How Team Jolos Prepares For The Summer Season

What Time Is It

It's clear that summertime is just around the corner. While many are packing their bags for a well-deserved vacation, for those of us in the event industry, it's the busiest time of the year. Summer days and different team-building events are crucial communication tools for modern companies by bringing people together and keeping everyone on the same page.

But as exciting as it is, the lead-up to summer can also be demanding. With multiple ongoing projects and larger-scale events, we know firsthand the importance of sufficient time and workflow management. After many years of experience, we've developed a few #hacks to help us stay on track.

How do we do it?

With events lasting usually two to three days, having various concepts and goals, and accommodating a larger number of guests, there is a lot more work to be done. At Jolos, the project management and creative teams work closely together to ensure that every project is a success. As summer approaches, this cooperation needs to be planned and thought out more than before. 

For the #creative team, the busiest period of the year is likely to fall between January and May. During this time, all creative solutions for the summer event are being prepared. Typically, the main focus in May is to provide guidance and support to the production team and we work closely alongside ensuring that every detail is there. In addition, creative team members attend live events to provide support to colleagues and clients. Towards the end of summer, larger inquiries for autumn and winter start pouring in, and it's time to focus on the new season.

Burnout is a common concern in the events industry, and avoiding it is definitely one of our top priorities for the #production team. A well-structured team is the best remedy against burnout. They pay great attention to team composition, ensuring that no one is burdened with an excessive workload while others have too little.

A well-structured team is the best remedy against burnout.

An event is not a static entity, it constantly evolves, unexpected situations arise, and new details emerge, potentially turning initial plans upside down. Nonetheless, the event must be ready by a specific date. The occurrence of problems during the work process should not be feared, they are bound to happen anyway. The production team makes sure that they swiftly and skillfully resolve these issues. This ability is highly valued by our clients, and conducting a risk analysis is an excellent way to prepare for such situations.

Forget the summer FOMO

In Estonian, we have a saying, "Enne töö, siis lõbu," which translates to "first work, then fun." Generally, we live by this quote, but as the summer season approaches, we feel the need to take some time off to mentally prepare ourselves. We make sure to rest enough, so we don't get the idea or #FOMO that everyone else is having fun while we're working. To recharge before the busy summer season, we schedule vacations, team events, and workshops, creating our own little summer before the actual one. At least two to three times a year, we make it a priority to escape and spend time together. Our team gatherings usually revolve around three key elements - a unique location away from our everyday responsibilities, a learning or inspirational component, and an opportunity to have fun and strengthen bonds with the entire team. This spring, we took a trip to the east side of Estonia to spend quality time with one another and prepare mentally for the upcoming months. 

The flow state and model cranes

To inspire us, we had the opportunity to attend a workshop led by a success coach Kristel Tuul, which focused on managing our energy, not time. The workshop introduced the concept of #flow state which is a state of consciousness where we feel and perform at our best. She explained that flow state can be so powerful that it can for example increase productivity by 500% and creativity by 430%. We learned about the benefits of the flow state for our mental health and work effectiveness and identified some errors in our team's understanding of flow. For instance, we learned that in order to get to a flow state you have to pass a tunnel with numerous small holes. The tunnel represents focused time because flow follows focus, and in order to stay in that tunnel we need to avoid distractions and procrastination. 

Kristel suggested that we spend at least 90 minutes of work per week in a flow state to reap the many benefits of flow. For example, the flow doesn't just train the brain to be more creative at the moment, it actually trains the brain to think more creatively over time. We also discovered that to consistently get into a flow state we should not spend more than 1.5 hours in flow at a time. Because our minds need an active break to recharge such as walking, drinking water, or meditation. Scrolling through phones is not an effective option. Overall, this workshop inspired us and provided us with valuable insights to apply to our everyday lives.

After the educational component of our team gathering, we rolled up our sleeves and had some fun by creating model cranes and lifting buckets using yarns and rubber bands. It's always fun to look back and realize that these small and silly activities can strengthen a team and create core memories to reflect on. These fun parts of our team events provide us with enough energy and motivation to tackle the upcoming busy season.