A lot of people ask me how to juggle college and a business, as well as social life in college. While I feel like the honest answer is that I don’t, there are a few tips that make it a little easier and my life more organized.
You might be wondering who I am to write this post and give you this advice.
Let me share something with you. I am an international student from Switzerland, and I study Entrepreneurship and Photography in the United States. So far, my GPA has been 4.0 (Click here for my study tips!), and I have been able to keep working on my online business, which is this blog, as well as my Etsy products and YouTube channel.
While I don’t think I am perfect in growing my business (I just can’t spend the time I need on major business projects because of college), I do think I am doing pretty okay in both.
Wanna know how I do it? Keep reading!
10 Tips to Juggle College and a Business
1. Have a priority
My first tip to juggle college and a business is to have a priority. That can be your work, or it can be your studies. If both are equally important, your priority can be to keep the two relatively equal.
For me, my university is more important, because the sooner I finish, the earlier I can focus on my business (and save money). But whatever your situation is, make it clear to yourself.
2. Set Study and Business Goals
This one is really important!
To really achieve things and be able to track them, you need to set goals for both, your studies and your business.
For example, you can have a business goal to make $___ in sales within ___ months.
Or you can have a college goal to get at least a B+ or A- on every test and exam.
Goals help you stay on track and know what you are working towards. For me it always helps to set my goals monthly and reflect on them at the end of the month.
Related: How to Set Goals and Reach them As a Student
[convertkit form=1688718]3. Plan ahead
Planning is another crucial tip to juggle college and a business! Make sure you write down all assignments for your classes from the syllabi and keep them in your planner.
If you know you have a big project coming up in a certain week, plan ahead and get work things done before then so you can focus on the project.
Also, seeing your whole semester laid out gives you a chance to add work hours in between and know when you can have some fun too.
4. Schedule smart
Talking about planning, scheduling correctly is just as important!
Schedule your classes so that you choose the best ones for you while thinking about your business.
If you have your classes closer together, you give yourself longer time frames either before or after classes to work on your business or study.
That can be much smarter than having classes throughout the day and only getting 1-2 hours in between, which is obviously a good time to study and do little business tasks, but not enough to get really into it and get major things done.
Whatever your priority is, make sure to think about that when scheduling your classes and work hours.
5. Use the weekend
This is one of my biggest tips to juggle college and a business. While during the week you may not get enough time to work on your business or do work, you can catch up on the weekend!
Same goes for when you focus on work during the week and didn’t get time to study or do projects. The weekend is a great time to get those things done.
Don’t forget to meet up with your friends though and stay connected to them. While studying and working are both important, never forget to have some fun, even if it’s just to meet for lunch and talk for a couple hours.
6. Get started on Big projects early
Another important tip! When you know you have a bigger assignment or project coming up, make sure to get business work or your job done before then, so you can focus on the project.
Nothing is worse that being stressed about things, so make it easier on yourself and get started on the bigger assignments early, so you don’t have one big pile of school work to do in a week.
7. Why an online biz works best
This might be what you’re doing already, but if you are only starting out, I recommend having as much of your work/business online as possible.
That gives you the chance to work on it (more or less) independently without having to do it at certain times in the day.
An online business can be very practical, as well as successful, because most businesses have an unlimited potential in income.
Related: Reasons to Start your own Business as a Student
8. Be committed
Being committed is crucial for succeeding in college while growing your business (or at least keeping it).
You NEED to be committed to your studies as well as doing work during college so you have the motivation to keep going.
There will always be times where it is hard and you want to quit. But I promise you, just keep going and it will all get better, if you believe in your vision and yourself.
Only quit something when you have thought about it for long enough and know the consequences. Do what makes you happy LONGTERM.
But this post isn’t about quitting or not quitting, so let’s look at the last tips for how to juggle college and a business.
Related: Motivation Quotes for Students
9. Enjoy the Process!
I know this is easier said than done, and I struggle with it too sometimes, but besides all the hustle and stress, make sure to enjoy the process.
While we all know it can be hard to have a business or side hustle in addition to a full course load, if you don’t enjoy working on it or are motivated and excited for your results, then what’s the point?
Even if your only reason is money and paying for college, have an incentive and enjoy your work and college experience.
10. Get a Calendar and Planning Printables!
If you have time to create your own or go to the store and buy some, you can do that too! But let me show you a better way to be more organized.
A few weeks ago I have created a calendar for myself that I can hang above my desk to write down important dates and tasks, as well as have my goals at a glance.
My friends liked it so much, I created one for them too! So that’s why I am now offering the calendar in my shop. Check it out here!
I personally plan every week with the layout you can see in the weekly planner printable, and if I can say that from myself, I feel pretty organized.
This calendar and these weekly planners are amazing because you can download them straight away, print them in your residence building (or at home), and start planning!
PS: If you use the code HAPPYFALL at checkout, you can get 20% off!
I hope you enjoyed this post with 10 Tips to Juggle College and a Business, by a 4.0 student entrepreneur!
Comment YOUR tip below to help other students be more organized.
Until soon,
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