In-Person Gatherings Playbook — How to Organize and Host a Local TaskHuman Community Event

Thank you for showing initiative and wanting to bring the TaskHuman coach community closer together! 

We know organizing a community event can be quite stressful, as there are typically many moving parts and things to consider. So, we’ve put together a guide with the hopes of helping you get started and stay on top of everything; and ensuring your event ends up being a total success.

If possible, we encourage you to get some help from other local coaches, perhaps even form a team, and split tasks and responsibilities for easier event planning. Also, to make sure everything goes smoothly and without hurry, you should start your preparations on time — at least a few months before.

1. Figure out the basics

First things first — you should think about what type of event you want to host. Do you want it to be casual or structured? Are you going to discuss a piece of content or have a free-flowing conversation? It can also be something else — for instance, an exchange of your experiences on what’s made you successful as a TaskHuman coach.

It also might be a good idea to ask the interested coaches which type of event they’d prefer, as that will increase their chances of showing up.

In addition, we suggest you start small. If this is your first time organizing an event, it might be a good idea to test the waters by hosting a small local event first and then transition to bigger, regional ones. That way, your events are much more likely to be successful. 

1.a. Select a theme/topic 

To find a topic to discuss, we suggest you browse through news, blogs, and social media to get ideas. For instance, perhaps you’ve come across a new study that reveals the effectiveness of certain coaching practices or highlights an important issue — anything that has to do with wellness will work.  

If you’ve attended one of our Coach Connects, you probably already have an idea of what type of topics coaches find interesting. If not, we strongly encourage you to sign up for one and see for yourself.

Make a list of potential topics, then narrow it down to a few choices. You can even ask the coaches to give suggestions and vote on their favorite topics via email before the event. 

The topic you choose should be interesting and relevant to TaskHuman coaches. However, while it should be thought-provoking and intriguing, the topic shouldn’t be offensive and divisive. In other words, we advise you to avoid centering your discussion around topics such as:

• politics
• social issues 
• your own personal opinions

We’re not saying these issues aren’t important, but we found that an objective approach seems to make our events better. Sensitive topics tend to elicit an emotional response from people, get in the way of objectivity, and cause disruption in the otherwise friendly atmosphere. Remember, the goal is for our coaches to unite, learn and improve together, and have some fun along the way, so make sure the topic echoes that.

If you happen to get stuck choosing the topic, feel free to contact us and ask us for suggestions. We are constantly learning about new wellness topic ideas and we’d love to share them with you if needed. 

1.b. Come up with an event name

Next, you should name your event. Opt for a short and powerful name that will be easy to remember. It should be unique and interesting enough to incite curiosity, but still clearly reflect what the event will be about or what will be discussed. 

*Examples of recent TaskHuman event names: Hedonic Treadmill, Financial Intimacy, Emotional Hygiene

1.c. Start forming the guest list

In order to make further plans and reservations for the event, you’ll need to know how many attendees it’ll have. While you won’t be able to predict the guest count with 100% accuracy, you should still try your best to find out who’s coming beforehand. 

For example, you can first send out emails to everyone in the region to see who’d be interested in such an event. Then, a month prior to the event, invite them to confirm their attendance, so you’ll have a clearer picture of the number of guests. 

2. Set a date and time

First of all, you should give yourself and your attendees time to thoroughly plan out everything, so don’t choose a date that’s too close/soon. Here are some other important factors to consider when deciding on your community event date:

2.a. Other important dates and events

Check the local calendars to learn about any upcoming state or religious holidays, public events, and other happenings. Your event can’t overlap with any of them. In addition, you should take into account when the locals are typically going on vacation (in most cases, that’s during summer). 

2.b. Attendee availability and preferences

You can also ask your potential attendees when they’ll be available via email. Although you certainly won’t be able to please everyone, you should at least try to make it work. 

What’s more, you can ask them to vote on the date, time, and whether they’d prefer the event to be on a weekday or during the weekend, just as an example. Keep track of the votes and opt for the time and date that works for most coaches. You can also use a tool like Doodle or Calendly to find a time that works best for most people.

If you get stuck or you’re short on time — we can also share with you times and days of the week that we’ve found to be successful, so feel free to contact us about that as well. 

2.b. Weather

Check the weather forecast for the location you’ve chosen to see which date would work best for the event. For instance, if your event primarily revolves around outdoor activities, make sure to schedule it to happen on a nice and sunny day. And if you’re planning on meeting indoors, in an air-conditioned/heated space, the weather won’t be as relevant a factor. 

