions or while walking the halls to get to the next meeting room. Let your soundtrack become a source of grounding, inspiration or momentum, whatever the situation calls for at any given moment. By the end of the week, those songs might hold a whole new meaning.
[Related: 10 Practical Wellness Tips to Put You First]
4. Find Connection in the Chaos
Once the day gets rolling, it’s easy to slip into task mode and lose sight of everything else. But often, it’s the people around us, not just crossing things off the to-do list, that offer the greatest boost to our well-being.
Make it a point to connect with one person a day, whether it’s with an attendee you’ve never met or a familiar face. A quick chat about something not related to event logistics can be a refreshing and much-needed pause. These small, authentic moments of connection can re-energize us and remind us of the ultimate reason we do what we do as meeting planners: to positively impact people.
5. Put a Prize at the Finish Line
Research shows that having something to look forward to can be just as powerful as the experience itself. Give yourself a “trophy” by planning a moment of joy or rest that will be waiting for you at the finish line. Maybe it’s a spa appointment, a dinner with friends or a quiet evening to yourself with space to recharge. Scheduling a relaxing and fun activity that you can look forward to can give you the motivation to keep pushing forward through the chaos of meetings and events. Leave a light at the end of your tunnel!
