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June 15th! That’s today! This could only mean one thing: SUMMER is almost here! And, in the wedding industry that means it’s busy season. Busy season means we are all running around maxed out. Our weekends are full of weddings, and our weeks are full of preparing and processing those weddings. With all the “busy-ness”, it’s a miracle our heads don’t explode.
Today, I want to share…
5 Ways to Cope with Busy Season in the Wedding Industry
1 – Start the Day for YOU
Before you start your day, spend 30 minutes doing something that is going to make you feel better. This is a great way to get focused and centered. It may mean that you read the newspaper, go for a walk, or sit outside with a cup of coffee. Or, let’s face it… this might mean 30 minutes organizing your workspace or creating a to-do list. But, before you do anything for anyone, do something for yourself. Before answering that client’s email or fixing your kids’ breakfast, spend 30 minutes doing something to start your day out right. Having these 30 minutes helps you start the day with clarity. I guarantee your day will go a lot smoother if you start with YOU in mind.
2 – Set Work Hours
Even though it is busy season and your workload may have just doubled (or tripled), you need to set work hours of some kind. I do understand that you have a lot more to do: a lot more email to answer, a lot more coordinating of clients, a lot more details to keep tabs on. But, give yourself “busy season hours”. This may mean that you shut your computer off at 8pm (instead of what I think is an appropriate time: 6pm). But, if you don’t shut it down at 8pm, you’ll be working til midnight “just because”. Trust me, no “good work” is getting done between 8-12. Furthermore, answering client email after 8pm just opens you up to the expectation that you’ll be available at all hours, and you must learn how to set your client expectations.
3 – Schedule one “selfish” thing each week
When times are busy, we often don’t allow any time for ourselves. And, on the off chance we actually take a lunch break – let alone anything truly indulgent – we feel guilty about it. “Oh, I really should be working right now.” WHY? Yes, we are busy. But, we signed up for a life of business ownership and self employment because we want to do more for ourselves and our families. And, it seems like it’s the first thing we compromise. So give in… schedule one “selfish” thing for yourself each week. Meet a non-wedding-industry friend for lunch, schedule a pedicure on Wednesday morning, watch a world cup match on a Thursday afternoon, take a Monday off. You are going to put in the hard hours this summer… there is no doubt about it. So, make up for it in some other way each week.
4 – Plan a summer break
I don’t care if it’s only a 2 day staycation at home, but plan some sort of “summer break” for yourself. And get it on the books NOW before the summer has evaporated. In my previous life in the kids’ clothing industry, summers used to be VERY busy with tradeshows. It was not uncommon for me to work straight thru from July through August. And, before I knew it, my summer had evaporated with little to show for itself. I spent 4 years without much of a summer because I was working so hard. And, I know wedding pros can experience the same. So, before summer evaporates before your eyes, schedule a few days off. And “days off” means: no clients, no computer, no work. (And, no excuses!)
5 – Say No
It’s OK to say “no”. There is no way we can do it all. People who appear to “do it all” are actually good at prioritizing. And you must become good at that also. When you are feeling maxed out and your list is a mile long pick SEVERAL things from that last that you are simply NOT going to do. I know it might sound CRAZY, but you must do this in order to gain control and balance. There are a number of things that we all work on, that we really don’t have to do. We are busy for the sake of being busy. Yet, we continue to do them. CHOOSE, PRIORITIZE, SAY NO.
What are your thoughts? How do you cope with busy season?
by Michelle Loretta
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