CONFERENCE AND EVENT PLANNING – CHANNELING THE ROAD WARRIOR IN YOU


When you use the term “Road Warrior” most people conjure up images of (pre-rants) Mel Gibson in Mad Max. But while it’s conference and event planning is a tough business, we’re not talking about surviving in a post apocalyptic world; we’re talking about traveling for work. A lot.

There are several websites dedicated to the Road Warriors’ survival. What to do, where to go, how to survive on the road. And there plenty of message boards for the weary traveler to vent.

Conference and Event Planning – The Survival of the Road Warrior

In the world of conference and event planning most event planners travel. It’s the nature of the beast. A necessary evil that has both positive and negative aspects. Most Road Warriors I know love having the opportunity to check out new cities and visit old favorites. But constant business travel can take its toll, even on the most seasoned Road Warrior. The secret is knowing a few small tricks that can make your life on the road a little easier.

Conference and Event Planning – The First Thing a Road Warrior Should Do

Our initial reaction when arriving in town is to hit the ground running. There are meetings, walk throughs, site inspections and so much more. But the most important set-up is often overlooked…your own. If you take a little bit of time when you first arrive in town, you can help set yourself up for success.

It doesn’t matter where you are, whether in the heart of downtown or at a remote location in the country, there are stores. So go shopping and make sure you have ample supplies to get you through the next few days. Water, breakfast/granola bars, nuts, fruit and a few healthy snacks can go a long way.

When we’re on site we have a tendency to grab to what’s handy, and that’s usually not what’s healthy. Having a few things to snack on and help you stay hydrated will help ensure you are fueling the most important machine…you! Which leads us to the next point…

Conference and Event Planning – Eating Should Not Be a Spectator Sport

So you’re on site so your instinct is to wake up in the morning, jump out of bed and go go go. And you continue to go until all of a sudden, it’s time for bed.

I know a lot of planners who don’t feel comfortable eating on site. The food is for attendees and many feel it just doesn’t look right (and projects the wrong image to the client) if you strap on the feed bag and go for it.

But without the proper fuel, your body is only going to make it so far. You’ll have less energy, less patience and actually feel physically weaker. And this will most definitely affect the way you do your job. So it doesn’t matter how busy you are, the important thing is to eat. And not just that little bag of chips that was left over from a box lunch. Making sure you fuel your body will help your energy, help you sleep better and improve your concentration. All things you need to do a good job.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re at home or on the road, if you don’t take care of yourself, eventually your body is going to give out. Every Road Warrior knows that to sustain long periods of travel and hard work, you have to make yourself a priority and you take care of yourself. And the rest will follow.

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