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Conference blues

Posted 14th October 2007 by Jen Creer, tagged travel, marketing, conference, clients, energy, professionalism, workshops, weariness, fatigue

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I am tired today and I have been bone weary for a couple of months now. I took some vacation time and that helped, but I could have taken two more weeks and been perfectly happy about it. However, projects were stacking up, so last week I went back to work.

This Friday, I am driving three hours to Kansas City and then flying to Vancouver, Canada. I have never been to Vancouver, and from what I have seen, it is beautiful there. I am looking forward to the beautiful part. Just not the fact that I will be away from my family for a long weekend. 

I know that once I get packed and on the road, I'll be fine. I'll enjoy my swank hotel room and the energy from the conference. But I am feeling so icky today that I can't yet imagine it. 

Before I go, I not only have to figure out my wardrobe, but I also have to prepare the workshop presentation I am giving. I could give the presentation in my sleep. I have been saying it in my head, as I drive to pick up the kids from school or wander through the aisle of the grocery store. But I have to write a power point presentation to go with it. It's not a storytelling event: People want slides and diagrams and notes to go along with what I have to tell them. They want something tangible to take with them. 

I should have sent out postcards last week to tell people about my workshop. I didn't. I got out the postcards, bought the mailing labels, and then I didn't do it. My husband tells me to leave the postcards around the conference hotel so people will come to my exhibit table. That's a good idea.

This is an important conference for me: Most of my clients belong to this organization. I will have to rally for it, but right now? I just don't have the energy. 





4 comments so far...

  • You have it all in your head and you are really ready to go - just start trying to think of being there already. Get 'settled in' mentally and it will be easier to journey because you will already be there! As for powerpoint, just dump all the words in your head and go from there. I try to look at my powerpoints as my random creative outlet at work (kind of sad, but you do what you can do!) and I really enjoy them once I get started. I just have to remind myself of that when starting new ones and dreading it!

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Kate on 15th October 2007

  • When I have to do work things that I'm not "up" for or don't really want to do I go back to the days when I was in theater in high school and pretend I'm super career woman. It drains me a little more than I'd like, but it keeps the checks coming in. - And Nataly is 100% on with powerpoint - there is nothing worse than sitting through a presentation that is all pp and no words - it drives me batty.

    Good luck!

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by CursingMama on 15th October 2007

  • Ugh, I really understand how you feel and it's tough... you need more than a 2 week vacation right now, that's for sure. Don't worry about the postcards - I think your husband's suggestion is a GREAT one, might even be better than sending them out ahead of time. Re powerpoint - I know it's an annoying thing to do, but maybe focus on trying to limit the number of slides - simpler is better anyway when it comes to those things. (If I can help by looking over it, let me know - after my years as a consultant, Power Point is second nature to me, unfortunately:)

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Nataly on 14th October 2007

  • I'm sorry you're still beaten down Jen. I think you're grieving a lot of things right now, and it's hard to go to that "ON" place when you're feeling like that. It's kind of ****ty, really, how the world expects to keep on turning when we're sad.

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Kimberly on 14th October 2007

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