Breathing room in your calendar, even in the busy season

In autumn and just before summer, things get busy. Conferences, company outings, anniversaries, workshops. Every enquiry is welcome, and before you know it, you've got four performances in one week, with prep calls and a podcast recording in between. On paper, it looks great. In real life, you're exhausted by the end of week two.

A full diary isn't the problem. A diary with no breathing room is. Here are a few ground rules I agree on with clients that work time and again.

Plan for the day after your performance too

A one-hour performance doesn't take just one hour. There's travel, setup, chatting afterwards and often a short night's sleep. Block out the next morning in your diary to recharge. No calls, no deadlines. Once you've tried it, you won't want to go back.

Group similar tasks together

You can easily schedule prep calls with organisers on the same afternoon. The same goes for admin and answering emails. Switching between types of work takes energy every time. Grouping tasks leaves whole mornings or afternoons free for creative work, like writing a new talk.

Set your limit in advance

How many performances do you want to do each week? Set that number before the season starts, not in the middle of the rush. Saying no stops being an emotional decision and simply becomes a matter of checking your diary. And you can often move a booking to a quieter time rather than turn it down.

Look ahead every Friday

Ten minutes on Friday saves a lot of stress on Monday. What's coming up next week? Are all the logistics sorted? Are any days too packed? Small tweaks now stop you running from one fire to the next next week.

It's OK to ask for help

Many of these rules are simple, but sticking to them is hard when you're in the thick of it. It helps to have someone beside you who keeps an eye on your diary and occasionally asks: "Are you sure you want to fit this in too?" Not to hold you back, but to make sure you step on stage with the energy your audience deserves. Poco a poco, as we say in Spain. Step by step.