Being in the event industry means that boundaries sometimes don’t exist for clients. If you never establish those boundaries, the line between having a life and always being connected will inevitably blur. Thankfully, there are plenty of digital tools available to provide you peace of mind without leaving your clients feeling neglected.

Boomerang is an extension from Google and Outlook. It’s free and gives you the feeling of total control over your inbox, which can dominate our days at times. A few things it's useful for:

• Pausing your inbox. Do you ever need to have emails open while you work on an event or project, but suddenly become distracted by incoming messages? Stop those distractions by hitting pause on your inbox for any amount of time.
• Scheduling emails. When you’re working on weekends or late at night, schedule your emails so they go out the next weekday morning. That way you’re not setting a precedent that you are available at all hours of the day and night via email.
• Set email reminders. There are times you may need to follow up within a specific time frame after sending a message. For these instances, you can select to be reminded if nobody replies, or following other circumstances. This way you won't let messages slip through the cracks and will never forget to follow up with people.

Calendly is a scheduling app that connects with your calendar and shows your availability based on your actual calendar. You can share a link with clients or even vendors to eliminate the back and forth of figuring out a time that works best for you. The app even allows you to set a limit on the number of meetings per day and set locations, email notifications and reminders.

Our phones are souped up to do just about anything, but one feature that every event planner needs is the Do Not Disturb setting. If you can’t function without a solid eight hours of sleep, punch your slumber hours into your phone’s Do Not Disturb app and your phone will remain silent (and notification free) until you’re awake.

If email notifications cause anxiety, turn them off, too. By turning them off, you can set aside time to focus on your emails when you have the actual time to focus on them.

About the Author

Laine Palm started Laine Palm Planning + Designs in 2016 to bring a fresh, stylish and inspired approach to full-service wedding planning, event design, and day-of wedding coordination. With a growing team of planners behind her and an ever-changing event industry, she joined ILEA in 2018 to help grow her business and learn from the best in the Twin Cities event industry. She has loved being a part of the most recent Star Awards design team and growing her network within the ILEA community.

About ILEA

The International Live Events Association (ILEA) represents and supports more than 5,000 members globally – event professionals who do business together, share knowledge, nurture talent and progress the live events industry. For more information on how an ILEA professional can help you with your event, please contact communications@ilea-msp.org.