Get some support and tips to reduce stress and lower anxiety if you are attending a public event. Read on…
There are many things you need to think about when attending a public event, like a festival, concert, or sports match.
The sheer volume of people alone can cause stress and anxiety.
And then there’s travel, security, and accommodation.
In this article, we are going to take a look at how to reduce some of the overwhelm that public events can create.
As you might already know, I’m a Master Mindset Coach, and a bestselling wellness author with about 2 million books sold globally.
Plus I founded a groundbreaking and therapist recommended video course called The Anxiety Cure.
I love sharing tools to help people to live their calmest and happiest lives.
With this in mind, coming up I will be sharing some suggestions to lower stress and reduce anxiety when you’re going to a public event – so you can enjoy the experience more!
11 Tips to Reduce Stress and Anxiety when Attending a Public Event
1. Make Sure Your Valuables are Secure
Just attending a public event like a sports match for a couple of hours might require you to take bags and valuables along. For instance, your bag might need medication, spare water in the summer, and essential documents. You could leave these in your car, but car theft is common in car parks. And you may not even have a car. So suppose you are attending a World Cup final at Wembley Stadium in London. In that case, you need somewhere safe for your stuff. Lucky for you, companies like Radical Storage offer secure storage lockers for the price of a coffee.
2. Research where to Park Your Car
Further to our Wembley analogy, parking is another thing you must consider. Assuming, of course, you have driven. But major cities like London, Liverpool, and New York are notorious for lack of parking when an event takes place. And smaller towns are even worse. The recent UK Michael Buble concert is a perfect example where bad organization caused traffic chaos. Fortunately, most people are lazy when it comes to parking. So a good trick is to find somewhere to park perhaps a mile away from your event and consider a 15-minute walk.
3. Follow Safety Advice when Attending a Public Event
Security at public events is typically pretty good. Trained guards, ambulance crews, and the police are usually in attendance for public safety. However, things can go wrong, and crowds of people often resort to violence. In UK football alone, there are roughly 1,500 spectator injuries per year reported. But things can also get far worse. The Hillsborough incident is an unfortunate example. And then there’s COVID safety to consider as well. Therefore, always follow any advice you are given by safety personnel or from post-booking correspondence like emails.
4. Stay In Touch with Your Group
There is always the possibility of being injured at an event. But as always, there is strength in numbers. So it’s always best to stick together with your group of friends and family. That way, you can look out for each other. However, becoming separated is also a strong possibility. Injury and incident or not, separation in a large crowd can be highly stressful and anxious, especially if you aren’t used to it. So make sure your smartphone is fully charged before attending an event. That way, you can stay in contact and easily find each other again in an emergency.
5. Double Check Your Tickets
Worst of all is being rejected for entry to an event. Imagine showing up to see your favorite band, only to be told your ticket isn’t valid. There are numerous reasons this can happen. Some examples include wrong dates (it happens), a resold ticket, or even a fake. And unfortunately, the woes of the complexities of ticketing rules are causing misery to innocent customers all the time. You can usually check your tickets are valid by checking online with the issuer. However, the best thing to do is to buy directly from the event holder partner, such as Ticketmaster.
6. Make a Plan for Staying Safe
Going to an event can be a daunting experience for anyone. And whether male or female, it can be dangerous. Unfortunately, there are people out there looking for others to take advantage of, either sexually, physically, or for plain robbery. Here are some tips to stay safe at an event:
- Assign an easily recognizable location as the main meeting point for your group.
- Check-in with each other at regular intervals using texts or phone calls.
- Don’t go somewhere alone and always go in groups of two or more.
- Try not to leave anyone in your party alone for a significant period of time.
- Never accept a drink from a stranger, and keep your drinks covered.
- Know your drinking limits and try your very best not to become intoxicated.
Having a meeting point means you can regroup in the event of a disaster or emergency. But checking in helps you know where each other is at any given time. Going somewhere alone makes you an easy target, so try not to. And stay vigilant when it comes to alcohol or food.
7. Be Aware of Thieves
One of the most common crimes at events is simple theft. Criminals know there will be a lot of out-of-towners who aren’t familiar with the area. So this makes you a vulnerable target for pickpockets or car thieves. So don’t make their life easier by leaving your stuff in the open. For example, try not to use your brand new Apple iPhone in the presence of strangers. You’re basically advertising it. Also, never leave anything you need or valuables in your car. Car parks aren’t exactly known for their safety and security. And never, ever flash your cash for all to see.
8. Plan Your Trip in Advance
Like everything, you can make your trip a lot less stressful by planning it in advance. Even the most prominent locations can be hard to find if you aren’t familiar with them. And you might need somewhere to stay, secure facilities and where to meet up with people. Leaving these until the last minute will undoubtedly cause undue and unnecessary stress and anxiety. So try to plan as much as possible beforehand so everyone is on the same page and you can get to your event safely. Furthermore, timing is also a crucial factor, which can ruin your day.
9. Leave Early when Attending a Public Event
It’s always a good idea to try to get to an event early to avoid disappointment. And there are many things you must consider. For example, it’s possible you need to travel quite far to attend an event. For example, traveling from Liverpool to Glastonbury is a 4-hour drive on a good day. But you need to consider traffic and weather. Any of which will delay your travel by a substantial amount. So, if your trip will take 5 hours, give yourself a 3-hour window by leaving 8 hours before your event’s start time. Alternatively, stay at a local accommodation to reduce the stress.
10. Secure Adequate Accommodation
You can drastically reduce the stress of traveling to an event’s destination by staying over at a close location. This way, you don’t need to worry about arriving too early, and you will avoid any travel disruptions. Of course, you need adequate accommodation, so book early for the best deals. Otherwise, you might have trouble getting a room if your event, such as a festival, is considerably popular. Typically you can save more money the further in advance you book. However, the proximity can affect the price. So consider a hotel a few miles away to save.
11. Ensure Constant Access to Money
Speaking of money, it will be a nightmare if you either run out or become a victim of theft. For instance, a cash robbery means you may not have any at all. And having your smartphone stolen will take away your access to digital wallets. So ensure you give yourself extra access to both. For example, you can store some emergency cash and credit cards in a locker or your hotel room safe. And you could also stash a spare smartphone to maintain access to money apps like Google Pay. Then you will always have access to extra financial support.
Summary: Reduce Stress At A Public Event
The stress and anxiety when attending a public event can increase depending on specific things. Yet you can make arrangements to reduce these. For example, you can store valuables in a locker, make safety plans with your group and make sure you have access to funds.
Get More Tools To Lower Stress
Explore my therapist recommended online course: The Anxiety Cure.
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