Monique Gaudion has spent more than 25 years creating and delivering live experiences. She shares four habits that help event organisers stay on top of the pressure.
You know that feeling when a new event brief lands on top of an already full workload? It’s rarely one big issue that drains you. More often it’s the steady build-up of emails, changes, decisions and follow-up, while trying to keep all the moving parts in view.
Habit 1: Bring your focus back to one thing
When too many things want your attention at once, focus can disappear quickly.
Multitasking feels productive, but research tells a different story. Every interruption costs time and clarity, and – according to a study from the University of California – it can take more than 20 minutes to fully return to a task.
Getting everything out of your head and onto paper or a screen first then deciding what matters most right now can help. My own practice is simple: the task I least want to do goes first, because it’s usually the one taking up the most mental space.
When things get loud, I pause, take one deep breath and focus on the task at hand. It’s a small reset but it works.
Habit 2: Listen for the ripple effect
Active listening is more than hearing what’s said. It’s noticing what’s still vague, what’s being assumed and what could create pressure later.
In events, very little ‘only takes a minute.’ A new request may look small but it often brings extra communication, follow-up and coordination with it.
Part of the organiser’s role is to notice those issues early then communicate clearly so everyone understands what a change actually involves. That conversation upfront saves a lot of scrambling later.
Habit 3: Start with what already works
Not every event needs to be built from the ground up. One of the easiest ways to reduce pressure is to begin with what’s already proven.
A past run sheet, agenda, checklist, supplier brief or template gives you structure straight away – then you adapt it to suit the event in front of you.
A template confirmation email or supplier brief can save you from chasing the same details every time. Don’t reinvent the wheel when the wheel is already there.
Habit 4: Make updates easy to find
When key information is spread across emails, texts, notes and memory, staying on top of changes becomes much harder than it needs to be.
One clear place for the latest information (a run sheet, planning document or shared board) can save a surprising amount of time and repeat follow-up.
Speaker times, bump-in details, dietary changes and venue contacts are much easier to manage when they sit in the same place. A clear record of what each person or supplier needs cuts down on double handling significantly.
Event work asks a lot. A few clear habits, good communication and the confidence to keep things simple can make a real difference to how the day unfolds.
