17 Jun 2019 | by Lucy Saxton

Feel like you have a million and one things on your to do list for your next event? You aren’t alone. Here are our top five tips on how to keep your head in the game and streamline your planning to the max!

  • Set the goal posts

Way before you get into planning mode and have a million and one to-do lists, sit down and be clear about what the event is for. Why is it happening? What is the overall goal of the event? Make sure the end goal is always kept clearly in sight so that any decisions you make along the way (and there will be a million different decisions) align with the goal and stay in keeping with the overall vision of the event. Don’t get distracted by the small stuff or you’ll lose your focus on the event.

  • The plan of attack

 Anyone who has planned a wedding knows how important it is to have a clear running order of the day for suppliers, guests and the wedding party, events need to be the same, so that everyone is on the same page. Start the day of the event with a crisp and clear schedule and a plan of what needs doing and at what time (*cue Britney Spears type headsets for all involved…) If you are concise and stick to the schedule you will keep a clear head and pull off an incredible event. Keep a list of key team members and make sure they have the same plan of action and that you all liaise clearly. (*checks 240 notifications on the WhatsApp group chat!)

  • Deadlines deadlines deadlines

“I love deadlines, I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by…”

-Douglas Adams

Let’s pretend for a minute we’re all reporters on a top daily newspaper… deadlines, my friend, are your middle name. During an event, you need to eat, sleep and breathe deadlines and put a deadline on everything, otherwise you’ll end up with an endless ‘to do’ list that surprisingly never gets done. Keep it all in order and set your deadlines appropriately, then smile with glee as you meet your deadlines and start achieving all you need to achieve in great time!

  • Don’t juggle too much

We all like to think we are superb multi-taskers but the truth is, when you’re juggling 10 different things, attention to detail will invariably suffer and nothing gets your clear and full attention. Delegate some of your tasks and duties to other members of your team and try to focus on one clear task at a time, thus saying goodbye to pesky multi-tasking. Studies have shown that multitasking also does not go hand in hand with productivity. According to Gloria Mark, Professor in the Department of Informatics at The University of California: “When people are interrupted, it takes typically around 23 minutes and 15 seconds to return to their work and people will often do two intervening tasks before going back to their original project which can lead to the build-up of stress.” Ditch the juggling and you’ll get way more done in the long run.

  • Take a break

“Almost everything will work if you unplug it for a few minutes and that includes you.”

-Anne Lamott

Event planning can be exhausting and stressful and the last thing you may want to do when you’re in the thick of planning a mega event is to take a break and recharge. The truth is though that your productivity and creativity will be at an all-time low if you don’t, which will end up impacting your focus and your work. Make sure you take some time out to decompress and recharge, then be ready to hit the ground running like Mo Farah the next day!

For more information on how to best plan for your next event, listen to our podcast!

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Lucy Saxton

By Lucy Saxton

Lucy Saxton is a journalist, content creator, social media advisor and broadcaster. Studying Criminology at Leicester Uni and completing an MA In print Journalism at The University of Sheffield, she began her career as Features Editor of the popular teen girls magazine, MIZZ Mag. More recently, Lucy has worked for Cosmopolitan Magazine and Seventeen Magazine. Lucy was previously a Journalist at M&IT Magazine which saw her travelling around the world and launching several social media channels for CAT MEDIA. Lucy is a regular travel correspondent on BBC radio.More articles by Lucy Saxton