As the great Abraham Lincoln said, “If I had six hours to chop down a tree I would spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.” That is, planning is extremely important before you begin any task. The same is true for online event planners as well. Even though technology has enabled us to conduct any type of event effortlessly via various online event management platforms, last minute hiccups or delays can entirely change the outcome of your event. Thus, the key to conducting a successful event is to plan it in advance, and below are a few pointers that will help you do so in a timely manner.

However, effective time management is no less than an art, and we should first understand what is meant by time management.

What is time management?

Time management is the practice of efficiently planning and organizing work in a given amount of time. Good time management enables you to enhance your productivity while adhering to your timetable. However, in order to improve time management, one needs to change their attention from activities to results.

Here are 7 effective time management tips for event planners

1. Prepare a checklist

One simply cannot ignore the importance of a checklist. A checklist outlines tasks that are to be performed, and it also helps you in tracking them in a particular order or otherwise. Following a checklist reduces the probability of missing a task. Additionally, as an event host, you can prepare an SOP (standard operating procedure) in order to keep a check on the sequence of the tasks to be performed. Both these documents will allow you to keep track of all the tasks and motivate you to perform them within a given time.

2. Schedule tasks according to priority

One of the best ways to minimize time spent on multiple tasks is to group them together based on commonality. Grouping two similar tasks together effectively reduce the overall time required to complete them. Additionally, you can prioritize tasks based on the urgency and create a schedule for an entire week with the help of an event builder. In this way, you can get more done in a minimum amount of time.

3. Create a habit of setting a time limit for tasks

As an event planner, time can be your most precious commodity, considering the event timeline and the various tasks that need to be performed in order for it to be successful. Therefore, to achieve better productivity, you can allocate a time limit for all tasks that need to be performed within a day and strictly adhere to it. As you get acclimatized to it, eventually, you will be able to manage your tasks more efficiently.

4. Eliminate distractions

Throughout the day, frequent notification alerts on smartphones distract you from the work at hand. For a professional event planner, such distractions can significantly impair productivity and squander your valuable time. It is, nevertheless, impossible to completely disconnect from technology. But, at the very least, you can reduce the amount of time you spend on such diversions.

5. Avoid multitasking

For a long time, people assumed that multitaskers were the most productive of the bunch. On the contrary, when you transition from one task to another, you lose concentration and attention, lowering your productivity. Thus, in order to perform jobs successfully and efficiently, you must concentrate on one activity at a time.

6. Leverage technology

Virtual events become more impactful when they are free from any technical glitch, and they maintain a consistent brand experience across all possible touchpoints. Technology can help hosts in these endeavors. Modern online event planning and management software enables event planners to host memorable events while saving time and effort.

7. Invest in appropriate event management tools

Today there are plenty of virtual event platforms available in the market to host various types of events. However, a host must opt for a solution that perfectly fits her requirements and helps in effectively managing an event from start to end. Advantages of using a virtual event management solution include efficient data management, real-time data analysis, and automating a number of planning tasks that make an event planner’s life easier.

Final word

While a host may plan for every detail, he or she must also be prepared to deal with unforeseen incidents. You may, however, efficiently maneuver through unforeseen incidents with the help of a strong team and the right online event management software. Furthermore, one can follow the above-mentioned techniques to successfully manage events while remaining on top of their schedule.