Episode 26: Smart Habits for Attending Online Conferences

You might remember that we talked about smart habits for attending conferences last year, in Episode 3. We shared tips about the things you can do before, during, and after a conference to make it worth the investment of your time, your energy, and your money. In fact, this is our most popular episode since we launched the podcast last year, and we are so glad that our colleagues are still finding these tips useful. But, as so many things have moved online this year, we realized that we needed to share an update on this topic.

As we all know, most in-person events were cancelled this year. And here in the US, there are no signs of them resuming in the near future. However, many conferences have gone virtual, and we think that this new format will continue even when we are able to meet in person again.

We can all agree that online conferences are very different from in-person events. But there are good sides to this “new normal,” and there are different ways to make the most of this virtual learning and networking experience.

So, we thought we'd share some smart habits for attending online conferences.

We hope that you find this episode useful and that our tips will help you overcome any sense of overwhelm and hesitation about attending online conferences. We think there's a positive side to many translation and interpreting events going virtual this year, and we hope that you’ll make the most of your virtual conference experiences.

Here’s a summary of our conversation:

• What virtual conferences we attended in 2020 and what you, our listeners, shared with us on social media about how you feel about online events

• Why it’s important to budget for conferences, whether they take place online or in-person

• How to choose an online conference that is the right fit for you and your professional goals

• How to avoid decision fatigue when so many professional development and networking events have become more accessible and affordable

• Why you might want to review your objectives for attending an online conference

• Why having a conference “buddy” may help you bring your virtual conference experience closer to real life

• How to prepare for an online conference and make it as stress-free as possible

• What techniques you could try to stay focused and retain information

• What things we recommend doing after a virtual conference

• How to make time to watch conference sessions (live or recorded) and start implementing what you learned

resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 3: Conference Habits

• Where to find information about upcoming conferences and events in the translation and interpreting industry:

  • ATA calendar of T&I events

  • ITI calendar of events

• Memory hacks for retaining information

• The Savvy Writer's Guide to Productivity: How to Work Less, Finish Writing Your Story or Book, and Find the Success You Deserve by Bryan Collins

• An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten

• Why is it so hard to sit and read a book these days?

  • The science behind why it’s so hard to read a book right now

  • Why it’s so hard to read a book right now, explained by a neuroscientist

• Eve Bodeux’s Global Reads Book Club

If you liked this episode, we’d love it if you would leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. Not sure how to do that? Check out our video tutorial.