It’s wedding season, and you know what that means. Running around, trying to get everything done, and feeling like you don’t have enough time. It can be overwhelming. The important thing though is that you still take time for yourself. Putting energy into self-care can help you avoid burnout and stay on top of your game for clients.
There are a few ways to make sure you can stay at your best and avoid burnout, and I want to share them with you today!
01. Know your bandwidth
One of the most important steps to avoiding burnout is knowing how much you can take on. Oftentimes, we want to say yes to every single inquiry without looking at our calendar and confirming if we actually have the bandwidth for it!
Be sure not to double-book weddings if you prefer just one wedding a weekend, and make sure to actually block off some weekends on your calendar too. Whether you use it for a family vacation or just a weekend off, you will be thankful you did it!
02. Invest in a CRM
A CRM, or customer relationship management, is hands down one of my must-haves for running a wedding planning business! A CRM allows you to get organized and make client management so much easier. I personally use and love Honeybook!
Using Honeybook, I am able to automate our client experience. I use it to keep track of leads, send contracts, auto-send invoices, receive payments and electronic signatures, and much more! I can easily add a new client, create a contract, and set up a payment plan in less than five minutes. It truly is amazing and one of my favorite business resources I could not do without! // Get a free trial + 20% off when you sign up!
03. Schedule breaks
Whether it be going on a walk or actually taking that lunch break (guilty!), schedule time to decompress. Find a good podcast or read that book that’s been sitting on your nightstand. This is one of the most important things you can do to avoid burnout. As wedding planners and coordinators, we often give so much of our time and energy to our couples. But we deserve to have some of that time to ourselves too!
04. Set office hours (and stick to them!)
This one can be so hard to do when you start your wedding planning business. But it is essential if you want to avoid burnout! Not only do office hours set healthy boundaries with your clients (hello no more 2 AM texts from a couple!), but it also gives you a break from your computer. I suggest having your office hours outlined in your welcome guide, contract, and in your email signature. That way clients are reminded of it! And make sure to stick to it.
Even if you are burning the midnight oil at 10 PM, have your emails only go out during office hours. If you use Gmail, there’s a scheduling feature that lets you schedule emails to go out in the future. So that 10 PM email can now go out at 8 AM the next day, during your office hours!
05. Take time off if you need it
Grab lunch with a friend, get your nails done or schedule a coffee date with your significant other after you drop the kids off at school. Whatever it is, listen to your body and take that time off.
It’s so easy to let our businesses take over our life. But isn’t that the exact opposite of what we dreamed of when starting our own wedding planning businesses in the first place? Pay attention to your body and your mind and know when you’re hitting your limit. This takes practice, but it’s so important. When you start hitting a brick wall, it’s time to take some time to yourself.
Best practice is scheduling this time off ahead of time, so it’s already built into your schedule.
06. Consider outsourcing
Whether it be professionally (bookkeeping, social media, or copywriting) or personally (house cleaning, lawn care, or grocery shopping), outsourcing different aspects of your business or personal life can help you avoid burnout. There are so many incredible people out there that you can outsource to! Plus, it’ll free up more time in the day for family time or to do more of what moves the needle forward in your business.
Remember, it’s okay to take a step back in hard seasons. There are so many reasons why it’s important to avoid burnout, including taking care of yourself and being at your best for your clients. If you still feel like you’re not making progress in your business, I would love to hear from you! I offer a variety of coaching experiences to help you level up your business and keep moving forward.
Xo,
Jess
