Pizzazz MEPG is just coming off of an exciting five-day conference
held in Virginia Beach. Returning home
after being gone for almost 2 weeks brought to mind a recent posting on
LinkedIn that asked the question “What do you do to keep from being exhausted
after a big multi-day conference?” That
one question resulted in a lot of very practical ideas – drinking lots of
water, comfortable shoes, eating healthy, limit alcohol, etc. but the ones that struck me the most were the
ones about your mental attitude.
Many of us begin the onsite experience physically tired from
all the last minute preparations but we are mentally exhausted as well with the
thousands of details running through our minds.
We’re working off of adrenalin because we’re pumped up, excited and
anxious to see months of planning finally come to fruition successfully. There’s also that little voice that pops up
for all of us, even the most experienced planner – Did I forget something? Will people enjoy themselves? Did we make the right choices on food, on
speakers, on entertainment? Will the tech
folks get the vision?
So what could we do to manage that mental exhaustion? Start
with a positive attitude -- one that begins with “This will be a great
experience”. I will learn something
new. I will manage change/challenge with
an “It can be fixed” approach. I will
treat everyone I encounter with respect.
Positive energy brings positive reactions versus the physical and mental
drain that negative energy brings.
As you put your feet up, get that massage or full night’s
rest, if your mental attitude remained upbeat, you’ll experience a sense of
euphoria over a job well done. You’ll be
ready to tackle the next project with the sense of a new adventure. As we all know, no two meetings are alike.