Energy is Everything
Managing Your Energy throughout Your Event
According to the audience, your event couldn't be going any more smoothly. The speakers are energetic and engaging. The content is fresh and exciting. The tech is novel and impressive. The emotions are ebbing and flowing flawlessly. None of the chaos behind the scenes is leaking into your guests' awareness because of how well you've prepared and communicated with your team. You're in control. You're connecting with people. You're anticipating people's needs. You're in the zone. The event is a resounding success!
The next day, you can hardly get out of bed. Your voice is gone. You feel like you've been hit by a truck. You have a short temper with your family and find yourself crying in the grocery store when you can't find any good bananas. Welcome to the crash.
No matter how adept you are at the technical skills and communication aspects of emceeing, you cannot ignore the importance of preparing, protecting and restoring your own energy. If you've hosted events in the past, you know that they require an enormous amount of energy to pull off. You have probably experienced the "event hangover" or come down with "conference crud" (a cold, flu or other acute illness) after an event is over. The adrenaline disperses, you're left alone with your thoughts and feelings about everything that has happened, and you feel like you could sleep for days.
Most people learn the hard way that you need to build rest and self-care into your event experience. If you want sustainability in your business, you need to balance energy expenditure with energy restoration. Hosting requires the intentional management of your energy, from pre-event preparation through the event itself and into the days that follow.
Before the Event
In addition to everything else you're doing to prepare to serve the mission, vision and ultimate goal of your event, you must prepare yourself for the energy marathon of being "on" for the duration of the program.
In the two weeks leading up to an event, I recommend being very intentional with your calendar, your diet and your rest. Decline meeting invitations when they are not directly related to the successful execution of your event or conference. Take the time to eat as clean as possible and drink enough water. Don't neglect your exercise routines any more than absolutely necessary. Go to bed a half hour earlier than usual. Carve out time to meditate or take a few extra naps.
Stress is the number one cause of illness. Do whatever it takes to minimize stress leading up to your event because the last thing you want is for the face of your event to be puffy, coughing and full of snot.
As they plan, a lot of event hosts forget about how much mental bandwidth is required to keep an event running smoothly, even when they're not also the one emceeing. You have a hundred things on your mind, which depletes your mental energy as well as your physical energy.
Sharing the mental load with others helps you sustain your energy reserves. Make sure that more than one person could step in if necessary. Write things down when you think of them so that you don't rely on your mind alone to remember crucial details. You might think you'll remember that really important thing without writing it down because it's really important. Trust me, you won't.
During the Event
Events can be an emotional roller coaster. When you're the face of your event, you don't have the luxury to process your emotions in real time. You are the one who needs to keep your composure even if every other person in the room is losing theirs. It's not about denying or avoiding your feelings. It's more a matter of selective detachment—choosing when, where and how to attend to your own emotional experience.
The stage is no place to unpack your baggage.
With that being said, it's important to care for yourself throughout an energetically demanding event. While you need to be "on" for the duration of the event, that doesn't mean neglecting your own basic needs. If you need to step into the hallway to check in with yourself during a video interlude or activity, do it. If you need to do some breathwork during a bathroom break, go for it. If you need to eat lunch outside by yourself so you can collect your thoughts, clear your mind and reset your emotions before the next session, it's okay. Even the busiest events offer micro-moments of downtime you can use to recalibrate your energy.
Simple physical breaks can be the difference between sustaining your energy until the end of an event and finding yourself running on fumes halfway through:
Step outside for a minute to breathe fresh air and feel the sun on your face.
Take 5 deep breaths with your eyes closed and both feet planted on the floor.
Stand in a "power pose" for a few seconds before you step onstage.
Splash cold water on your face (or your neck if you have makeup on).
Keep an invigorating essential oil on hand to inhale as needed
Do a quick stretch like reaching your arms over your head and bending to one side then the other.
Managing your energy throughout an event also means setting boundaries. While you may want to connect with people and be friendly, you don't necessarily need to be everyone's friend. Make sure that your responsibilities are clearly outlined in advance, and if things come up that need to be handled outside of your role and scope, pass the buck to the proper person.
After the Event
The day after a big event, you might feel like a deflated balloon. There's often a sense of release or relief. Sometimes there's grief that it's over. You might feel proud or disappointed. You might feel elated, inspired, invigorated or drained. It's all normal.
I've been guilty of failing to plan for the "event hangover" more times than I can count. When you're clearing your calendar before your event, make sure to clear it for a few days afterward, too. The high of an incredible event is often followed by a crash, which can surprise you if you've never experienced it before.
The day after an event is a good time to give yourself closure. Take some time to journal about what went well and what you would do differently if you had it to do all over again. Send an appreciation text to your team to thank them for all their hard work.
Unpack the emotions you set aside during the event. Cry, scream, sing, dance or workout to move those emotions when you feel the urge. Have a cup of tea. Sleep in. Get a massage or spa treatment. Take a nice bath or a long hot shower. Wear your most comfortable clothes. Stay in your pajamas all day. Drink water. Eat something nutrient dense and delicious. Take a nap. Of all these suggestions (and whatever else you come up with on your own), choose what works for you and leave the rest. Rest however you rest best.
The days after a big event are not for intense physical, intellectual or professional pursuits.
At the Milwaukee airport, there's a sign at the exit of TSA security that says, "Recombobulation Area." It's our airport's way of acknowledging that going through the screening process is disruptive and you might need a moment to put yourself back together. Discombobulation happens during the course of an event, too, and you might need more than a day or two to put yourself back together—mentally, physically, emotionally and energetically.
You'll learn to recognize and support your own energy patterns the more you practice this level of self-awareness. You'll be able to anticipate and communicate your boundaries and limitations, and you'll become more adept at optimizing your energetic patterns for sustainability and success.
Ready to take your event hosting skills to the next level?
This article features information from my book, Welcome to the Stage: The 360° Approach to Hosting Events Like a Pro. If you enjoyed it, you'll love the comprehensive guidance, practical strategies and insider techniques I share in the full book.
Order your copy today and discover how to make your next event the one everyone remembers!