Are We Becoming Flakier?

It’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves a lot lately.

At NEWaukee, we host over a hundred events throughout the year. Most of them are completely free and open to the public to attend.

Today, it’s so easy to click that you’re “Going” on Facebook or to register for a free ticket through Eventbrite.

RSVPs, even for free events, can be really important for event organizers. It’s how we know what size venue is needed, how much food to order and how much wine to buy (tip: always bring extra!).

But here’s the truth: We know that for however many RSVPs we receive, only about 35% of those people on average will actually show up.

That means that 65% of people who register for events either decide not to come at the last minute, or never really intend to come in the first place.

Why do we do this?

Do we feel guilty for saying “no” to things and overburden ourselves?

Do we want to appear on social media as though we live active lives, without needing to follow through?

Are our work lives so busy and overscheduled that we are too tired to go out and socialize?

Do we find social situations so uncomfortable that we’d rather just stay in, chill and watch tv?

Or, with technology, has flaking just become too easy to do?

According to a study by OnePoll and Evite, the average person is a no-show to almost half of the events they are invited to.

While flaking can feel good in the moment, it nevertheless can cause real issues in our social lives: eroding trust, losing friendships and deepening social isolation.

Make an effort to be less flaky this year.

Here are a few tips to get started:

1. Be honest with yourself. Try to only make plans or RSVP for events you truly intend to go to. If you don’t want to go to an event, just say “no”. We’ll understand.
2. Identify the cause. Do you suffer from social anxiety? Reach out for help. Do you simply forget about events you planned to go to? Write things down. Set up reminders.
3. Rework your calendar. Stop overscheduling yourself, and prioritize your own social wellbeing. You’re worth it.
4. Be considerate. If you are going to cancel, do it as soon as possible. If you know you aren’t going to go to an event, release your ticket or switch your response on Facebook to “Can’t Go.”
5. Lastly, set goals. If you want to do more networking, try setting a goal that says, “I’m going to go to two after-work events during this week, and when I do that, I can stay at home on Friday night to watch Netflix.” Then, hold yourself accountable. You may find that it’s harder to flake on yourself and your own goals.

Written by Wyatt Tinder, Communications & Design Director