Being an event producer often means enduring late nights & long hours while wearing multiple hats. It’s not an easy job, and it takes a really strong person to be able to handle the hard work.
You’ve no doubt spent a lot of time taking care of other people in the weeks leading up to your big event, whether that’s your guests or your staff. We bet there hasn’t been a moment when you felt like you could take care of yourself. Now that your event is winding down, we wanted to share a few ideas for incorporating self care into your week. After all, you deserve to be healthy & happy too!
1. Get some sleep
The most common thing we hear from event producers is that they don’t get enough sleep while preparing for their events (often for weeks or even months leading up to it). Those long nights and weekends really take their toll. By the day of your event, you’re often running on fumes.
Make it a priority this week to get a full night’s Zzzzs as many nights as you can (even if that’s just one!). You’ll actually be more productive at work if you get a full night’s sleep. Plus, sleep helps improve your mood and boost your immune system - both key in helping you stay healthy as you prepare for your next event.
2. Move your body
At the end of the night -- after hours of rushing around, putting out fires, and making sure everyone is having a good time -- your body feels stiff, tired, and sore in a way that makes you never want to move again. We feel you.
Gentle recovery activities can actually help sore muscles repair themselves and improve circulation overall. Find one easy, lightweight activity you can do this week, whether that’s a walk around the block, some gentle stretching, or putting on your favorite playlist and dancing around your living room.
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3. Do something that makes you laugh
Laughter has a ton of short- and long-term benefits, including:
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- Relieve pain. Laughter produces endorphins, a natural analgesic (the same chemical found in many extra-strength prescription medications). So a good laugh can literally help your aches and pains feel better temporarily.
- Reduce stress. Laughing helps to decrease your heart rate and blood pressure, and can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression over time.
- Soothe tension. Laughter stimulates circulation and aids in muscle relaxation. If you’re feeling the physical effects of stress on your body at the end of the season, laughing can help your tired bod to recover.
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Watch a funny movie or TV show, or even just a YouTube video. Get together with a friend or two (even virtually!) and share some of your strangest or most surprising moments from the week. Whatever tickles your funny bone!
4. Express gratitude
Maybe this sounds lame, but hear us out. We know that event planning is filled with unpredictable things that go wrong: vendors fall through, the weather never cooperates, and difficult guests make your life miserable.
But we bet a lot of really great things happened at your event, too! Focusing on the things you’re grateful for can have a positive impact on your mental and emotional wellbeing. Research has shown that people who consciously count their blessings tend to feel happier and less depressed overall.
You don’t have to sit down and write a long list of things you’re grateful for to reap the benefits of gratitude. Start or end your day by thinking of just one thing that you’re grateful for: maybe that’s your health, having a career or side hustle that you love, or even something that happened at your event that stood out in a positive way.
5. Eat your favorite meal
There’s just no time during your event to stop and sit down for dinner (it may have been weeks since you’ve had time to eat a decent meal). We’re often reaching for something that’s quick & easy rather than something we truly enjoy eating. Energy bars, cold pizza, and trail mix help us power through the late nights but they get old after a while.
After your event is over, treat yourself to one good meal, whether that means going out to eat or enjoying something home cooked.
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6. Just breathe
We know that there’s still a lot of wrap-up work to do even after guests have gone. You might feel like you still don’t really have time to care for yourself. Take 5 minutes to turn off notifications, sit somewhere quiet, and just breathe. With no guests arriving soon, there’s almost nothing that can’t wait for five minutes. So give yourself that time, even if you can’t do anything else.
Sit outside and sip your favorite beverage. Stare at a photo or painting you enjoy. Close your eyes and visualize something peaceful. Even a short break can do wonders for your mental and emotional wellbeing.
7. Be kind to yourself
We do whatever it takes to get through the event. And sometimes that means we don’t eat right, we don’t get enough sleep, and we indulge in our vices more than we know we should. And you know what? That’s ok! You made it through to the other side.
It’s easy to beat ourselves up for not being perfect. Try to give yourself a break and know that you don’t have to be perfect. You did what it took to get the job done. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished.
If you want to take it a step further, say something nice to yourself when you get up in the morning, before going to bed at night, or anytime throughout your day. Congratulate yourself for assembling an awesome entertainment lineup, designing a fantastic flyer, diligently keeping track of the guest list, or just managing to put on matching socks today. You deserve to be acknowledged and appreciated.
Final thoughts
This has been a crazy year filled with unpredictability. We’re proud of you for making it this far! Remember to practice some self care in the next few weeks to help yourself recover so you can keep delivering incredible events for years to come.
What are your best tips for recovering after an event? Let your fellow event producers know by sharing them in the comments!
Want to reduce headaches and enjoy simpler ticketing & payments at your events? We’d love to help! Schedule a demo to see how Passage helps thousands of event producers like you reach more fans and sell more tickets.
