With the 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships wrapping up in Vail and Beaver Creek over a week ago, many people in the Vail Valley are suffering from post event let down. From preparing the bid for the races to five years of planning for the event itself, it’s been a long exciting journey for staff, volunteers, sponsors and consultants. Countless hours went into making the two weeks of the Championships the most amazing festival of racing, concerts and international entertainment. With all of the anticipation, what do you do when it’s all over?
Many people feel a major let down after a big event or get depressed. For years, I’ve always referenced this is post event let down. It’s such a real thing that one website even made an acronym for it – PELD. You know it’s real when WebMD publishes an article on this phenomenon.
According to WebMD.com, “In the immediate aftermath of stressful times — perhaps following an anxiety-producing project at work or a major family crisis — when you finally have time to take a deep breath and unwind, that’s when illness can unexpectedly strike. Just when you’re letting down her hair, your ability to fight off illnesses may let you down.”
We offer these three tips to avoid sickness and minimize the impact of post event let down.
1. Take Care of Yourself. This sounds a little obvious but it’s a good reminder to take care of yourself during and after the event you are working on. Find time during your event to de-stress. For many of us during the Championships, this meant walking up the 1.6-mile Trail 2015 up to the finish area. This was a great way to start the day and feel healthy when you reported for duty. After an event, remember to take time to breathe and relax. Be kind to yourself – you’ve been working really hard.
2. Enjoy Your Achievement. Don’t forget to take time to acknowledge your achievement. This may be a party or dinner out with colleagues to celebrate or simply reviewing the vast amounts of social media posts and articles generated from your event.
3. What’s Next? Look ahead and decided what other event, race or challenge you are going to give yourself. This could be through a great volunteer opportunity, a new client or a physical challenge like a mud run or triathlon.
After your next event when you can’t realize why you feel a bit down, understand that you are not alone. Post event let down is a real thing and quite common for people after a big achievement. Take time to recognize what it is, retool and move forward.