When it comes to running an events business, the adage ‘no two days are the same’ is aptly accurate. The unpredictable nature of our industry often makes it hard to create routines and consistently implement systems that keep our mental, physical, and spiritual health top of mind.

As an event planner, whether you’ve been in the business for 20 years or only 2, if you suffer from Superhuman Syndrome, here are three things to consider to ensure you’re always operating at the top of your game so you show up as the best version of yourself for your family and your clients.

Set Clear Boundaries

There’s nothing worse than having so called boundaries that feel like moving targets. This not only creates ambiguity for your clients but also frustration for you when you’re left wondering why you’re constantly running on empty.

The level of balance you can achieve between work and life will be heavily dependent on your ability to voice your needs and subsequently advocate for them – unapologetically.

As a business owner, one of the most important things you can do is show people how to respect you and your time by the boundaries you set.

Don’t like being stuck in meetings? Then set aside one specific day during the week that will be designated as your meeting day. This will free up your calendar and provide greater capacity for other things during the week.

If you prefer that your clients not have 24/7 access to you (this is a huge one!), then set clear parameters during their onboarding process about how you’ll communicate. While there may of course be exceptions to this, be mindful not to make it a habit of back tracking on your stated boundaries the minute a client makes a request feel urgent. Committing to consistent communication with your clients substantially reduces the number of emergencies you need to handle.

Control What You Can & Delegate the Rest

As planners, it’s in our nature to want to control every last thing but as you quickly learn, this actually isn’t possible (hate to break it to you). Rather than trying to be the epicenter of everything on event day, delegate major event components to your team. Have someone solely responsible for audio/visual questions, another person running point on guest inquiries and so on. Taking yourself out of the equation for components that are easily delegated, frees you up to focus on your client and be available for the truly urgent situations that require your attention.

For your business, this same principle applies. If, for example, you know your zone of genius isn’t social media marketing, then why are you wasting precious time trying to do the thing you hate? Delegate that task to someone who not only excels at that task but also enjoys doing it. Protect your time and your sanity.

Your 85% is Most People’s 110%

The phrase ‘done is better than perfect’ is one that I’ve personally struggled with over the years. My thought has always been why settle for just okay if you can keep pushing for perfection? While this is a noble endeavor, perfection is a myth. We’d be better served focusing our attention (and capacity) on the areas that we can truly get closer to perfect versus those where calling it done is probably the best life choice.

Here’s what I’ve learned over the years. Planners tend to obsess about the smallest things that most people typically never catch. Is the menu placement on one table setting slightly higher on the napkin than on the one next to it? Perhaps but truly, no one but you (and your team) will likely give it a second thought.

When it comes to events and your business, remember the 80/20 rule. Focus your attention on the 20% of things that will yield 80% of the results. Now, am I saying not to care about the details? Absolutely not. What I am saying is choose your OCD battles wisely.

This job – though exhilarating and massively fulfilling – is incredibly stressful. Let’s stop being Captains of Team Do the Most and instead, lean into peace and calm. Your family, clients and most importantly your sanity, deserve it.