Welcome To Startup Students

It’s been a short and hectic summer vacation, especially with the loss of my laptop a couple weeks ago.  But, I’ve moved on and am ready for the semester to get underway.  I’m taking it easy this time around, just three classes plus an internship (and all my business happenings as well).  As you finish up your back to school preparations, I figured I’d toss in a few time management and productivity tips to help you get through this busy time of year.  In mo particular order:

1. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, employ a calendar.  I use one on my computer, but a day planner or even a notebook works well.  Not only will writing things down help you maximize your time, you’ll find it relieves stress as well – mainly because everything is mapped out for you and you don’t need to worry about procrastinating since you’ve already scheduled time for your planned activity.
2. Balance work/school with fun.  For those of you caught up in the entrepreneurial lifestyle, it can be tough to decide between going out on a Friday night or catching up on work.  For me, it’s often times an easy decision because I’ve been so slammed recently.  But if you take advantage of the calendar tip above, penciling in some fun time is quite possible.
3. Outsource.  Whether it means giving your roommate a few beers to knock out your laundry or shipping that next project over to India, outsourcing will really free you up.  I’m beginning to use this strategy more and more, not only in my business but also in my daily life.  I haven’t read the book yet, but some would recommend the 4 hour work week for tips on this.
4. Prioritize.  We all know school comes first.  But I’m talking a little bit more prioritization.  I like to list my days activities and then prioritize based on a few personal criteria.  This is not an excuse to put off less important activities, but does help you get things done efficiently if used correctly.
5. Don’t be lazy.  And by this I dont mean skp watching football all weekend, because we all need to do that.  I’m basically saying that you need to keep your plate full.  When you have downtime it affects all aspects of your life and you get even less done.  When my day is chock full of activities, it feels like I get even more done than I had planned.

Feel free to jump in with your tips and I’ll add them to the post.  Everyone have a great first day of school (or another day of summer depending on where you are at).  Class dismissed.