Benjamin Franklin's Daily Routine

Benjamin Franklin was a printer, writer, scientist and diplomat, and a Founding Father who signed the Declaration of Independence. His daily schedule was a timetable he drew up himself, opened by the question of what good he would do that day. It closed with the question of what good he had done.

He set it out in his Autobiography under the virtue of Order, which meant every part of his business had its allotted time. The morning went to washing, planning the day and studying over breakfast, with work from 8:00 AM to noon and again from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Evenings were for putting things in their places, supper, music or conversation, and an examination of the day.

It's for anyone who wants structure without austerity, especially if your days drift or you keep putting off the one thing that matters. It suits people who plan well on paper and need a rhythm to hang the plan on.

You get 7 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work in two halves, a real evening and a morning question that sets your direction. Mason Currey's Daily Rituals notes that his printing business often knocked him off the plan, which is a comfort on a bad day. To start today, write one question at the top of your page. The scheme repeats all week here, because he wrote only one.