Time Management for Event Planners: Juggling Multiple Tasks and Deadlines
Time management is a major problem for event planners. Apart from the usual juggling required of all professionals, event planners have to juggle multiple deadlines and tasks, some of which may depend on others.
In this post, we will explore the best methods for managing time and handling a diverse workload to avoid burning out from it. We'll also discuss how you can use your downtime productively to catch up with other work or maintain relationships with colleagues and clients.
Develop a Proper Time Management System
In order to get everything done, event planners need to be organized and stay on top of things with their time. The following strategies can help you in managing your time:
Before starting any task, write down an estimation of how long it will take. This will help you make the task fit into your schedule and complete it within the required duration.
You should also understand that no matter how much you plan, unexpected tasks will always come up. It's best to have a few free hours available each day so that when such tasks appear, they won't ruin your schedule.
Put Your To-Do List on Paper
If you want to maintain your sanity, you need to plan your time carefully. If you use your phone to check social media accounts or download apps, you are not actually working and making plans. So, it is best to go old school with a paper and pencil. This way, nothing can be added or removed from the list without it being very clear that it will definitely not happen.
The list should consist of only the essential tasks that will take up most of your time. The rest can be handled via different channels: email, phone calls and meetings if you have them.
Use Voice Memos
Life is hectic these days. You can't always be available to talk and type text messages to others. Instead of using your phone or computer, use voice memos to record messages you need to send. This also allows you to save important information and organize it in the future so that you don't forget about it.
Use Your Free Time Wisely
Having a lot of free time at hand is great if nothing demands your attention. But, if you want to keep yourself productive and make sure that no work gets missed, make sure that this time is used wisely. Make a list of tasks that are important and leave them alone for as long as possible to complete them in their entirety.
Create Checklists
Checklists help you remain productive, especially in the undertaking of a project. It will become very easy for you to go through the steps and be sure that nothing is overlooked.
As a planner, checklists are especially important for you. You'll have to follow them as you're already familiar with them and have experience with them. In addition, they can be used by others who may not use your expertise but still need help in accomplishing a task (i.e., booth set up).
Be Open to New Opportunities
Always look at what's available in terms of new opportunities and use these to expand your expertise at work or work on other projects that could benefit you and your company's brand.
Ensure that you delegate work to others if you can afford to, especially if you are the main planner for an event. For example, if there is a budget director who is good at managing budgets, let them do it. This will enable you to focus on other aspects of planning.
Planning for Success
As a professional who manages events for your company or clients, it is important to use your time wisely and deliver what you promise. Here are some tips and strategies in order to ensure success with any project:
Set realistic deadlines – If you want your employees or interns to successfully complete their tasks on time, then set realistic time constraints for each task they'll have to handle. You can ask for an estimate or plan for a period of time. This will help you make plans that are attainable to all the team members.
Staff accordingly – You also need to make sure that the right people are assigned to specific tasks. You can't expect a generalist to do anything well, so you need to be specific in your tasks and assign them accordingly. If you don't know about something, ask someone who does so that your team members don't have to waste time learning something new for which they may not even be qualified.
Designate a person for each task – It is important that all the tasks are completed by someone with special qualifications and experience of handling it. This also helps you pinpoint the person responsible for making sure that a task is done correctly.
Deadlines are important! - It is true that some people are used to taking their time and meeting deadlines at the last minute due to lack of planning. However, you should ensure that your team members always keep track of their tasks and check if they can complete it on time. Allocate the work well and make sure it's not too much or too little.
Check in with your team – Once you make a plan, you need to adhere to it and follow up with your team on how things are going without being overbearing about it.
Collaborate with your team – It's a good idea to ensure that your team members are also happy with the progress you're making. If they're not, they'll probably be distracted by something else that will make them stop working on their tasks and thus, blocking the flow of work.
How to Become a More Organized Person
Overwhelmed and disorganized? You're not alone. Organizing can be an aggravating task — especially when you don't know how to do it or what other people do. The best way to tackle this problem is to learn from experts and professionals like the ones in this article. More than anything, an organized person is a confident one. Here are ways you can become a more organized person:
Photo Credit: Brian A Jackson via Compfight cc
Comments
Troy's advice is given with the hope that it will help others learn how to be organized through his experience and knowledge. But he is not responsible for any harm that may come out of following the advice given here. This blog post does not contain personal recommendations or financial advice. If you want your business to be successful, please seek professional help from people who have experience in your industry.
Conclusion
There are many ways to be organized. However, the most beneficial for your personal and professional life is to develop a system that works best for you. This way you can easily keep track of your tasks and projects so that you don't get distracted from one thing too much. At the end of the day, it all boils down to you. You decide how organized you want to be in life.
If you have other tips on organizing or feel that this article lacks in some way, please comment! To help others avoid similar situations as described above, please share this article on social media or with others who are struggling with organization.
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