How to Avoid Burnout as a New Event Planner
Today, we’re tackling an issue that hits close to home for many new event planners: burnout.
If you’ve been in the business for 1–3 years and are feeling overwhelmed by the demands of multiple events, this one’s for you.
Let’s talk about how to structure your business for sustainability while still meeting your income goals.
Why Burnout Happens in the Early Years
When you’re starting an event planning business, it’s natural to focus on growth. You’re saying “yes” to as many clients as possible, trying to build a reputation and make money. But as you juggle multiple events—supporting one while planning others—things can quickly spiral out of control. Suddenly, you’re asking yourself:
- When do I rest?
- When do I take a vacation?
- How do I stay creative and inspired?
The reality is, if you don’t address these questions early, burnout becomes inevitable.
Step 1: Set Boundaries with Your Calendar
One of the most powerful tools in your business is your calendar. Here’s how to use it strategically:
Map out your existing events.
Look at your contracts for the upcoming year and block those events on your calendar. I love using a BIG A## CALENDAR so I can see the full year at one time. There are others in Amazon and Etsy too! For example, I’m already looking at 2025 and plugging in my three confirmed contracts.Decide on your capacity.
Ask yourself: How many events can you realistically handle? For me, the magic number is 13 events total spread between retreats and conferences. This includes planning, on-site support, and post-event follow-ups.Prioritize rest.
Build in breaks between events. Creativity thrives when you’re rested, and showing up at your best ensures better service for your clients. I plan for a full week after each event to recharge before traveling to the next event.
Step 2: Profit Forecasting and Pricing
Once you’ve set your event capacity, it’s time to align your financial goals:
Review your income needs.
Calculate how much revenue you need to sustain your business and your life.Set your rates.
For 2025, my starting fee for retreat planning is $10,000 knowing it will help me reach my financial goals while maintaining a manageable workload.Market your services strategically.
Let your audience know your capacity is limited while using targeted messaging to attract your dream clients. The more clear your messaging is to more aligned dream event planning clients will want to work with you. Then you add the limited capacity and BOOM your dream clients are sending you a DM and paying in full.
Step 3: Explore Other Income Streams
Having additional revenue streams can reduce your dependency on overbooking your calendar with full service event planning. Here’s how I am adding income streams to my business:
Launch Online Courses.
This winter, I’m reopening the Retreats on Repeat Academy, a program that teaches others how to plan and sell out their retreats. It’s a great way to serve my audience during the off-season. You can grab my free Ultimate Retreat Planning Guide to get started planning your retreat and you’ll get first dibs to join Retreats on Repeat Academy when the doors open.Offer Digital Products.
Templates, guides, or other resources can provide passive income without requiring significant time. Retreat in a Box is my digital bundle jam packed with every.single. document, template, workflow, calculator and my brain beautifully organized in a 75-page ebook walking you through how to plan a profitable luxury retreat. GRAB IT HEREEvaluate Team Support.
Hiring team members can help you manage more clients, but onboarding and training require time, energy, and effort. Some alternatves to hiring event planners to take on more events, you could hire Virtual Assistants, Bookkeepers, Social Media Marketers, etc to off load administrative tasks that come with running a business so you can focus on event planning. Either way, on you can decide if it’s the right step for your business.
Step 4: Embrace Flexibility and Growth
Entrepreneurship is a constant learning process, of excitement, wins, losses and lots of traveling! Every year, you can makes tweaks your approach:
- Add or remove services.
- Adjust your capacity or pricing.
- Experiment with new ways to market and grow your business.
The key is to structure your work in a way that supports your goals while giving you the freedom to live the life you want.
Final Thoughts
Burnout doesn’t have to be part of your journey as an event planner. By setting boundaries, pricing strategically, and diversifying your income streams, you can build a sustainable business that supports both your clients and your well-being.
If you’re curious about how I price my services, check out my next post, where I’ll break down my pricing strategy in detail.
Want 1:1 support growing your event business, I offer event business mentorship. You can apply HERE then shoot me a DM on IG and letting me know how excited you are to sky rocket your business!