Benjamin Franklin’s Time Management System

Benjamin Franklin’s time management system is based on the principle that every action should align with your core life values and contribute to your overarching life goal. To make progress toward this goal easier and faster, the main objective is broken down into smaller tasks, which are then further divided into even more manageable actions.

The First Level of Franklin’s Pyramid

The “construction” of the pyramid starts with its foundation. All subsequent actions depend on this base. At this stage, you need to define your life principles: identify your values and determine what is truly important to you. Everyone has their own priorities, and this step can be the most challenging—understanding your own feelings and thoughts isn’t easy. It’s crucial to find your genuine values. Often, what we consider a value is actually a “fake,” imposed by society, family, friends, or advertising. For example, you might think wealth is your top priority, but in reality, a loving family and a comfortable standard of living make you happy. This means the idea of wealth was likely influenced by others.

After making a list of your values, review it carefully. Remove any values that contradict each other. It’s a good idea to revisit your list about once a year, as your life priorities may change over time.

The Second Level of the Pyramid

The next step directly depends on the previous one. Based on your chosen values, set a specific, major life goal for yourself—the one you’ll strive for over the next several years or even decades. Remember, your main life goal should not contradict your core values; otherwise, achieving it won’t bring true satisfaction. It’s recommended to review your main goal annually.

The Third Level of the Pyramid

The third level is built when you create a master plan. In Franklin’s system, a master plan is a general outline for achieving your main goal. Notably, this plan doesn’t include deadlines; it only lists the actions required. You should update your master plan every year.

The Fourth Level of the Pyramid

Now it’s time to create long-term plans—typically for the next five years. These plans should include specific dates for each milestone. It’s important to avoid vague deadlines (like “this year”) and instead specify exact timeframes (for example, “from September to November of a given year”).

• Incorrect: I will take an acting course in the next two years.
• Correct: I will take an acting course from May to September 2011.

Setting clear deadlines helps you move toward your goal faster. People tend to procrastinate, and without specific deadlines, tasks are often postponed indefinitely. It’s best to review and adjust your long-term plans every 4–6 months.

The Fifth Level of the Pyramid

At this stage, you’ll need to create short-term plans. These can cover several months or just a few weeks. Each item in your short-term plan should correspond to a point in your long-term plan. For example, if your long-term plan includes “Study at the conservatory,” your short-term plan might include “Prepare for entrance exams,” “Submit application documents,” and so on. In other words, each long-term task should be broken down into smaller, actionable steps.

Short-term plans should be reviewed frequently—ideally, read through and update them twice a month.

The Sixth Level of the Pyramid

The final stage involves creating daily plans. Your daily tasks should be directly based on your short-term plans. For example, if your short-term plan includes “Prepare for entrance exams,” your daily plan might specify “Prepare for the vocal exam.” If a task can’t be completed in one day, break it down further. For instance:

• May 17, 2011 — Learn the lyrics and start practicing the song independently.
• May 18, 2011 — Vocal lesson with a teacher.

Ideally, each task should have a clear time frame, such as “Vocal lesson with teacher from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.” It’s best to plan your day the night before, and you should feel free to adjust your plan as the day progresses.

Managing Your Time Throughout the Day

When planning your day, consider the priority of each task. Generally, tasks fall into one of three categories:

• Important: Tasks that must not be postponed. These should be completed first, as failing to do so can disrupt your short-term plans.
• Secondary: Tasks that should be done soon, but can wait until tomorrow or the day after. However, don’t delay too long, as even non-urgent tasks can become urgent if forgotten.
• Minor: Tasks that still need to be done, but can be postponed for a week or two without major consequences.

Start with important tasks, then move on to secondary ones, and finally, if time allows, tackle minor tasks. Don’t try to do everything at once, or you may end up accomplishing nothing at all.