Managing Time - A Virtual Conference Story
I am sure that you have seen my user accounts blowing up the internet this past week with blogs updates podcasts and other digital mediums. This is as I like to call it, the most wonderful time of the year. The conference season is soon coming to a close. There are a couple of larger ones left, but in this pandemic mode we have been in it seems that events at scale are happening more often. With these events comes the challenge of fitting all of your existing activities around the virtual conference.
What, if any impact did this virtual conference have on my schedule. I had declared that my schedule was to be mostly Ignite related and put the block in Outlook accordingly. If there is a client need or immediate crisis I would pivot accordingly. All seems fine, go for launch!
We promised regular tweets, blog posts, and a daily podcast called the daily download. This was to be capped with a closing live recording with several guests discussing the news from the event among other topics. There was a lot of content and activity around this event which in turn had several weeks of coordination and planning. All of this planning made it easy for the team, right? We all seemed to have this under control.
I had built my sessions, had my schedule for my presentations that were related to the event, and all of the above prep was in full swing. Session notes were taken and my scheduled client interactions have gone as expected, and success was near at hand. Until…
A major client issue came up. My scheduled posts were not getting out. Two of the sessions I had signed up had technical issues. I needed these sessions for a few recordings and writings due out that night. It had become apparent that the rails we were on could not be found.
I build in a buffer in my schedule for moments like these individually but all three firing at the same time?
“When you attend a virtual conference there are many things that can throw your time management approach to the wind.”
When you attend a virtual conference there are many things that can throw your time management approach to the wind. Home distractions, existing obligations, and other’s expectations that your remote and can just ditch the conference to tend to other things. Attending a conference be it in person or remote, there are goals of skilling up, making connections, and potential new partnerships. When the conference is a paid conference you want to get your money worth of content. Sure you can grab the sessions later, but will you really? We are off script and I can see an enjoyable week evaporative in front of me.
Using my tried and true techniques I applied and adapted some time management techniques to allow me to put our three simultaneous urgent items in a good place. I adapted my contingency plan’s contingencies.
Managing Time for Virtual Conferences
Notify anyone who needs to know you are not available except for urgent items
Block your calendar and apply an Out Of Office autoresponder
Setup your attendee area with everything you need to keep from wasting time hunting down charges, snacks, and drinks
Turn off notifications on devices during key presentations
Come up for air and check-in with work and family during lunch or break
Save key presentations or find alternative replay times to ensure you get the messaging
Build-in time for physical and mental health - you can always take this back for emergencies
Have a second session scheduled in case the one you wanted to attend did not meet expectations -DO NOT waste time on something that does not apply to you
Enable others to make decisions and bridge the gap of your missing daily activities
Trust your team
Plan as much as you can in advance
The Client issue required me to be on a call to regroup, so I suggested a time that was between a break and not as critical session. I ensured the session was added to watch later backpack AND added the replay to my event schedule. The remediation or decision point was required interaction so I didn’t worry, one of my able team members was able to pivot to making sure it was completed.
Just after the call, I did a couple of quick replies to have meetings related to some of my IoT projects for the next week and not during the conference week. It is ok to say you are not available if the situation is not a ‘down’ or critical one. Every project is important, however, if you can make things more comfortable without sacrificing the project timeline, make it easier.
You will find making the time for the project will result in better interactions with those on the project. Your time, mind, and attention will be clear and you will be present for the meeting or activity resulting in quality time spent. If you wrench those interactions where they just fit, you will find yourself jumping around which appears disconnected and inefficient.
Doctor Who Dalek
I was able to take a moment to walk away from the conference and computer for a moment to settle my brain. This allowed me to regroup and look at why the posts and other website technical bits were not functioning. I could have just jumped in throwing switches and levers to ‘make it work’ ala David Tenant piloting the TARDIS in Doctor Who, but pausing if for a minute or three with a change of scenery allowed me to approach the issue with a clear and settled mind. This approach is a common theme with me. I like to stop, settle, observe, then remediate issues with this approach.
So what did I do to accommodate a virtual conference, work obligations, and issues? We had planned in advance as much as we could so I would not be spinning as much time making content for online posts. We had agendas made for all activities both pre-produced and live. Thought was put into building our session schedules and my calendar of events for the week. Small blocks of time were preallocated for check-ins, physical and mental health, and time buffer. I had contingency plans for key/core sessions that were must attend.
I am certain as the day is long the week would have been a near loss or poorly executed if I failed to take some of the measures discussed. It is easy for things to go sideways and have the just roll with it approach. You will find you will look and feel more put together if you manage your time around events. Others will notice too!
-Michael Askins
Technology Architect - CTO
IN/maskins
#Conference #technology #professionaldevelopment