Have you ever wished there were life hacks for event planning? When planning an event, it seems like every moment counts, especially when it gets down to the wire. Increasing your productivity and staying on task can sometimes feel impossible when there are so many distractions. There’s nothing worse than realizing you procrastinated and have to play catch up at the last minute.
The problem with procrastination is we often waste time doing unnecessary tasks like checking Facebook or online shopping. These do very little to contribute to our overall wellness and can actually make us worse off.
Research shows procrastinators sleep less, eat worse, and drink more alcohol. Procrastination can also cause rifts in event planning teams, as others often have to take over the tasks of procrastinators.
With these life hacks for event planners, you’ll get tasks done faster and better and have more time to spend on things that matter.
8 Life Hacks to Make Event Planning More Productive
1. Organize Your To-Do List
People seem to either swear by to-do lists or scorn them. When planning events, make to-do lists your friend.
Devote a few minutes during the beginning of the day to writing a short to-do list. Be careful not to plan for so many tasks the list becomes overwhelming. Separate larger tasks into smaller, accomplishable tasks. A to-do list helps keep your mind focused on the goals of the day.
2. Don’t Multitask
When you have a lot to accomplish, it is tempting to try to save time by doing multiple things at once. However, this can cause you to do a poor job with tasks that need your attention.
Constantly switching between tasks wastes time and energy, so try focusing on one task on your to-do list at a time.
3. Find Your Best Working Time
Do you tend to do your best work in the mornings or evenings? Find your most productive time of day and schedule difficult tasks during this time.
If you’re a morning person, work on tasks that need the most focus during morning hours. Then, when you begin to lose focus during the afternoon, switch to less demanding tasks. This way, you get more done while catering to your natural routine.
4. Schedule Time for Emails
It can be tempting to stop what you are doing and reply to emails as they flood in, but constantly checking your email is a major distraction when working.
Set aside a certain amount of time every day to sift through and answer emails or make important calls. This way these necessary administrative tasks won’t impact important event planning tasks.
5. Have a Clean Workspace
When working, utilize a designated workspace if you are planning an event from home. Having this workspace and only using it for work helps train your brain to enter work-mode when you sit down at the desk.
Also, make sure to regularly clean your desk and keep it from becoming overcrowded, as this can translate into your brain being over cluttered as well.
6. Put on Music
If you’re having trouble focusing, putting on music can be a quick help for some people. When aiming for deep focus, try classical music or music without words.
Need a mid-day lift? Try listening to an upbeat playlist while you work.
7. Turn off the Ringer
If you’re constantly distracted by your cellphone, turn off notifications or put it in another room. It is tempting to text your best friend while “working” or stop work and check Facebook, but this only wastes precious time and draws your mind away from tasks.
If the temptation is too strong, schedule short breaks into your day to re-connect, but keep your hands off the cellphone.
8. Take Breaks
Yes, you are allowed, and encouraged to take breaks throughout the day. Taking small breaks or a lunch break can help refocus your mind and give some much needed rest. This allows you to return to tasks refreshed.
Training yourself to focus on the event planning tasks on your to-do list takes work. Don’t expect yourself to instantly change from procrastinator to proactive.
Try utilizing some of the hacks listed above to power through your work day and increase productivity.
