The Post-Event Slump: Recovery After Big Events

 
 

EVENT PLANNING GUIDE

The Post-Event Slump: Recovery After Big Events

Updated on October 9, 2026 | Written by Rachella Thomas

The Post-Event Slump: Recovery After Big Events
 
 

As event planners, we're pretty good at keeping all the balls in the air. We thrive on fast turnarounds, problem-solving and pulling off the seemingly impossible. But we're not always great at looking after ourselves when it's all over.

I wrapped up a huge event. 100,000 people, a 6-hour bump-in, and a 5-hour bump-out. It was fast, intense, and completely took over my life for months.

And then, just like that, it was done.

Even after decades in this industry, I still get blindsided by what comes next. Amid the relief and celebration, a weird feeling always sneaks in: what is it? A bit of sadness.

The Highs, the Lows, and the Unexpected Crash

There's obviously a physical side to it. The long days, the pressure, the lack of sleep and the adrenaline that gets you through event day. When it's all over, you're exhausted, even if you don't immediately feel it.

But I think there's something else going on, too.

For months, your days have been filled with calls, deadlines, meetings and decisions. You've probably been talking to the same people almost every day, working toward one enormous thing that takes up so much of your time and headspace.

And then suddenly, there's nothing urgent to do.

No emails pinging every two seconds, no last-minute problems to solve, no one needing an answer right this minute. The people you've worked so closely with have all gone back to their normal lives, and you're left wondering what to do with yourself.

It's a strange feeling, especially when you've just achieved something you've worked so hard towards.

It's Not Just Events, Either

I've experienced this before, not just after events but after big personal milestones, too.

A few years ago, I trained for months to hike 80km through Peru. There was all the preparation, the training, the anticipation and the excitement of finally doing it.

And when I got home? I felt flat.

I'd done exactly what I'd set out to do, had an incredible experience, and yet there was this feeling of what now?

It made me realise how much of our energy and attention we can wrap up in working towards something. And when that something is suddenly finished, it takes a little while to adjust.

I think big events are much the same.

Giving Yourself Time to Come Down

The problem with event planning is that another project is usually waiting. You finish one event, catch up on a bit of sleep, clear the inbox and start thinking about the next deadline almost immediately.

I've certainly done plenty of that over the years.

But I've also learned that it's worth allowing a little space between finishing something big and throwing yourself into the next thing.

For me, that might mean taking a few days off, catching up with the people I've worked with or just having some time where I'm not responsible for making a hundred decisions.

And I think celebrating matters properly, too. We're often so focused on what needs to happen next that we barely acknowledge what we've just achieved.

After months of planning, it's nice to sit around with the team, laugh about what happened behind the scenes, and enjoy the fact that we actually pulled it off.

Does Anyone Else Get This?

I don't think I'll ever completely avoid that post-event slump. It's happened enough times now that I recognise it, although it still surprises me.

And maybe it's quite normal to feel a little sad when something you've poured so much into comes to an end.

We spend months planning enormous experiences that might last only a day, or sometimes just a few hours. Then we pack everything away and move on.

It's a funny industry when you think about it.

I'm curious whether other event planners experience this too. That strange mix of relief, exhaustion, satisfaction and sadness when a big event is finally over.

Are you building a career in events? Explore more of our free event planning guides and resources to learn how professionals put events together, one part at a time.

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Meet Your Mentor

Rachella Thomas is an award-winning event producer with more than 26 years of experience delivering major events. Her work includes the Australian Open, Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, and other renowned large-scale events and festivals.

Rachella founded Event Kit, where she turns decades of professional event know-how into practical tools for event planners worldwide.

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