Week of Ben Franklin

In which I submit myself to the sleep regimen of our favorite founding father.

Last week, upon returning from SXSW for Solvate, I came back to Trust Art to find that the crew (Jose & Seth) had given headquarters an awesome makeover.

I also found them on a new kick — a Ben Franklin kick. Ben has long-been an guiding force at Trust Art. Jose and Seth figured that if homeboy could help us create a new art economy for public art, he might have a few more tricks up his sleeve for us. And, with so many things on all of our plates, both for Trust Art and not, we could use all the help we could get.

With maximum productivity in mind, the boys embarked upon the Ben Franklin Sleep Schedule:

Rise at 5am
Break from 12pm-2pm
Conclude work at 6pm
Sleep at 10pm

Why, Ben? Why?

Well, given my obsession with productivity blogs, compulsive organization tendencies, and a lifetime of being in trying-to-do-everything-at-once mode, I sort of already knew why — waking up early means getting more things done, period. And the quality of work you can accomplish in those early hours of quiet, with a clear and focused mind, is better than anything you get done between 11pm and 3am, no matter how the night owls protest.

It isn’t easy, it isn’t fun, and it isn’t for everyone. If you have any semblance of a social life, getting to bed at 10pm everyday is probably the most difficult part of the whole schedule.

I made a lousy attempt at the regimen last week, with mixed results. Combining freelance & startup hours with the BFSS is trying, to say the least (2-hour lunch breaks are not exactly welcomed when I work in-house Tues-Thurs), and sleeping at 10pm proved difficult when there were events to attend and meetings to be had. And beers to drink. Also: have you seen my bed? It’s basically a magical sleep cloud.

I did, however, manage to get a few very early (5am or 6am) mornings in, and those days were absolutely fantastic. If you can do it, even a single day on the BFSS is revelatory. Those first few morning hours are rough, but if you can check your emails/news in bed, get in the shower, and get some coffee pumping through your veins and food in your belly by 7am, you’re golden. Your day will be beautiful. The world will be your oyster. Come 10pm (or 10:30, let’s be realistic), you’ll sleep like an absolute baby.

This week, I need Ben more than ever. Our first Her Girl Friday event is on Wednesday (!!!), and on Saturday, I leave for South Africa for 2.5 weeks. There’s a mountain of things to take care of between now and then, so much Powerful Goodness to address.

So, I sleep. Wish me luck. Signing off at 10:05pm — just past my bedtime.