An Important Conference Alert: Three Ways to Avoid Peaking Early and Burning Out

The excitement is buzzing. The coffee is flowing. The first-time presenters are jittering (from a cocktail of the aforementioned excitement and caffeine). And your program guide… Still so shiny…

There is a great deal to love about those first moments after collecting your attendee badge; chief among them might be your state of mind. As trainers, designers, and every flavor of L&D professional, we know that a good learning experience is greater than the sum of its parts. The process of retaining new information, sharing it with others, and generating your own ideas and connections means that every part you—from your mind, to your emotions, to your head-shoulders-knees-and-toes—has conspired to make you the best you can be. This is usually easy enough on the stress-free first day. Our dilemma then is how to keep the positivity lasting for four whole days without train-wrecking. Here are a few ways to keep your conference experience from becoming the equivalent of the kid whose best years were in  eighth grade.

Set goals that motivate you. Many of us set personal goals for what we would like to accomplish during learning events. We’re probably all familiar with “SMART” goals and various other spins on setting measurable objectives to achieve a desired result. Whichever theory you subscribe to, the word “realistic” is probably somewhere in the equation. The conference is the perfect place to set the kinds of “toward goals” Noel Blumenthal describes on his blog, quoting David Rock. Motivate yourself by focusing on attainable areas where you want to grow (positive behaviors), not just the ones where you feel yourself lacking (problem areas). Remain positive, and avoid the energy-drain caused by stressing out.

Build in some breaks. Taking breaks throughout the day is strongly encouraged at ASTD conferences. We are famous for plying you with ice cream and encouraging rest and reflection between sessions. While taking those breaks, try to avoid all the multitasking. You’ll have a hard time consolidating memories if you are trying to read that life-changing handout, while tweeting about it, texting a colleague about dinner plans, and responding to work email. Enjoy an occasional break and just watch your thoughts for a change. And speaking of breaks, don’t forget to get the same (or an even greater) amount of sleep as you would back home. Your body and mind require a night of deep sleep to solidify all of that good learning. I bet you already know this; now make it happen!

Connect and have a nice chat. There are roughly 9 billion (seemingly) studies showing the connection between learning, feeling safe, and fostering high-quality, positive relationships. Networking and connecting with your fellow conference-goers can be about much more than widening your circles on Google+ or LinkedIn. The SCARF model, as well as copious research, indicate that good interactions with peers actually affects how we absorb and store new information. So enjoy the interconnected, social learning experience the conference enables. Then check out Catherine Lombardozzi’s session on research-based social learning strategies, and learn how to generate similar dynamics within your organization.

Happy learning, and see you in a few weeks!

Join more than 9,000 of your learning colleagues from around the globe in Washington, D.C., May 4–7, 2014, to share best practices and insights at the ASTD 2014 International Conference & EXPO.