2.c. Venue availability

Of course, the date of your event will also depend on the availability of the venue you’ve selected, but more on that in the next section. 

3. Choose the venue

Another crucial step in planning your event is finding the right venue. Just a quick Google search should be enough to uncover plenty of options, but you can also ask for recommendations from local coaches or even from locals on social media. 

In addition, always look at the photos and user reviews to see which ones are actually worth checking out.

We suggest you check out multiple locations and even have a backup venue in case anything goes wrong with your reservation or if the weather changes. Anyhow, here are some factors to consider when choosing the event venue:

3.a. Location

Your community event should be at a location that is convenient for most coaches in the region. For instance, it can be at the midpoint, somewhere halfway for all attendees, or simply where the majority of coaches come from. 

However, keep in mind that somebody needs to check out the venue in person before the event. If you’re not located in that area specifically, connect with a coach that is, and have them check out the place. 

3.b. Size and capacity

Firstly, you’ll need to determine how many attendees your event will have and choose the venue accordingly. You don’t want to rent a venue that’s too big and pay an arm and a leg for space that you won’t even use. However, you also don’t want your attendees to be squeezed together tightly in a single room.  

Every attendee should have a place to sit comfortably, and everyone should be able to see and hear each other clearly. After all, we need to encourage conversation and interaction between coaches, so we need a venue that can enable that.

Keep in mind that the COVID-19 pandemic is still prevalent in many countries around the world. If that’s the case for the event location you’ve chosen, you need to make sure the venue is big enough to allow for social distancing or consider limiting the amount of  attendees. Also, in that case, you’ll need to make sure epidemiological measures are being followed by everyone. 

3.c. Type

The venue you select has to reflect the personalities and preferences of all your attendees. If half the coaches don’t drink alcohol, it wouldn’t make sense to hold your event in a brewery or a pub, right? And if you’re aiming for something more casual and intimate, a large convention center may not be the right choice. In other words, make sure the type, as well as the mood, ambiance, and decor of the venue align with the coaches’ expectations. 

Also, don’t be afraid to explore some unconventional and unique venue options (library, park, community center, cruise ship, etc.). Just make sure they aren’t inconvenient for the attendees and are equipped with everything you need.

3.d. Transportation and Parking

Depending on the location, some coaches will fly in, whereas others will prefer to drive. Make sure they can easily reach the venue and have a smooth trip, no matter where they’re coming from or what means of transportation they chose. Consider the traffic, roadwork, weather, and provide plenty of parking spaces. 

And in case alcohol is being served at the event, it’s best to ensure that the venue has rooms for sleeping or is near the attendee’s home or accommodation; and that a taxi or rideshare service (such as Uber and Lyft) is available. Make sure to acquire that information ahead of time.

3.e. Pricing

Whatever venue you opt for in the end, communicate with the manager clearly, state your requirements, and agree on everything beforehand, especially the pricing. Feel free to ask as many questions as you have and make sure there aren’t any hidden fees or misunderstandings that could surprise you or hinder your plans. 

3.f. Staff experience

Although not as crucial as the other factors we’ve listed, you should still check whether the manager and the staff at the venue have done this type of event. If not, go over and double-check everything with them to ensure they get the gist of what you need and what you’re trying to achieve with the event. 

3.g. Other

Some other venue aspects to consider:

• Safety and security. The event should be at a safe location and/or have security. Moreover, avoid flood zones and other areas prone to natural disasters. 

• Bathroom accessibility. For obvious reasons, your venue must have an appropriate number of restrooms for the number of attendees. 

• • Sound and acoustics. Will there be (live) music at the event you’re planning? If so, you should go out of your way to find a venue with good room acoustics and audio equipment.

• Wifi. It’s the 21st century, so your event venue must also have working Wifi that will allow every attendee to connect.

• Food and drinks. If you were planning on serving food, which we encourage you to do, it would be more efficient to choose a venue that comes with its own catering. If not, at least make sure they’ll let you serve food and then hire a catering company separately. 

• Wheelchair accessibility. Make sure every attendee can easily enter the venue and get around it, no matter their level of mobility.

*Acquire the local numbers for the police, fire department, and ambulance and have that information on hand in case of any emergencies. 

4. Determine the budget

In the beginning, you’ll be setting a budget based on estimates. With time, as you place orders and make reservations, you’ll have a clearer picture of how much the event will actually cost. 

Thus, it’s important that you keep track of every expenditure as it comes up.

