For young entrepreneurs such as yourself, the summer was probably anything but lazy and carefree. We know how hard you work. You may have networked at a summer internship. Perhaps you took summer classes to prepare for college. Or, you could have juggled several jobs at once, such as camp counselor, babysitter, and company CEO.
Whatever your summer looked like, we’re certain it’s been anything but slow or boring!
But still. There’s a difference between a part-time summer internship and working as a young entrepreneur during the school year. That’s why we’ve compiled these tips just for you. Whether the first day of school is months away or the day after tomorrow (!!!), you can prepare yourself to make this your most successful school year ever!
START WITH SELF-CARE
You’re no good to anyone – especially yourself – if you burn the candle at both ends. We can’t say this enough: successful entrepreneurship means taking care of yourself. It’s not selfish. It’s smart.
Before you pack your color-code your binders, look at some de-stress techniques for teens. Calming practices such as yoga or meditation can help you both in the moment and down the road. So start integrating your de-stress method of choice now. This way it’ll already be part of your routine once the hustle and bustle of school starts.
Self-care includes keeping your body as healthy as possible. Depending on what you did all summer, you may have let yourself slip as far as healthy eating goes. Hey, it happens to the best of us!
Fuel up for strength and health by making small, healthier changes to your diet. No need to completely overhaul your entire daily menu. Swapping out veggie chips for regular potato chips or skipping dessert once in a while are little things that can add up to a big difference.
Remember that food is fuel. You can fill up your tank with junk, or you can fill it with nutrient-rich foods that give you all-day energy and creativity. Don’t let yourself go hungry, either. No one likes a hangry teen!
While we’re on the subject of self-care, get some sleep! As the first day of school approaches, re-adjust your body to a normal bedtime routine. If you’ve been sleeping past noon every day, gradually start waking up 10-15 minutes earlier and earlier. This way it’ll be slightly less painful when your alarm goes off at 5 am on the first day of school.
TL;DR: Add a de-stressor technique to your regular days. Make healthier eating choices. Get good sleep. Developing these habits now will help you stick with them once school starts.
SCHOOL HABITS
Having your best school year ever involves, well, school itself. We have one word for you when it comes to killing it at school: organization.
When you have organized systems you are more likely to have better mental health.
Whether or not you’ve begun your entrepreneurial journey already, you’ve probably seen the benefits of being organized. Timers. To-do apps. Bullet journals. Schedules. These are a few tools that you probably already use.
Before you set foot in the halls of your school, do some prep work. Do you have your schedule already? Figure out what routes you’ll take from class to class. If you’ve never been to the school before, or only for a tour, reach out to students who know the building better. Is there a hallway super crowded hallway you should avoid? Is there a shortcut through a gym or lab you can take advantage of?
This may be redundant for a high-achieving young entrepreneur like you, but make sure you have all your school supplies ready to go! Your local stores (and even online stores) will probably sell out of things like notebooks, folders, pens, and pencils weeks before your district starts the year. Stay on top of that!
Figure out your homework time in advance. Some people have to get homework done as soon as that dismissal bell rings, or it won’t get done at all. Others focus better after dinner. Have an honest look inwards and block out your best brain time for homework and other assignments.
Take into consideration classes you think you’ll have more trouble with and figure out how you’ll address that. Do you need to set aside money for a tutor? Block out time after school for extra help? The last thing you want is more stress over the tough classes because you can’t get the help you need.
PREP YOUR BUSINESS
And now we get to the heart of the matter for young entrepreneurs!
Before you hang up a “CLOSED” sign on your business door, consider whether or not you really need to shut it down. Even if your enterprise took up most of your time during the summer you can keep it going once school starts.
Take a good look at your business and see if there are any areas that can be automated. Have you been sending invoices one at a time? Can you automate PayPal or another invoicing SaaS to save time?
But maybe your business is seasonal. Camp counselors can easily score babysitting or tutoring jobs with the parents of their campers during the school year.
For you young entrepreneurs who scored an internship over the summer, don’t be shy about asking if they have any work you can do from September to June. Better yet: maybe someone you worked with would be willing to mentor you during the school year!
However you spent your summer, whatever you did, and whomever you met, there’s likely to be a way to adjust accordingly for the school year. Your start-up may need to slow down or even go on hiatus for a short while, but you don’t need to scrap it entirely. Those of you running a business already will benefit from letting your existing customers know that shipping products might take longer, or services will be decreased for a while. Remember to communicate so that clients don’t think you’ve abandoned them. We know that you can succeed as a young entrepreneur no matter what time of year it is. School, family, friends, clubs, and your small business are all important. Although managing everything well can be a juggling act, it *can* be done. We believe in you!
Young entrepreneurs in Florida may be eligible for a Kantner Foundation college scholarship. Click here to learn about what we have to offer and how to apply.