Time management and work-life balance are two things that many ticketing and live event professionals struggle to achieve. So many INTIX members love their work to the point where they want to do so much and stay on the job so long that they don’t even realize the stress it is causing their minds and bodies. The reality of ticketing work is that we run from fire to fire, putting out the flames and taking on darn-near superhero status in the process. Then, often, it’s right on to the next concert, game, show or event.
Aren Murray, U.S. Operations Director for Tixly, presented a workshop on this very subject at INTIX 2025. Titled “Let’s Get Our Ducks in a Row,” the two-part session was all about teaching attendees how to expand their lives through superior organization skills. But first, that starts with a dose of self-introspection. While Murray is keen on referencing everyone from Tom Sawyer to Theodore Roosevelt in her presentations, it’s really Socrates’ quote, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom,” that is the closest in spirit to her overall message.
Debunking the Lies We Tell Ourselves
“First, we need to debunk the lies we tell ourselves,” she says. “The number one lie is: ‘Our world does not allow for focus time.’ Yes, there are distractions and ‘fires.’ But most of the time, those are not as urgent as we allow them to be.”
Aren Murray
Indeed, we as ticketing professionals can call a customer back. We can turn off our ringers and email notifications, for a time at least. And we can simply close the door. “You don’t have to have your eyes on everything!” Murray exclaims. “In fact, you will be a more stable source for all these fires if you manage distractions and create a productive and balanced workflow.”
She continues, “The next lie that leaves us disheartened and afraid to tackle next tasks is the belief that a challenge is too difficult.” In this regard, she urges frazzled INTIX members to refresh their thinking on this. The feared task should be regarded as a challenge and an opportunity to reset one’s mindset.
Murray states, “Break it down into smaller bites, and then you will be able to see the path. If you think that you can’t, realize that there is no way you are in the ticketing industry without having the intelligence, network and willpower to get it done. Yes, you can! Start with the hardest task; everything else will seem easier.”
The First Steps
So, where indeed to begin? Ticketing and live event professionals should start by planning their day. Visualize what a productive day looks and sounds like and then set yourself smart goals with steps toward their completion. Again, recognize the importance of turning off the distractions, and schedule the necessary time to take care of the important “emergencies.”
“Beyond all this, commit to giving yourself and others GRACE,” Murray says, referencing one of her favorite acronyms. “Grant a Redeeming Attitude of Compassion to Everyone. By allowing for forgiveness, belief in growth, and kindness to your team, your customers and yourself, you will find that all of these will improve in their behaviors and willingness to carry the load. A little understanding and kindness opens doors, assistance, time and smiles.”
After that, embrace delegating duties and responsibilities to those around you capable of helping and reaching endgames. Ticketing and live event professionals tend to want their hands in everything that is happening. “We must create empowerment within our teams,” Murray urges. “To break the mindset of ‘no one else can do this,’ two steps need to be taken. First, work must be more organized, and secondly, trust must be allowed. I think allowing trust is frequently the harder step.”
Murray is a firm believer in showing team members trust and appreciation, and it will result in them succeeding much more than you, their manager, hovers and micromanages. She adds, “Your team will reward you with loyalty, respect and more time to get the bigger items done when you empower them. Delegating is always a powerful growth point for you and your team. It is not wise to be the only one capable of doing things in the office. When that is the case, you leave no room for your own potential growth and advancement!
Don’t Forget Work-Life Balance
But even the savviest leaders with the best delegation skills can find themselves burning the proverbial candle at both ends. It is certainly not productive to ignore one’s overall health and wellbeing to put in more work time.
In her workshop, Murray pointed to research suggesting that employees who work more than 60 hours a week can see as much as a 25% drop in productivity. Such reductions in productivity can start at just 50 hours. It’s not rocket science. When fatigue sets in, you work slower and make more mistakes.
“In addition to the lowered productivity,” Murray remarks, “when you work in excess, your personal life truly fuels your work life. Making meals a priority literally fuels your output. You can’t work, think, or be kind very long on an empty tank. Exercise and the joy of time spent with family and friends result in higher energy levels and a greater ability to manage negative experiences at work. Take care of yourself. You are important, and you need to be well maintained.”
Physician, Heal Thyself
One of the qualities that makes Murray such a good speaker on such topics is she is willing to admit her own shortcomings. So, what does she do when she starts to struggle with workloads and time management drains? What is her biggest challenge in getting her ducks in a row? As it turns out, it’s ... getting started!
She explains, “I can organize a task, make an awesome list, an excellent calendar and share the work with team members. But I still fear the first step. The stepping off point. I have a solution, though. I set my determination to move forward, and then I set a timer. I promise myself that if I just take 15 minutes to get that first step done, I can take a little reward break. What I find is after that 15 minutes, I don’t want to stop or, at least, it is much easier to return to the work. I was taught this trick back in college, and it truly works!”
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