5 Ways to Practice Self-Care at Conferences

Once or twice a year, I make it to another city for a conference, like Frequent Traveler University (FTU) or FinCon. (I actually plan on attending FinCon 2018 in Orlando this September!)

I’ve seen lots of articles on how to get more out of conferences. The gist is: talk to everyone, go to social events, get involved, show up early, even go for a run to keep energy levels up.

That all sounds great. It also sounds freaking exhausting.

Industry conferences come with amazing opportunities. But you need self-care along the way

There’s a point during every conference where my energy dips, I’m thirsty and/or starving, and talking to more people sounds awful because my voice is shot.

Here’s how I plan to prepare for my next conference: get more out of it by bringing self-care with me.

Take care of yourself first

1. Always have water and/or coffee

Rule number one: stay hydrated. Yup, you’ll be hitting the bathrooms more often, but drinking water keeps your body running and moistens your vocal chords.

I use whatever’s on hand – a water bottle, to-go coffee cup, or reusable container (Hydro Flasks are perfect for this) – and keep refilling it all day.

This is truly your MVP for all-day hydration

Also, I’ve noticed many conferences have coffee in the morning. But after the first session, it’s gone.