How I stay organized as a masters student & business owner.
I am currently studying in a full-fledged masters program, I have a regular job, and I run a business on the side. My life gets chaotic often, and I still have to prioritize hanging out with people and maintaining my romantic relationship… or else there’s no point in being a human.
I’m not going to pitch Motion or one of those other AI organizational apps here. This is just good old fashioned brain action.
1. (Re)evaluate priorities
I sometimes forget what’s important because I want to do everything really well. Sometimes that’s not possible to do in the waking hours of the day. If I get overwhelmed, I go into my planner or notebook and list out what is important in order in that moment of time. Wether that is overall in life or during that day, it helps refocus my energy into the right things. It’s important to not allow your anxiety to lead decisions, rather logic and gut.
2. Read the syllabus, plan for assignments
I’m in a “modular” masters program at UW Iceland. Basically, I take an intensive course for 2–3 weeks at a time and the move on to the next one. On the Sunday before every module, I sit down and look over the syllabus and plan out the next two weeks. In my planner, I write down when assignments are due, when class runs long, when there is a presentation. School is currently in the number one priority spot in my life, so I build everything else around it.
3. Plan what needs to get done in my business
On that same Sunday, I also look at what needs to be finished by the end of the month. I invoice my clients every month, and they usually have expectations and deadlines of what needs to be finished. This is always changing depending on where we are in a project. Planning 2–3 times a month in tandem with each syllabus helps me focus my energy into the right tasks. This is especially important when I have little time left over from school to accomplish what my clients expect. I have to make each moment count.
4. Communicate with clients
I send a lot of emails updating clients on work. This is not only to keep good relationships, but also to re-rack my brain and create realistic timelines for myself. If I physically write down what I’ve done and what I think I can get done by a certain date, then I have to think it through and be sure that it’s realistic when also studying and working another job. There are lots of times when I write an email and then I have to re-write because I think to myself, “wow that’s never going to happen.”
5. Keep a running list
This might be the most important of all. I have a page in the front of my planner that aren’t exactly current priorities but I would like to see get done in the next few months. I always get these new ideas or tasks that I know need to be addressed, but right now is not the time, so I write them down and get back to them later. I know a few people who take this a step further and write it down in a “dream/aspiration journal” type of way. I love that too, but for me a simple list works.
6. Keep a digital file of everything
I never delete any emails. They all go into the archive or a folder I’ve created within my email. You never know when you need a paper trail.
Receipts always get forwarded to my business email.
Super duper important files go into an app I bought called Tiny Scanner. It’s password protected and can generate PDFs or other file types out of your phone pictures. I keep everything important in here: tax forms, field notes from school, passport photos, copies of my drivers license, etc. This way everything is in the cloud and with you at all times.
Important business docs get uploaded to my bookkeeping software WaveApps or to ZenBusiness. Those two tools keep my business running.
7. Create separate Chrome profiles on Google Chrome
I just recently did this and haven’t completely zeroed in on the workflow, but I like it so far. I have four gmail accounts. Four! All of the parts of my life also had a lot of bookmarks. I decided it was going to be easier to separate all of those things out. It did take me like a full work day to do it, but I like how now when I open Chrome, it asks me who is working and I click on the correct profile and I can start my workday strong. Don’t know how to create a separate Chrome profile? Read my article on that here.
8. Take myself out for a little treat
Living in Iceland, this doesn’t happen that often. I mostly go out with friends to have a coffee or when I really need the time and space to focus. If I feel like I’m really hitting a wall, I will change my environment and allow myself to appreciate my brain for a while before attempting to get back to work. This helps me stay organized by allowing space to think outside of my routine. It’s like when you read a paper too many times and you don’t see the errors anymore. If you take yourself out of your normal routine a bit, you can see your own errors in a new light.
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Overview:
1. (Re)evaluate priorities
2. Read the syllabus, plan for assignments
3. Plan what needs to get done in my business
4. Communicate with clients
5. Take myself out for a little treat
6. Keep a running list
7. Keep a digital file of everything
8. Create separate Chrome profiles on Google Chrome
