Realizing Time

I’ve seen Ben Franklin’s daily schedule before and found it interesting but never really thought much of it.

ben franklin daily schedule.png

Then a few years ago, as part of a Strenuous Life weekly challenge, I started mapping out my schedule. I took it a bit further and just like how I give each dollar a “job” in my budget, I give (as best I can, without making it overly complicated) each hour in my schedule a “job” when planning my week.

Take a look at your to-do list and realistically try and map out when to complete those tasks this week. By doing that, you’ll have to estimate how much time each task will take and will most likely then realize just how little time there is in a day.

Shawn Blanc expanded on this nicely when he broke down Ben Franklin’s day into six basic time blocks:

  • 3 hours for getting ready for his day (shower and breakfast, personal study, and prepare for work)

  • 4 hours for work

  • 2 hours for review of current projects and to eat lunch

  • 4 more hours for work

  • 4 hours for dinner and rest and wrapping up the day

  • 7 hours for sleeping

Viewing time in this way (in blocks) really helps me see things differently. Give it a try for yourself and I bet that once you start adding things to your calendar, you’ll realize there may not be time for things like there was previously. Mowing the lawn, phone calls to make, preparing and eating meals, play time with the kids, organizing the basement, sleeping… maybe there really isn’t time in the schedule to watch another episode of Ted Lasso this week!

But I also completely understand the problem with planning every hour and not being flexible enough to roll with the punches. Don’t get caught up in the busy work of it all. And remember that in the end, your schedule is simply a plan. And no plan survives first contact with the enemy.