A look at the most stressful jobs in America and why getting an ROI on events and tickets is worth it
When you think of your stress, what are the underlying themes? Most list work, relationships, and family. If you identify with this post so far, you are certainly not alone. Job posting site CareerCast recently surveyed their user base and found that 80-percent of workers noted feeling “high stress” on the job.
It got us thinking, with such a significant amount of emotional capital spent on work, which professions lend themselves to the “Sunday Scaries” the most?
In their annual Jobs Rated Report, CareerCast surveyed against 11 factors that underline stress in the workplace and compared it to median compensation for those roles. Some key results:
- Military Personnel –> $27,000
- Firefighter –> $49,000
- Airline Pilot –> $112,000
- Police Officer –> $63,000
- Broadcaster –> $63,000
- Event Coordinator –> $48,000
Think about that… To plan events is to provide entertainment or mission–driven hospitality. For a career in events to be ranked amongst professions in which lives are on the line may be difficult to understand, especially for those outside of the industry.
But those that have lived it (or planned a wedding) can surely empathize with these findings. From endless action items, tight timelines, various disconnected stakeholders, and internal pressure for results – it often feels as if your life is on the line. Produce or die.
Here are some tricks to the trade we like to practice at Best.Day.Ever. We hope they help you when that pressure is driving you bananas.
Put Everything on a Timeline
It’s easier to prioritize when your check list items have a due date, and allows you find work-life balance when you know you can afford it.
Involve Everyone in Major Decisions, and Make Them Early
When the people that will judge the success of your event have an active role in defining the benchmarks, you have an easier time prioritizing your actions and putting your post-event recap together
Breathe, Sleep, and Slow Your Brain Down
Sometimes we get going so fast in our heads that it becomes impossible to gain clarity when we need it most. Short, quiet meditation sessions slow your brain down so when it needs to speed up again it will fire faster than before. Whether that is yoga, a long run, or reading a book – do not forget the hobbies that take you away from your day-to-day
When Event Day Comes, Soak It In
You will be pulled in a million directions helping execute the event but try to pull yourself away and look at things from a bird’s eye view. If you have given this event everything you got then it will be a moment worth remembering, for better or worse. Take the time to look around and be conscious of the things that work or that need to be changed around for next time – even a mental diary the day of will be useful, but if you can, write it down.
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Lastly, always remember that unless you moonlight as one of the other jobs, nobody’s life is actually on the line at an event. Be thankful for the military personnel, firefighters, pilots, and police officers that truly live with life-or-death anxiety every day. Putting things into perspective often helps ensure you can perform to expectations without any unnecessary stress.
And if none of this works, consider either giving (or getting) a massage. Masseuse was listed by CareerCast as one of the least stressful jobs amongst those surveyed.