Wedding season is in full swing, and some of you reading this may even be ready for a break from the bouquets and the chalkboard signs. ‘Self-care’ and ‘busy season’ don’t sound synonymous in the slightest, but this time of year is perfect for hitting reset. You’ll feel refreshed for the next event on your calendar, and you’ll be able to deliver the best client experience you can.
Prioritizing the important things
We often get wrapped up in trying to tackle everything in one day, and often it’s because we feel that we’re obligated to stay on track. However, spreading yourself too thin with your work schedule can result in lackluster, rushed work that will likely end up having to be revisited later.
Try your hand at sitting down at the start of the work week and outlining which items should be done at the end of each day. This prevents you from trying to cram everything into one day if you get side-tracked, and you’ll find that your schedule is much more manageable. Setting these expectations for yourself and creating priorities every day helps to keep you in check, as well as keeps you from getting overwhelmed.
Making time for yourself
This sounds practically nonexistent. I promise it’s easier than it sounds! As wedding professionals, we’re trained to assume that our weekends are blocked off during the busy season, but we don’t have to give up on having a life outside of events entirely.
This can genuinely be as easy as scheduling some time to watch TV, read a book, catch up on the news, or even take a much-needed trip to the spa. It may feel a little strange to treat your ‘me-time’ as another part of your calendar, but after you get into the swing of making time for yourself, it begins to feel as natural as working in a client meeting (much more relaxing, but you get the point).
Re-igniting your inspiration
Believe it or not, the culprit for burnout tends to be lack of inspiration for your day-to-day work. It happens to all of us, and it’s certainly no reflection of how you feel about your business. There are a few things you can do to stoke that fire again, and they’re easily worked into your downtime or lunch break.
Go for a walk and take a change of scenery. Revisiting the same environment every single day can lull your brain into a monotonous state, and you can quickly lose excitement if you find yourself overwhelmed. Carrying a notebook around and jotting down creative ideas can have the same effect – even experimenting with a new Pinterest board or playing with word association. You’d be surprised at how successful the little changes are in your overall workflow!
Surviving summer wedding season can feel like treading water unless you take measures to nurture your mind and creativity. Baby steps in the right direction will amount to significant results; don’t be afraid to reclaim your time!
Kylie Carlson is the owner of the International Academy of Wedding and Event Planning. With seven locations globally, the academyboasts an internationally recognized accreditation program that brings professional training to wedding planners,designers and stylists.