10/ 26/ 2005
Feeling overwhelmed with being a full-time student and a small-business owner? Here are a few tips to help you keep your balance.
Integrate: Although school and work might feel like different worlds, they don't have to be. Talk to your academic advisors and see if it's possible to pick up a few extra credits by creating an independent study around running your business. If you could use extra help a few hours a week but aren't quite ready to hire anyone yet, you might also check with your professors about setting up internship possibilities for a few classmates,
Separate: Some people work better on one thing at a time. If you aren't a multi-tasker, try to divide your days between business and school rather than spending time on both. Most college classes occur either on Mondays, Wednesdays and sometimes Fridays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. It might work best for you to schedule all of your classes on the same day. Then you can be a full-time business owner on your days off. If you can't quite swing that schedule—sometimes the classes you need a particular semester will keep you on campus five days a week—you might see if you can do the majority of your business duties on the weekend. If you're single-minded in your work style, don't put off your school assignments—finish up homework while you're still on campus, so it won't be hanging over your head while you're running the business.
Don't overload: While you might be eager to graduate from college and become a full-time entrepreneur, don't sign up for more credits than you can handle. Being a full-time student is a demanding job if you take it seriously; if your studies are faltering, you might need to take fewer classes. It isn't unusual for a student to take five years to graduate from college, and this might be a better option, if your business requires a lot of time and attention. Another option is taking fewer credits during the fall and spring semesters and making them up during the summer. Summer classes typically run for fewer weeks, and while they can be intense, you'd ultimately have more time to dedicate to your business once they're done.
Use time effectively: Take a school book or two with you when you go to work. Then if you have downtime, you can use it wisely. Conversely, use time in between classes to check in with your business contacts via phone or e-mail.
Balance course loads: If you haven't done so already, schedule an appointment with your advisor to plan out all the classes you'll need to graduate. Then work with your advisor to construct a semester-by-semester plan of which classes to take. Make sure you don't end up with a semester filled with your three hardest classes. Figure out which classes will pose the biggest challenge and knock them out one term at a time, balancing the rest of your schedule with easy to moderately difficult classes. If you aren't sure which classes will be more difficult, talk to people in your program about their experiences. Be diligent about registering for classes as soon as possible. If you wait too long, the classes you need will fill up, and you might get stuck with all of your hardest classes at once, which could negatively affect your business.
Take time to relax: Not only do you have to balance school and work, you also have to figure out how to have a personal life in the mix, too. While this might seem like the easiest thing to let go, be vigilant about scheduling some relaxation time. Work out at your school's gym to burn off stress or join an intramural sports team. Join a school social organization and accept some of those party invitations that come your way. While you won't have as much time to hang out as most of your classmates, you can still spend some quality time with your friends. As an entrepreneur, you already know the importance of connections, and college is a great place to meet like-minded people. Beyond that, having a satisfying social life is one of the best ways to stave off burnout. If you're taking time out to enjoy yourself, your schoolwork and business will ultimately be better off for it. Finally, and perhaps most importantly of all, don't forget the power of a good night's sleep.