The costs will vary from country to country, and from event to event. It’s best to submit a preliminary proposal first, based on estimates for what you’re trying to achieve. Once you’ve identified the budget amount needed to host the event, please let us know as soon as possible, so we can pre-approve it and prepare to pay any upfront deposits required.

Keep in mind — it’s better to set a larger amount at first and come under budget in the end than exceed it and have to scramble something last-minute.

5. Curate the program

To keep your attendees engaged and the conversation going, you should have a program planned out and stick to it. It can be more or less structured, depending on what type of event you’re organizing. Whatever you decide on, you need someone to act as the host and lead others through the program. 

To create the schedule, you can use Google Sheets/Microsoft Excel or any other app you feel comfortable using. We’ve found that Sheets is the most optimal and the simplest solution. It connects the file to your Google account and allows you to edit it from any device in real time. Moreover, you don’t have to juggle multiple file versions — you can add other people to the document and they will always have the latest info. Sheets also lets you make comments, create multiple tabs, add equations and formulas for easier budgeting, tables, graphs, and so on.

Anyhow, here’s what you should do to prepare the program:

5.a. Find speakers to guide the discussion

In addition to the host, you might want to consider having another speaker to move the conversation forward. A speaker can be either a coach or a guest — anyone who’s knowledgeable on the topic you’ve chosen. You can also find a speaker first and center the topic around their area of expertise. Whatever works for your case.

Keep in mind, it’s not common practice here at TaskHuman to pay our guest speakers, since participating in the discussion is a good opportunity for them to market themselves. 

If you don’t know where to start looking for speakers, we suggest you ask the coaches if any of them would like to participate and feel comfortable guiding the discussion on the topic. 

Furthermore, you can ask the coaches you know to refer you to someone. Finally, you can ask around on social media for recommendations. Whomever you choose, make sure to talk to them before the event to ensure they are a good fit. 

And what makes a speaker a good fit in this particular case? 

Aside from being well-informed on the subject, a good speaker should:

• • … be fluent in the local language/English and eloquent. The speaker needs to be someone who understands and speaks the language almost perfectly, and can convey their thoughts to others clearly. If you’re expecting coaches from various countries and cultures, it might be better to stick to English.

• … be passionate about sharing their knowledge. We need someone who’s motivated and wants to give their 100% to ensure the discussion is informative and interesting for everybody. 

• … be friendly and engage with the listeners. The speaker mustn’t turn the discussion into a one-sided lecture. They need to encourage all listeners to participate and respect everyone’s opinion, no matter how different it may be from their own.

5.b. Prepare questions and subtopics

To guide the meeting efficiently and not have to think of things to say on the spot, you should make a list of relevant questions and subtopics beforehand. Then, apply them where and when appropriate.

In addition, we suggest you learn a thing or two about each coach that’s attending the event (this also might depend on how large of a group it is). That way, you’ll be able to include them in the conversation more easily, ask more valuable questions, and with greater confidence. For instance, if a certain topic comes up and you know it’s one of the coaches’ specialties, you can invite them to put in their two cents. 

5.c. Practice

To ensure the program runs according to plan on the day of the event, practice what you’re going to say beforehand, ideally with the speakers themselves. Make sure you don’t forget any names or other crucial information. If you’re leading the discussion yourself, or guiding portions of the event, feel free to review our Group Facilitation Playbook.

5.d. Other Activities

Your community event doesn’t have to be just a discussion. If you want, you can include other activities in the event program. Feel free to mix it up, so that it keeps things interesting for the attendees. However, we recommend not going overboard either. 

For instance, you could do yoga during the breaks. Also, after the discussion, you can consider having an entertainment portion, where you can unwind with live music, a comedian, or anything else that will bring people together! 

There aren’t really any limitations to the duration of the event, just make sure to stay on schedule and plan everything ahead. Also, most attendees will appreciate quality over quantity — so, consider keeping the event shorter and filled with valuable information and activities, rather than long and loaded with filler content. As with any event, the  organizer will likely need to make adjustments to keep the activities on schedule as things progress.

6. Invite attendees/coaches 

Who you’ll invite and how you’ll do so will depend on the size of your event and its purpose. Is the goal to be intimate with the other coaches or oriented toward attracting new coaches? Think about what you are trying to achieve with your specific event.

All in all, email is the most optimal way to communicate, as it’s professional and used by everyone. If your event is more of a small get-together, with no more than 20 guests, there’s really no need to use anything else.

