CHICAGO — Dana Teague, General Manager at the High Performance Expo, provided Trade Show Executive with her key time management strategies.
1. What lessons about time management did you learn early-on in your career?
There are many time management lessons I wish I had learned earlier in my career that I eventually learned along the way. I am much more structured and regimented now than I was early in my career. Some of the more important lessons I have learned are the importance of scheduling, delegation and prioritization. The better I became at these skills, the more productive I became.
2. What unique time management challenges do event professionals experience, and how do you avoid them?
Event planning tends to be cyclical and ramps up dramatically in the weeks and months before the event. It is important to avoid last-minute stress by sticking to your daily schedule and planning ahead as much as possible. Ask yourself “what can I do early?” or “what can I delegate to others?” to try to avoid that last-minute stress.
Event professionals tend to pride themselves on being able to multi-task. I have found that I am more productive and effective if I stay focused on one task at a time vs. shifting my attention from task to task.
3. What applications or technologies do you use to stay on top of things?
I live and die by my Outlook calendar!
I’m also old school and write out my daily prioritized “to do” list. I get great pleasure and a sense of accomplishment by marking tasks as completed.
4. What advice would you give a young professional about working during a trade show?
My top three tips for working a trade show are:
- Go in with a detailed daily schedule and set reminders in your calendar to keep you on track.
- Have a system for taking notes throughout the day whether it be pen and paper or in a Notes app on your phone. These may be post-show follow-ups, reminders for the next day, recommendations for the next event, etc.
- Look professional but be comfortable. One thing I wish I had learned earlier – wear comfortable shoes!
As event professionals, we have the unique opportunity to see many parts of the country and even the world. Take advantage of getting out and seeing the sights and soaking up the culture when time allows. This may be extending the trip on the front or back end or perhaps, it is just a free afternoon. I have found this to be energizing and a huge benefit of our profession.
Related. Time Management Hacks from RD Whitney
5. What does your daily schedule look like?
The first hour of my workday (8am-9am) is blocked out for organizing. I spend this hour to prioritize my tasks and set my intentions for the day. Then I block out 30 minutes to an hour for a “midday timeout.” This time is time just for me and is used to eat, take a walk or play with my dogs. Finally, I block out the last hour of my day (4pm-5pm) to catch up on emails, review the day and prepare for the next.
There are a few other practices that I employ:
If I need to work on a project such as budgets or a strategic plan, I block out time in my day so I can focus on it. Otherwise, the day gets booked up with meetings and calls and I don’t have time to truly focus on the work at hand.
In addition, I schedule meetings and calls for 45 minutes vs. an hour and encourage others to do the same. These small pauses throughout the day are essential for your well-being. It may seem counter-productive for maximizing your time; however, it will actually help increase your productivity.
And lastly, I try to minimize the number of meetings and calls on Fridays. Fridays are a good day to reflect on the work week, work on projects and prepare for the upcoming week.
6. How far in advance do you plan your schedule, day-to-day?
The blocking that I described is input in my calendar on a recurring daily basis. However, there are times when I need to be flexible. If a meeting is scheduled during one of these blocks, I try to make it up at another time during the day.
Also, I look a few months ahead in planning my business travel as well as my personal time off. I try to get these activities on my calendar well in advance to aid in my scheduling and to avoid having to reschedule meetings later.
7. Has your schedule-building process changed through the years?
Schedule-building has changed dramatically over the past few years as many of us are now working remotely either full-time or part-time. Good scheduling helps to get you into a daily routine, helps to solidify a healthy work-life balance and increases discipline. Working remotely, it is easy to fall into the trap of working well into the evening as our work and personal environments are blended; however, it is important to adhere to a daily schedule and routine.
8. How do you avoid burnout? Do you make sure to include rest time in your schedule?
The most important thing you can do to avoid burnout is to practice self-care – get enough sleep, eat healthy, exercise and stick to a schedule. If you find yourself starting to feel stressed, take a time out. Sometimes a quick walk around the block or a few minutes of cuddling with your pet, can clear your head and energize you for the rest of the day.
9. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I can’t emphasize enough the importance of scheduling. It improves my time management, boosts my productivity and reduces my stress. A well-thought-out schedule ensures you have allocated time for personal and work life activities.
