Seems there was no escape for any of us from the extreme heat experienced all over the globe this past summer, and I’m not just referring to the outside temperatures. Included in the “heat” category might be the daily shocking/not-so-shocking announcements about flight cancellations (“I’ll go anywhere — I just need to get out of this airport right now!”), hotel service issues (“No bellmen? Still no clean rooms at 5 p.m.? What do you mean the only restaurant in this hotel is closed?”) and, my personal favorite, “Exactly when will that slow boat from China arrive with my merchandise that was supposed to be here last week?”

Challenges are everywhere. Crisis management is a daily “thang” now, so much so that we are all attempting to excel at living with it or, in some cases, manage working around it despite the obstacles.

And yet, much like we did during the pandemic (remember that mountain we all climbed up and out of together some five years ago?), planning seemed to move forward, meetings were held, travel was completed, and many of us dodged a virtual, bloody-hot lava flow of chaos while navigating the new normal.

So, how did we do it? Exactly how do planners chill out and keep moving forward when things heat up in the world? I informally polled a few industry friends with loads of experience and got a variety of answers like:

  • Above it all, keep your sense of humor.
  • Don’t take things personally; just accept what the universe has put forth in your day and make it your mission to rise above it.
  • Everyone loves a perfect ending, so always make an appointment at the hotel spa on your last day.
  • Don’t take your job so seriously that you can’t at least be thankful you even still have a job (and, in some cases, one that hasn’t already been relegated to AI, because, yes, that’s a thing to worry about, too).
  • Have a backup plan for everything.
  • Plan your next [fill in the blank] vacation, job, weekend with friends and family, birthday celebration or office happy hour with the intention to enjoy it immensely. You get the picture. Keep planning. You already know it’s your happy place.

No matter who I asked, the answers all shared a similar thread: Much of life is out of control for most of us. At any given time, we are all in some form of meltdown management, but it’s how you choose to deal with it that defines you as a person.

For me, personally, I think the biggest takeaway from successfully navigating the sizzling-hot lava rocks we’ve all encountered recently is to keep returning to your own personalized sweet spots, however large or small they may be, for how to cope with it all. Cuddle up with a puppy? Yes, please! Drink the good wine? Always. Park your weary bones on that pool float Sunday afternoon? I believe that will do, yes, at least until Monday morning, when the lava starts flowing again.