6.a. Create the email

For starters, your event invitation email has to be:

• short and to-the-point
• polite, but professional
• consistent with the TaskHuman brand (we will provide the assets)
• intriguing and exciting, but not too revealing

Here’s a brief guide to help you write an effective event email, based on its vital elements:

1. Subject line. The subject line should contain the event name you’ve previously selected. More importantly, it should be concise, about 60-70 characters/10-15 words max. Any more than that and your subject line won’t be displayed in full in the receiver’s inbox.

1. First line(s). First of all, greet the reader and address them by their name. Then, at the very top, in the first few lines of the email, include and highlight the most significant information, i.e. the what, when, where, and who:

• What will the event be about and what will be discussed?
• When will the event be held?
• Where will the event be held?
• Who will be attending or speaking at the event?

1. Rest of the body. In the following few paragraphs, provide any other information that potential attendees might find useful. Include an appropriate image to add interest to your email and make it more visually appealing. List some benefits of attending your event and give the reader a good reason to want to come. 

1. Call to action. Finally, end the email with a strong call-to-action to encourage readers to sign up and eventually come to your event. 

1. Sign-off and signature.

*Here are some standout examples to inspire you to write an exceptional event email.

6.b. Send the first email

As we mentioned already, it might be a good idea to ask which of the coaches are interested first, as you’ll need to know the guest count when making reservations. Make sure you give them notice at least a few months before, so they can plan their time. 

Then, sometime later, you can send another email asking them to confirm their attendance. Furthermore, you can also email potential attendees to ask for help organizing the event, recommendations, dietary preferences and restrictions, and any other information you might need for successful planning.

6.c. Send a reminder before the event

To ensure nobody forgets about it or misremembers any information, you should send a reminder email a few weeks and a week before the event. 

In this email, provide all the information your attendees might need. Otherwise, you’ll need to respond to a bunch of individual emails, which will inevitably take up a lot of your time and effort. So, to avoid that, be thorough and try to cover everything when writing your email.  

Aside from the obvious what, when, where, and who, include the:

• duration of the event 
• directions, i.e. how to get to the venue, including any traffic disruptions they should be aware of
• dress code (if applicable)
• program schedule

Top the email off with food for thought or pose a question. Intrigue the potential attendees and give them something to think about before the discussion. That could be either a piece of content or just a question related to the topic.

7. Learn how to start, run, and end a meeting

For one, you should start the gathering on time, ensure it stays on schedule, and end it on time. We must be respectful of each other’s time and do our best to make the meeting run as planned and according to the attendees’ expectations. 

Given that you’re opening the meeting, your role as the host is incredibly important. Essentially, you’re breaking the ice and setting the scene for all the others in the room. It might seem intimidating, but as long as you make everybody feel welcome, you can’t go too wrong.

 Anyhow, here are some tips to help you be a better host and guide the discussion like a pro:

7.a. Opening

To open the meeting, introduce yourself in a few sentences or less, and thank everyone for showing up, especially the coaches that came from far away just to be there for the event. 

Next, state the purpose of the gathering, highlighting the benefits that come from attending the event — i.e. community building, forming new relationships, exchanging experiences, and creating lifelong memories. Your words should elicit excitement in the listeners by showing them exactly what’s in it for them and why they made a good choice to come to your gathering. 

You should also briefly share what you’ll be doing, what you’ll be talking about, and how much time you have for each part. You may find it helpful to print out a schedule for folks to see as they’re entering the venue space.

Another important thing to do when opening an event is to establish the main ground rules. For instance, instead of interrupting the current speaker, everyone can raise their hand when they wish to speak. And as the guide, it’s up to you to keep track of who’s raised their hand and in which order, to ensure everybody gets a chance to speak. Also, a good way to ensure everybody’s name gets memorized is to ask every person to say their name before speaking or offering name tags.

For smaller groups (7 people or less), another thing you can do in the beginning is ask everyone to give a short introduction — their name, where they’re based, what they coach on TaskHuman, and what drew them to the event. It’s good to engage your listeners from the get-go, as that will empower and encourage them to participate in the conversation going forward. Moreover, this overture will help everyone get to know each other and facilitate further interactions. 

7.b. During the event

Speak clearly and slowly so that every attendee can understand you, even those who don’t speak the language well. Advise other attendees to do so, as well, preferably when establishing the ground rules.

Note that not everyone will understand what you say, even if you say it clearly. If that’s the case, you should repeat what you’ve said, rephrase it, or break it down so that people can understand it more easily. The same goes for everybody else.

