If you have to mirror your life after someone in history, Benjamin Franklin is a great role model. He was a statesman, author, inventor, music composer, and all-around influential thinker—not to mention a Founding Father of the United States.

How did he fit so much into one 24-hour period?

10 Lessons From Benjamin Franklin’s Schedule that Will Double Your Productivity. 

Be Simple

Franklin kept his daily schedule simple. He divided his day into six blocks of time, one of which was sleep. The others were designated for activities like “work,” “reading,” and “dining,” but there was no massive to-do list. Perhaps he thought a list would frustrate or overwhelm him. Or perhaps an open schedule allowed for more free thought and creativity.

Keep a Routine

Get up and go to bed at the same time every day. A regular sleep schedule is essential to your body. Your brain needs to be trained when it needs to rest, which improves the quality of your sleep. Franklin slept from 10 pm to 5 am each night.

Have Alone Time

First thing in the morning, Franklin spent time alone in prayer or meditation, allowing him the clarity and focus he needed to tackle the day.

Set an Intention and Plan

When preparing for the day ahead, Franklin asked himself, “what good shall I do this day?” By setting a goal each morning, you ensure that you’ll stay focused. Aiming to do good is a great place to start. Whether this means furthering your company’s long-term goals, relieving your boss of his tedious tasks, or encouraging a frustrated coworker, doing good is a significant contribution you can make to the world.

Continue to Learn

This means reading, learning a new skill, or even something totally unrelated to your job, like learning to draw or play a musical instrument.

Create Time Blocks

Set aside blocks of time when you won’t be disturbed. During these time chunks, plan to work on your most important tasks, tasks you can’t complete with frequent interruptions.

Clean Up

Use your remaining energy at the end of the day to put things away and return your work and living space to order. It only takes a few minutes and will save you time the next day so you can get started on more important tasks right away.

Schedule Downtime

Downtime isn’t wasted time. It’s important to re-energize your body and recharge your brain. Eat dinner, watch a little TV, listen to some music, or go for a walk.

Reflect on Your Day

Before bed, Franklin would ask himself what good he’d done today. Do the same—look back at your intention for the day. Did you accomplish it? Why or why not? If not, what can you change about tomorrow?

Don’t Aim for Perfection

Celebrate your wins, but don’t dwell on your failures. Instead, learn from them and focus on improvement instead of perfection.

Choose a Staffing Partner that Truly Listens to You

At Exact Staff, we know that developing effective staffing solutions requires an in-depth understanding of your needs. We’ll listen, ask the right questions, and then create a solution that offers the workforce flexibility, support and access to talent your team needs. What can we do for you? Contact a staffing expert at your local Exact Staff office today