The most valuable asset any salesperson has is time.
How much time do I have, and how much can I get done? Whether it's prospecting, sourcing, or sending out those introductory emails, salespeople have to ask themselves tough questions every day to ensure their priorities are in check.
Which is why I was excited when I came across the daily routine of Benjamin Franklin:
Inspired by his strict routine, I wondered how it feels to live a day in his shoes. So I decided to recreate his daily routine, with a 21st century twist. How much could I get done during this day, and how would my priorities shift?
After putting away my feathered ink pen and canvas paper, I grabbed my MacBook and produced two resources:
1. A Google Calendar template, mirroring his daily routine
2. An Evernote file to record goals every morning and accomplishments every evening
Thus, I'm encouraging you all to join me in an experiment and try Benjamin Franklin's daily routine.
Admittedly, I have a Honda instead of a horse and prefer light bulbs over oil lamps, so I won't live exactly like this Founding Father, but I'm going to get as close as possible.
Chances are I won't invent a lightning rod or eye spectacles, but it could transform my daily work habits.
The reality is I won't understand if his method works ... unless I try it myself.
Here's how I'm doing it -
Step 1: Download his daily routine to Google Calendar.
Click here to download the calendar. You'll quickly notice every day is the same and that each day repeats until infinite. After downloading, you'll be prompted to select a destination calendar. Just select "New Calendar" and click OK.
Although you can customize each block to how you want, here's how it's currently structured for me:
5am - 8am: Somehow wake myself up at 5am, exercise for 45 minutes, shower, eat breakfast, then meditate for 10 minutes. Afterward, I'll write down my daily goals in Evernote. If time still remains, I'll listen to an audiobook or read until 7:30am. Then I'll commute to work.
8am - 12pm: Work on my highest prioritized tasks tasks.
12pm - 2pm: Eat lunch, read, walk around outside, and maybe call a friend or two I haven't talked to in a while.
2pm - 5pm: Continue to work on high-priority tasks.
5pm - 9pm: Go home, make dinner, read or listen to audiobook, meet my girlfriend or friends, and write down today's accomplishments in Evernote.
Step 2: Import his daily planning and self-reflection journal into Evernote.
Every morning he asked himself, "What good shall I do today?"
Every night he asked himself, "What good have I done today?"
With this thought process in mind, I created this Evernote template to jot down daily goals and accomplishments.
His process is profound because it's more than merely setting goals. It's about being honest with himself on what he actually accomplished.
But here's the thing - productivity techniques are not a one-sized fits all solution. It truly relies on personal experimentation and self-reflection. Try this routine out; it may or may not work for you, but there's only one way to know.
We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.
ALBERT EINSTEIN, [CLICK TO TWEET]
