We all expect event planning to be stressful work, but sometimes it’s difficult to appreciate just how bad it can get. We’ve written in our previous blog about how staying productive can involve setting your own standards and goals; often this only applies if you can recognise when you’re exceeding your limits, and giving yourself too much to do. There are a few signs to look out for.
1. You dread your job
How do you feel when you get up each morning? Are you keen to get up and meet the day’s challenges, or do you sink back into your duvet, dreading another day of work without a rest or break? If work feels like a never-ending slog of constant activity, with barely a moment even to take lunch, then something is probably very wrong, either with your workload or with your schedule.
2. Sleep is becoming a privilege
How much sleep are you getting? Some of us can barely function with the allotted eight hours of rest, while others can get by with only a few hours. Either way, your work should never have you so tired that you spend all day awaiting the moment you finally get to have some sleep.This might be a symptom of stress, but it might also be that you’re simply working too many hours to get the right amount of rest. There are health consequences here too, so if you’re too busy for sleep, you need to make some changes to the way you operate.
3. You have no time for anyone else
Sometimes there’s an event that’s so exciting, so compelling that you spend all your time thinking how to perfect it. That’s not so bad. But, at other times, you’re forced to devote all your energies to one project whether you’re enthused about it or not. Sometimes, this is to the detriment of your social life and your ability to relax outside of work. Consider, when was the last time you spent time with your friends or family? If you’re having trouble remembering, consider taking some time to yourself, away from your work.
4. Your work is starting to suffer
In our blog about productivity, we wrote about the need to compartmentalise, and the dangers of taking too much on at once. The reason, as much as anything else, is because too much work can cause your job performance to suffer. The more there is to do, the more likely you are to start cutting corners and taking shortcuts; if you keep taking on more tasks and more jobs, you’ll find yourself becoming more stressed and more careless.
5. You can’t switch off
In the age of instant communication, it can be difficult to truly detach yourself from work. Ever since the emergence of smartphones, employees have been able to stay connected to their work 24/7, and if the device you carry on your person at all times can send and receive messages from your job at all times, you can never truly sever that connection. If you can’t quite summon the strength to switch off your email notifications, to stop answering non-urgent messages after you’ve left work for the day, then perhaps it’s because you simply have far too much to do.
6. Your health is suffering
Exercise and healthy eating are often the first to go when the pressure of work steps up. Taking the time out to prepare a proper meal or go out for a run might seem little more than a distraction if it’s time taken away from working on that important project, or planning that major, make-or-break event. But what could be more important than your own health and wellbeing? If work is stopping you from looking after yourself, you need to adjust your priorities.
7. You won’t take a holiday
Have you ever told anyone that you’re simply too busy to take a holiday? How many times does that excuse hold up? After a while, that excuse probably means you need to take one. A good holiday, abroad or at home, is the perfect way to relax and recharge, to take your mind off your job and start from fresh. They’re not just frivolous, they’re necessary. If you find yourself without the time to take a break from work, you probably need to book a holiday. Maybe somewhere sunny?
8. You’re simply unhappy
Life is work and work is life. That’s unhealthy. It’s going to make you stressed and unhappy, so if you find yourself in that situation, you need to reduce your workload, reschedule your days and make sure you’re looking after yourself, and taking some time for leisure and relaxation. No matter how important your event is, at some point, keeping busy is going to become a bad thing.
It’s not bad thing keeping yourself busy. After all, if you’re not fairly busy working on an event, you’re probably not doing enough work. But, perfecting an event shouldn’t take over your life. If you’ve taken a look at this list, and you recognise any of these signs, then maybe it’s time to relax a bit.
