Event planning never stops. This industry goes 24/7, 365 days a year. Planners work evenings, weekends, and holidays, often far away from their home base, organizing and running events that simply must go on, and go smoothly. Missing a critical deadline is not an option in the event planning field. Time management errors can cost a company a potential sale, lose them an existing customer, and damage their professional reputation. Burnout and chaos are real risks in this hectic world of deadlines and multiple projects. Planners often find themselves working down to the wire against crushing deadlines and a mountain of obstacles that impede their progress. Too frequently, there is not enough time to get the job done properly, let alone to spend on personal or professional pursuits. And for many involved in the event planning field, there is the extra dimension of travel to factor in, juggling multiple projects on a daily basis across a multitude of time zones. For smooth event implementation, and for business success, it is essential that planners know how to manage their own time as well as they manage an event. Time Management for Event Planners teaches readers how to successfully manage their workload, and do what matters most, when it matters most: Analyze and prioritize tasks. Structure your workload and your day for maximum performance. Identify red-flag activities that hinder productivity. Reduce stress-producing time crunches. Identify when extra help is needed, as well as how to delegate, outsource, and even partner with suppliers in crunch periods. Work with rather than against deadlines. Save time using technology. Manage multiple projects, even in multiple time zones. Balance your personal and professional life. Whether you are an event planner, a hospitality professional, in public relations or other related fields, Time Management for Event Planners offers time-saving tips, techniques, examples, and expert insight that will help you get time on your side.
Autorentext
Judy Allen is one of the world's leading authorities on staging, event and lifestyle design and the bestselling author of ten books for the professional, business and consumer markets. Allen, a master of creative design, has flawlessly executed successful special events-corporate, social, and celebrity-for up to 2,000 guests at a time in more than 30 countries around the world. She has designed and produced memorable events such as Disney's worldwide theatrical opening-night gala for Beauty and the Beast, and the orchestration of Oscar-winning director Norman Jewison's 25th anniversary celebration for Fiddler on the Roof.
Highly skilled in staging events that are strategically designed to be one-of-kind experiences and a master of transforming the energy of an event environment by engaging the senses with trademark primary design principles, Allen has worked closely with CEOs, CFOs, presidents and their executive staff around the globe to create, implement and oversee their corporate and social business events.
The many diverse events that Allen has designed and executed extend from complex one-day events to elaborate arrangements of theme productions taking place over the course of a week. These events ranged from very exclusive VIP events to multimillion-dollar, multimedia fantasy extravaganzas including seven new-car product launches and involved high-tech stage and show productions.
Allen, and her 2jproductions (www.2jproductions.com) partner, Joe Shane, are now bringing their dynamic creative energy, innovative style and perceptive insight to home, life and lifestyle design and world class resorts around the world through Sensual Home LivingTM (www.sensualhomeliving.com) and other initiatives.
Inhalt
Preface xvii
Acknowledgments xix
Chapter 1: Taking Stock 1
Reaching a Defining Moment 6
Identifying What You Really Do Day to Day 8
Analyzing What You Need to Do to Get the Job Done Effectively 24
Defining What's Essential for Performance and Advancement 25
Uncovering Hidden Job Requirements 27
Chapter 2: Charting Your Priorities 29
Developing Time Sensitivity 31
Identifying Potential Time Crunches in Advance 34
Freeing Up More Time 36
Maneuvering More Minutes into Your Day 38 Bringing Order-Through Reorder 40
Creating a Sample Time Management Reorder Grid 45
Chapter 3: Designing a Daily Action Plan 47
Structuring Your Workload to Efficiently Meet Your Objectives 50
Organizing Your Day for Maximum Effect 52
Becoming Critical About How You Spend Your Time and Energy 53
Taking Control-Clearing the Clutter 56
Getting to It and Through It-Due, to Do, Done 60
Chapter 4: Integrating Time Management Tactics Into Your Day 65
Setting Personal and Professional Goals 66
Meeting Your Objectives and Deadlines 69
Preparing for the Unknowns and Unexpecteds 72
Minimizing Distractions When in the Office 74
Minimizing Distractions When Out of the Office 83
Chapter 5: Implementing Time-Saving Systems and Procedures 95
Gaining Value by Outlining Expectations 96
Establishing Company Codes of Conduct in Key Areas 98
Setting Time-Saving Codes of Conduct Creating an Action Plan for Emergency Situations 101
Saving Time Through Technology 106
Deciding When to Delegate or Outsource Expertise 110
Chapter 6: Working Around the World on Multiple Projects in Multiple Time Zones 113
Juggling Multiple Files, Tasks, Responsibilities and Players 117
Learning to Time Shift 129
Chapter 7: Getting Time on Your Side 135
Riding the Wave of Work Expectations 136
Building in Time Buffers 142
Identifying Time Triggers 153
Performing Time Edits 153
Creating Your Daily Action Plan 156
Chapter 8: Saving Time When Out of the Office and On-Site 159
Preparing in Advance 161
Taking the Trip 170
Getting Back to Business 173
Chapter 9: Making Time for Professional Pursuits 175
Taking Advantage of On-the-Job Opportunities 179
Investing in Professional Development 181
Finding Educational Value in Attending Incentive and Premium Trade Shows 184
Chapter 10: Balancing Your Personal and Professional Life 191
Defining Your Objectives 193
Protecting Your Division Between Personal and Professional Time 195
Making Use of Transition Time 197
Finding Balance Without Compromising 199
Scheduling Your Personal Life in Your Agenda 200
Conclusion 201
Index 205