While we don’t want the meeting to be strictly formal and professional, but rather an open and earnest conversation, you should make sure that it doesn’t drift off topic too much and too frequently. Make sure not to interrupt the speaker or be rude about it, and steer the discussion back in the right direction. 

Another way in which you as the host can improve the quality of the discussion is by managing who speaks and when. As we mentioned, you should establish a speaking system at the beginning of the meeting, such as hand-raising. Although you should empower attendees to speak, you should still make sure they don’t talk over each other. 

Finally, take breaks every hour or so to give attendees the chance to take care of their physiological needs, chat, breathe in some fresh air, stretch their legs, snack, etc.

7.c. Closing

In the end, summarize the most significant points that have been made over the course of the discussion and close the discussion by thanking everyone for participating. In addition, ask whether anyone has any final questions, concerns, or just thoughts they’d like to share with the group.

8. Ensure a good time

Here are some things you can do to make the event more enjoyable and memorable for the attendees:

8.a. Check up on your reservations and orders beforehand

Mishaps and oversights happen all the time and to everyone. You just have to catch the issue on time and prevent it from ruining your event. Therefore, double-check everything. For example, you should call the companies you’ve hired about a week and/or a day ahead to make sure the dates or orders haven’t been mixed up or misinterpreted. 

Also, it’s advisable to have backups in case anything goes astray, as that will ensure your program runs smoothly and on schedule. If you’re hosting an outdoor event, it might be a good idea to have a backup indoor venue in case the weather changes and it starts raining.

8.b. Provide food

In case the venue you’ve chosen doesn’t have its own catering, you’ll need to handle it yourself. However, before considering any catering options, ask the coaches about their dietary preferences, restrictions, and allergies. Opt for a catering company that can tend to everyone’s needs. If certain needs cannot be met, let a potential attendee know as early as possible about the catering constraints.

As far as the quantity is concerned, make sure to be generous and get enough for all. You can always send participants home with the unconsumed food, but you probably won’t be able to find last-minute alternatives, at least not easily. 

8.c. Don’t forget the music

Although it ends up being an afterthought for many, the music at your event should also be chosen carefully. After all, it can affect the overall atmosphere, making it either more enjoyable or totally unbearable.

Whether or not you want music playing in the background of your discussion is up to you. However, if you opt for it, make sure it’s neutral, according to the liking of the majority, and age-appropriate for the attendees. Avoid anything extreme, offensive, or explicit. Li-Fo Jazz is usually a good neutral option.

It also goes without saying that the background music mustn’t be too loud and overpower the discussion you’re having. 

8.d. Encourage interactions

Again, you should learn the basics about each attendee beforehand to easily keep the conversation going and ask relevant questions. Prior to the event officially starting, try introducing as many participants to one another and point out similarities and common interests that they could discuss. 

Encourage widespread participation to have people speak and engage. Naturally, some attendees will be a bit shy, while others will be chatty. It’s up to you to make everyone feel welcome and heard. 

8.e. Take photos

To ensure the memory of your event lasts for as long as possible, document the best moments in the form of pictures and videos. You can either hire a photographer/videographer or do it yourself. Also, you can encourage others to take their own photos/videos and share to Instagram with the hashtag #TaskHuman.

Here’s an idea — after the event, send us the footage you’ve collected and we’ll create a cool video montage. Then, we can not only send it to the attendees but also post it on our website and social media, encouraging more people to come to our events. Just make sure to get the attendees’ written consent when they arrive at the event and register.

8.f. Show your appreciation by gifting attendees

Another thing your attendees will surely love is a souvenir to remember the event by. Prepare gift bags with your favorite promotional stationery, shirts, badges, or any other items, and give them away at the end of the event (or whenever the time is right). 

9. Follow up

It’s always a good idea to follow up on your attendees sometime after the event, when they’ve had a while to reflect on the experience. Here are some ideas to include in your follow-up email:

9.a. Thank your attendees for coming

Express your gratitude in the email, thanking every attendee for making the effort to come and participate in the event. Here, you can also include the photos, and even highlight some anecdotes from the event. 

9.b. Ask for feedback

To make sure your next event, or any other future community event, is an improvement to the last one, we must collect the attendees’ honest feedback. 

We’ll create and provide you with an online form. Simply attach the link to your follow-up email and ask the attendees to fill it out anonymously.

That way, we’ll know exactly what to focus next on and how to take our community events to the next level.

