Benjamin Franklin's Daily Schedule: The Original 'Perfect Day' Routine
Benjamin Franklin's daily schedule was fascinating. It allowed him to become one of the founding fathers of the United States of America. In this semi-formal position, he signed the constitution, helped to draft the Declaration of Independence, and was an ambassador for the original 13 colonies in France. His efforts in Europe helped to get funding for the American Revolution. He is also well known for his experiments and findings related to electricity. He even served as "President of Pennsylvania" from 1785 to 1788. To this day, Franklin's name garners respect and admiration. Many institutions, towns, and counties in the United States are named after him.
So, what did the routine of one of the most respected men in early American history look like?
Franklin's daily activities revolved around two conscious questions: What good shall I do today and what good have I done today?
These questions allowed him to proactively consider his daily efforts and to have a sense of pride around what he had accomplished in the space of a day.
Between 5 AM and 8 AM, Franklin would wash, plan his workday, study a topic that interested him, and eat breakfast. He would also say a personal prayer that included the wording "Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my resolutions to perform what that wisdom dictates." This reveals Franklin's deep desire to be as effective and fruitful in his daily activities as possible.
Franklin would do miscellaneous work from 8 AM to 12 PM. Then, between 12 and 2 PM, he read, ate lunch, and overlooked business accounts. He would then resume his regular work. At 6 PM, Franklin always cleaned up, ate, listen to music, had conversations, and mentally examined his day. He went to bed at 10 PM.
Benjamin Franklin also had what can be refer to as 'Franklin's 13 virtues routine.' He had a journal in which he defined the 13 virtues that he wanted to prioritize. These were:
1) Temperance
2) Silence
3) Order
4) Resolution
5) Frugaliity
6) Industry
7) Sincerity
8) Justice
9) Moderation
10) Cleanliness
11) Tranquility
12) Chastity
13) Humility
He would focus on one virtue each week, monitor his failures daily, and review before rotating to the next virtue.
What can this founding father's routine teach us?
Prioritize. Monitor. Reprioritize. And monitor some more.
Benjamin Franklin constantly evaluated his goals and the traits he wanted to show. He also constantly recorded and thought about how well he was doing with these tasks. Sometimes, in order to keep our motivation, we just have to constantly and consistently remind ourselves of the goal and put effort into seeing how we can and have progressed.
