How did the classical entrepreneur manage the day?

Looking for inspiration, I commonly return to a few figures. For me, Benjamin Franklin is among the best. It was common for people to assert Franklin was born in the wrong generation. As the first American entrepreneur, Benjamin Franklin was creative beyond the imagination. Beyond just the idea, Franklin would actually convert his idea into a reality. What do the following have in common: Swim Fins, Odometer, Glass Armonica, Franklin Stove, Lightning Rod, Street Lamps, and Bifocals? Yup, all Benjamin Franklin inventions. He even invented a flexible urinary catheter for his older brother suffering from bladder stones. Oh and in his spare time, he took part in the birth of a new nation. You know.. the usual.

Lost time is never found again.

Where did you find the time? Discipline and a monk-like focus. I’ll be honest, the idea of control in any way gives me the creeps. Schedules are the distant cousin control. There is something about mapping out my day and week that feels very restrictive and kills spontaneity. Seeing my week planned before it has occurred takes the wind out of my sails. 98% of my time is spent doing things that I have to do and very little is spent doing whatever I want to do at the spur of the moment, which is my natural mode of operation. However, I understand that to accomplish the most in a day – everything has a time and place. As it turns out, most of the individuals I have admired over the years, both famous and not, take planning seriously and take advantage of the hours given them. I try to plan as lightweight as possible (leaving room for spontaneity) which seems to be a good compromise. That’s why I was excited to see Ben Franklin’s daily schedule wasn’t extremely rigid and was actually close to my daily routine.

Ben Franklin’s Daily Schedule

I think most people look at scheduling and see it as something important to ensure bills get paid and special dates and appointments are not missed. Obviously, these are benefits, but our mindset should be to take advantage of the hours given to us and not let them slip away unpurposed and unused. We ought to understand the value of time.

As you can see not much has changed since the 1700’s. We still have the 24 hour day and when we take a look at it in this context it is clear how precious time really is. It’s difficult to imagine raising a family, hunting, and gardening and managing a homestead, much less inventing, writing books, sailing to Europe, defending values of a free people, and helping found a country in such a limited amount of time. This goes to show how much can be done when a man puts his mind to making his day purposeful.

Dr. Ben Franklin’s Schedule in the Digital Age

You may have noticed that Dr. Franklin’s schedule is missing some things from modern life. Time for exercise, cooking, cleaning, family, friends, the outdoors, social media, etc. Don’t let this discourage you or count out his schedule as impractical and outdated. Each day doesn’t have to be the same, and when you set out to use your time effectively you may be surprised how much you can accomplish in the waking hours of a day.

Here is a modern version of Franklin’s schedule which I found on the Self Styled Life Blog which I thought was brilliant.

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