Eight months is a long time to spend at home as a student, and you must have considered being productive. It is not wrong if you did nothing, but only ‘rich kids‘ can try that; but; if you decided to start a business or had one even before the strike, that is amazing. Having a side hustle guarantees, you earn passively as a student; you will be able to avoid being broke and enjoy financial freedom as much as you want. It is to be noted that eighty percent of the time, the school takes a toll on you with the rigorous lectures, assignments, class trips, and exam preparation. It is also no news that this new session will be faster than ever, and only a determined person can scale through. You might be worried about what to do and how to take care of your academics while managing your business; it is not relatively easy,
but here are a few tips on how you can effectively balance it and you won’t be on the losing end:
READ ALSO: 7 THINGS MOST NIGERIA STUDENTS HAVE DONE DURING THIS LINGERING ASUU STRIKE
1. KNOW YOURSELF
The first thing for every student to note is that you should know yourself and how you work. Most people tend to forget that either in academics or side hustle, whatever decision you make will always affect you. You can’t ever take yourself for granted. Know how you work, e.g., when it’s convenient for you to wake up, read, have fun, and also the time you work actively. This will help you be effective and waste less time.
2. PRIORITIZE YOUR ACADEMICS
You can never be too busy that you neglect to study; that is why you should always put your academics as number one. You have resumed, and you are now in school; there is time for everything. Just because you were already used to working and earning money every day doesn’t mean you can’t rearrange your schedule. For now, you should focus more attention on studying to earn your certificate then you later figure out what to do for the side hustle.
3. PLAN WELL
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. It might sound cliche, but it is not a bad idea to strategize. You can have a journal or a to–do list and set the number of hours you want to spend on studying and business. This will also help in fixing your schedule and consistently producing the results you want. Check your school calendar, and note down the hours you actively spend in classes and when you can read. There are 24 hrs in a day; you can’t spend the whole day studying, especially if you need to work on your side hustle daily, or you might consider studying all day and taking some time out at night to work.
READ ALSO: ASUU RESUMPTION: 10 REASONS NIGERIAN STUDENTS DON’T WANT TO RESUME
4. SET ACHIEVABLE GOALS
You have to be a goal-getter and set goals that you can quickly achieve. As an entrepreneur and a student, don’t settle for less. No law says that you can’t have a 5.0 GPA and successfully earn money, but you can only have that if you break your goals into achievable ones. Don’t choke yourself as an overachiever or perfectionist; remember, you are human and can only endure so much. When you are overwhelmed by work or school, withdraw and start over again.
5. HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM
As an entrepreneur, you should not be alone or work alone. You should be able to have friends or co-workers that can help you out when you don’t have time. Let’s say you are working remotely and you can’t catch up with the deadline; there should be someone that can serve as a backup and help you out, especially when you have tests or exams to write. If the business is big enough, you can hire workers who will help you manage your side hustle until you take over whenever you are ready.
6. RUN AWAY FROM DISTRACTIONS
In school, with a lot of activities going on, there is a high chance of distractions, and only if you maintain a form of discipline can you overcome it. When your friends invite you to a party, and you know your deadline is close, don’t even bother attending; instead, follow your schedule and plan. You can later fix some other time to have fun.
READ ALSO: A LETTER TO OAU POST UTME ASPIRANTS 2022/2023
Although you want to be serious with your academics and side hustle, find time to rest and sleep well. A lot of times, there are cases where entrepreneurs break down due to their overwhelming schedules. Remember that only a healthy person is wealthy, so stand firm and keep moving, and you will soon find a balance to work with. I hope this was helpful. Let’s know in the comments section.
