There seems to be a new trend these days for corporate events and conferences. Perhaps it is driven by the millennial generation who grew up with their faces buried in phones and who’s expectations are way higher than mine ever were as a Gen X/Yer. The trend is one of being constantly stimulated with no time for rest or downtime. It is not enough to simply have an engaging speaker on stage. Today’s events are filled with lights, music, performances and more than I could have ever imagined even 15 years ago.
It’s not all bad. I can appreciate the energy and inspiration that comes out of these events. However, I often find myself feeling drained, tired, and like my brain can’t possibly process what is happening around me. Of course, based on this, I often feel like a wierdo and like I am the oldest person in the room. But after talking to others (many of whom are wayyyyy younger than me), I know I am not the only one.
So that’s validating. With that in mind, here are a few coping strategies to help you get through your next event or conference…
- Meditate. As often as you can. When you wake up in the morning is essential and any time that you can get back to your hotel room. Even if it is for 2 minutes. If you are not staying in a hotel, go hide in a bathroom stall or in your car for a few minutes. Kudos to those event organizers out there who have recognized this and offered mindful spaces. I like that I am seeing this trend.
- Don’t over obsess over the hashtag. I like that most conferences offer a hashtag for sharing. I think it allows people both at and not at the conference to connect and follow what is going on. But like anything else, it can be overdone. You don’t have to post everything via the hashtag and you don’t have to read every post. Be there. Be in the moment.
- Find your people! One of the best things about live events is connecting with others. If this means skipping a session and grabbing a coffee with someone, do it. Obviously, you pay to attend the sessions and learn, but one of the most valuable learnings for me is that you can skip some in favor of one to one or small group conversation.
- Give yourself time to process. This might be as important as number 1. If you return straight back to work, or to your inbox right after a conference, you do yourself a disservice. You likely won’t even remember going. Give yourself at least a few hours to process, if not a day or two.
Any other tips? I’ll leave that to you. For now, enjoy your next conference.
