Hello Fellow Readers and Writers–
Remember the Ben Franklin Planners that were popular in the 70s? I tried them, as well as numerous planners over the years, but I think I must have a touch of ADHD, because I could never stick with one for more than a week. Even the newly-popular bullet journal (or BuJo for those in the know) had me so into decorating them that I forgot to do my tasks. So I went to the original source, Benjamin Franklin, and discovered a much more simple way to do things.
Mr. Franklin was a writer, inventor, politician, and weather watcher (remember his almanac?). Here is basically what his journal looked like:
5-8 AM ~ wash, breakfast, plan the day. “What good shall I do today?” (Here he’d write down meetings and work he wanted to accomplish.)
8-noon ~ work (Notice he didn’t specify what work he was going to do. He knew what he wanted to do from the question above.)
noon-2 PM ~ lunch, read, etc.
2-5 PM ~ work (again, with no specifications)
5-9 PM ~ put things away, supper, diversions, examination of the day. “What good have I done today?” (Here he’d jot down notes about his day, things he wanted to remember, things he wanted to do in the future, etc.
10 PM ~ sleep
Of course your hours may be different, but you get the gist? It’s a simple, one-page journal entry that encompasses everything you need to know for the day. And notice he planned his day each morning. I think that’s important. When I plan the next day at night, I have these grandiose ideas of what I will accomplish the next day. Then I wake up with aches and pains I wasn’t expecting, and there goes my grand plan out the window.
So, if you’re like me, and hate structure and the strangling feeling of schedules, try keeping a journal like the wise, old Benjamin Franklin. It may be all you need to get that writing, home or office organization, etc. done!
Until next time, Happy Reading and Writing to You All,
Jill-Ayn
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