Yes, The Post-Conference Roller Coaster is a Thing!
It’s been a few weeks since Scaling New Heights took place, and many of us have likely followed the advice of veteran attendees: taking the time to reflect and digest the wealth of information shared through numerous vendor interactions, engaging sessions, inspiring keynotes, and lively after-hours activities.
But I’m guessing that there are an equal number of us who are still reeling from being around tons of people, activity, and stimulation - and as a result, many of us may be a bit overwhelmed to currently do much of anything else. For those of us in the latter situation – with quite a few of us being introverts and / or ambiverts - these are normal behaviors. Friends and colleagues, I want to be crystal clear: Please be reassured that there’s nothing wrong with you – your feelings and behaviors are normal and 100% valid!
NOTE: For a quick primer on personality types – along with links to the FREE tool I used to discover my own unique personality type – please check out my prior Woodard Report article on the topic here: Accounting Professionals Have Personality - Who Knew?
It’s important to remember that, for most of us introverts and ambiverts, the key method that we recharge is by intentionally carving out alone-time for self-care. Prioritizing ourselves in this manner is essential before we can even begin to process the wealth of information, ideas and inspiration shared by thought leaders and conference sessions. If we push ourselves too soon, then we risk feeling even more overwhelmed, often to the point where we may feel like giving up rather than moving forward.
If you’re unsure of where to begin, then consider creating a simple plan to manage your post-conference stress – remember, even positive experiences can feel overwhelming! Your game plan might be as straightforward as intentionally blocking out a few days after the event solely for yourself: time to unwind, clear your mind, and do what brings you comfort (for me, that means long baths, early morning walks, or relaxing by the pool). Your preferred way of self-care / recharging might look different, and that’s perfectly fine. The important takeaways to consider are: (1) Just start somewhere, and (2) Give yourself that essential time after the conference to put yourself in a good frame of mind before you try to process all the amazing new information and figure out how to put it into action.
Here is a list that I created with an assist from AI resources to help get you kick-started:
Once you’ve given yourself adequate time to decompress, I recommend exploring several helpful resources shared by Nancy McClelland (“The Dancing Accountant”) from her experiences at previous Scaling conferences. In a comprehensive YouTube video, she offers her takeaways from attending the Soar-themed #SNH23 (Top Takeaways from Scaling New Heights 2023: SOAR). Additionally, Nancy has written an article for Insightful Accountant, where she reflects on her takeaways from the same 2023 conference: Biggest Takeaways of Scaling New Heights 2023
Ultimately, as introverts and ambiverts, it’s perfectly normal for us to feel a bit overwhelmed and overloaded after such a dynamic conference experience. By giving ourselves permission to pause, focus on self-care, and decompress, we can then create the mental space needed to truly reflect on what we’ve learned and thoughtfully implement new ideas. Remember, meaningful growth doesn’t require rushing… taking our time now will help with turning those conference insights into lasting improvements for both our work and our well-being. Trust me – we’ve got this!