02/ 22/ 2006
Having trouble being a student and business owner at the same time? Here are a few tips to help you keep a sense of balance.
Plan as far ahead as possible. One of the best ways to juggle a busy schedule is by figuring out how to use your time in advance. If you've declared your major, meet with your advisor and map out the classes you'll need to take over the next few years. Keep track of big tests and projects through the course of the semester and set aside time to prepare for them little by little, since you might be too busy with work to dedicate a whole week to cramming. At the beginning of each month, make sure to check your work schedule, too. If you'll need to complete any special business-related tasks, pencil them in for the time that your school schedule looks the lightest.
Stick to your schedule. Being realistic about the number of tasks you schedule in a day should help you stay on track with a minimal amount of effort. The important thing is not to procrastinate and to use the allotted time wisely. If you've blocked off two hours to write a paper, don't spend an hour fiddling around with the introduction. Write a complete draft and then use the time you have left to polish it up. Of course, some tasks will inevitably put you behind schedule. The best way to deal with this is simply to leave yourself a block of free time. This will ward off the frustration of trying to keep up with a too-rigorous schedule.
If your business is seasonal, schedule semesters accordingly. Is fall or spring a busier time for you at work? Try to take your easier or less time-consuming classes that semester. If you work more during summer vacation, make sure you don't save any required classes for summer school. Even if your workload is balanced fairly evenly throughout the year, take note of any peaks. For example, if you know you'll get busier around the holidays, get an early start preparing for fall semester term papers and exams.
Figure out your natural schedule. Most people are either morning or evening people, meaning they feel more alert and ready to work either early or late. Try to do your most difficult or energy consuming tasks when you feel best. Whether this means scheduling your classes in the morning and going to work after or beginning the day at work and then heading to campus is up to you. One or the other should feel more natural. Also, keep in mind that most people feel a dip in their energy level in the mid- to late-afternoon. Save your easiest and most enjoyable tasks for that time of day.
Get extra business help for crunch time at school. See if you can find a willing friend or family member to shoulder some of your work burden for mid-terms and final exam week. You'll likely perform better during these stressful periods if you have less to worry about at work.
Consider evening classes at community colleges. If you need to spend a good portion of the day tending to your business, you may find it difficult to take all of your classes during the day. Unfortunately, most undergraduate classes at full-time universities are offered only at this time. See if area community colleges offer any of your needed general education classes at night, and ask your advisor to help you with the logistics of transferring these credits. If this works for you, you'll likely save a bit of money as well.
Practice a healthy lifestyle. Should you find yourself run down with a bad case of the flu in the middle of the semester, all of your diligent juggling efforts will be for naught. This is why it’s important to take good care of yourself. Eat well, get plenty of rest and exercise regularly. (You could take a physical education class and get credits for that weekly tennis game.) This can be difficult if you live in the dorms, so invest in some earplugs and keep vitamins on your desk. If you have a roommate who doesn't respect your need for sleep and quiet study time, consider moving out. It’s hard enough to balance student and entrepreneurial activities––you won't have the energy to do either one properly unless you stay healthy.