9.c. Articulate a summary of the event

Reflect on the outcome of your event or meeting based on your objectives and initial goals. Was there a balance of conversation? Was there space for perspectives to be heard? Did everyone who wanted to speak/contribute have a chance to? How was the topic received?

Based on the reflection above you can start strategizing for the next event based on your learnings and best practices, and share them with others who might host events.

9.d. Encourage coaches to host their own community events

In order to expand and build our coach community further, we need as many of these events as possible. And for that to happen, we must inspire and empower other coaches to organize their own events, both virtually and in person. Thus, consider mentioning that in your follow-up email, as well.  

Bonus: 6 Tips to Help You Overcome Your Nerves

If this is your first time organizing and hosting an event, you might be a bit stressed out and anxious by the sheer amount of work and responsibilities, especially on the day of the event. Most people would feel the same way in your position. 

However, you must not let your nerves get the best of you and prevent you from enjoying the fruits of your labor, i.e. the event you’ve worked so hard to organize. Also, there are a few things you can try doing to combat your anxiety:

1) Practice and prepare

First of all, start on time. Rushing through the organization process will surely make everything much more stressful. Give yourself time to plan and leave some room for errors and setbacks, as they will inevitably happen, not necessarily by your fault. 

Secondly, prepare and go over every aspect of the event twice. Make sure you know exactly where you stand with each task. Be aware of everything that can go wrong, have a backup for each scenario, and be ready to make last-minute changes if needed. Practice what you’ll say at the event and do as much research as you can on the topic, venue, attendees, etc.  

Through ritualization and practice, you will restore your sense of control and self-confidence. These will give you something to fall back on in case anything goes wrong, and ultimately reduce your anxiety. 

2) Accept that perfection is impossible

It’s only natural that you want your event to go well. However, you must not set the expectations too high for yourself, especially if this is your first time hosting an event. 

Even if you put in the effort and do everything properly and on time, that doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing. Unprecedented occurrences can still surprise you. Acknowledge that and be aware of it, but direct the energy toward doing your best rather than fretting about the uncontrollable.

Remember, the goal is to have a good time and engage the coaches in our community. Make sure that happens, and don’t worry too much about the rest. And in case anything does go wrong, make the best of it. Learn from your mistakes and use that experience to improve future events.  

3) Write everything down

To prevent yourself from being overwhelmed by all the information and accidentally forgetting something important, write everything down. 

Be it a notepad or some kind of a mobile app, make sure to use it to jot down ideas, appointments, etc. What’s more, you can create to-do lists, checklists, and set calendar reminders and alarms for easier management of tasks.  

4) Rest and eat well

To ensure your body and mind can endure the hustle-and-bustle of organizing an event, you must drink water, eat well, and get a good night’s sleep. When you’re busy, it’s easy to overlook your needs. Be that as it may, your health should always be your number one priority, no matter what. 

5) Share your feelings with others

Talking to a friend, loved one, or colleague could also help relieve some of your anxiety. Share with them how you feel, what your fears are, what you’re excited about, and even ask them for similar experiences they’ve had, as well as advice. Doing so will help you not only feel relief but also organize your thoughts and perhaps even look at the situation from a whole new perspective. 

Furthermore, if possible, get help from other local coaches and split the work. Obviously, the more people you involve, the less work each person has to take up, and the better. 

6) Try some relaxation techniques

What do you typically do to unwind and calm your body and mind? Whatever it may be, treat yourself to it before the event. 

Here are some methods that most people find to be effective:

• Exercise and yoga. Physical exercise will not only be beneficial for your health but also give you a boost of endorphins, and thus increase your energy levels and lift your mood. Moreover, it will help you sleep better before the event. 

• Warm bath. One of the best ways to relax is to soak in a warm bubble bath for about an hour, trying not to think about what’s ahead or behind you.
• Breathing. When you start feeling nervous, sit down, close your eyes, and do some breathing exercises (such as the 4-7-8 technique). Breathe in deeply, hold your breath, then exhale slowly. The oxygen will help you calm down in no time. 
• Meditation and mindfulness. Find a quiet place, sit in a comfy position, close your eyes, and focus solely on your breathing. You can also put on some calming music and visualize being at a place where you feel at peace.
• Progressive muscle relaxation. Lay down for about 15 minutes and close your eyes. Then, tense and relax each muscle group, starting with the toes and ending with the head. Tense the muscles for 5 seconds, then relax them for another 30, and repeat.

*Also, why not get some help from your fellow coaches on TaskHuman?