Franklin Planner
Encyclopedia
The Franklin Planner is a paper-based time management
system created by Hyrum W. Smith
. It is marketed by the FranklinCovey company, and promoted by Stephen Covey
. Physically it consists of a ring binder
holding specially designed loose leaf
pages. Divided by monthly tabs between the pages and accepting a wide variety of specialized accessories and inserts, the core idea is to consolidate tasks and appointments along with personal records in one place for improved personal information management
by eliminating "floating pieces of paper."
Named for Benjamin Franklin
who famously kept a small private book as detailed in his autobiography
, the planner comes in five sizes Monarch (8.5x11", 216x280 mm), Classic (5.5x8.5", 140x216 mm), Compact (4.5x6.75",108x172 mm), Pocket (3.5x6", 89x153 mm) and Micro. The standard daily section of the planner has two pages per day and has areas for a prioritized task list, agenda of appointments and a daily record of events (diary
) page. A key section at the rear of the book contains addresses. Other inserts include ledger
sheets for tracking finances or vehicle mileage, exercise logs and other individualized reference materials. A core technique to the Franklin Planner system is to begin each day with fifteen minutes of "solitude and planning."
Because of its overall design, the Franklin-Covey system lends itself to use as a tickler file
, as well as a long-range planner. Most annual versions of the page inserts for the Franklin system include yearly calendars for at least five years; future monthly calendars for at least three years; and then the current year's pages and associated monthly calendars for planning. When used as a total package, the system provides a means of tracking minute details; storage of signed agreements (especially if pages are archived in the archival binders); and tracking of business and personal expenses for taxes.
FranklinCovey markets the planner heavily to government
and corporate
workers in the United States
, with a business strategy that creates revenue from sales of seminar
s, books, stationery
and luxury
-grade accessories.
The Franklin Day Planner was first produced in 1984. It was followed by a time management workshop, which emphasized clarification of personal values
, priorities and mission
. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
by Stephen Covey, was published in 1989, and training and consulting based on its concepts were developed for this and First Things First in 1994. Ancillary software products were also created for Palm OS
and Microsoft Windows
in the late 1990s, promoted at specialized Franklin Covey retail stores. Although there were 125 such stores in January 1999, many have closed in favor of retail sales through Office Depot
, Staples, Office Max and licensed variants such as the "DayOne" line at Wal-Mart
.
Time management
Time management is the act or process of exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity. Time management may be aided by a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when accomplishing specific...
system created by Hyrum W. Smith
Hyrum W. Smith
Hyrum W. Smith founded the Franklin Quest Company in 1981. Among the company's other products, Smith created the Franklin Planner and seminars on productivity development based on the "belief window" and other concepts. In 1997, Franklin Quest merged with Stephen R. Covey's Covey Leadership...
. It is marketed by the FranklinCovey company, and promoted by Stephen Covey
Stephen Covey
Stephen Richards Covey is the author of the best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Other books he has written include First Things First, Principle-Centered Leadership, and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families. In 2004, Covey released The 8th Habit...
. Physically it consists of a ring binder
Ring binder
Ring binders are folders in which punched pieces of paper may be held by means of clamps running through the holes in the paper...
holding specially designed loose leaf
Loose leaf
The term loose leaf is used in the United States, Canada, and some other countries to describe a piece of notebook paper which is not actually fixed in a spiral notebook...
pages. Divided by monthly tabs between the pages and accepting a wide variety of specialized accessories and inserts, the core idea is to consolidate tasks and appointments along with personal records in one place for improved personal information management
Personal information management
Personal information management refers to the practice and the study of the activities people perform in order to acquire, organize, maintain, retrieve and use information items such as documents , web pages and email messages for everyday use to complete tasks and fulfill a person’s various...
by eliminating "floating pieces of paper."
Named for Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
who famously kept a small private book as detailed in his autobiography
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the traditional name for the unfinished record of his own life written by Benjamin Franklin from 1771 to 1790; however, Franklin himself appears to have called the work his Memoirs...
, the planner comes in five sizes Monarch (8.5x11", 216x280 mm), Classic (5.5x8.5", 140x216 mm), Compact (4.5x6.75",108x172 mm), Pocket (3.5x6", 89x153 mm) and Micro. The standard daily section of the planner has two pages per day and has areas for a prioritized task list, agenda of appointments and a daily record of events (diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
) page. A key section at the rear of the book contains addresses. Other inserts include ledger
Ledger
A ledger is the principal book or computer file for recording and totaling monetary transactions by account, with debits and credits in separate columns and a beginning balance and ending balance for each account. The ledger is a permanent summary of all amounts entered in supporting journals which...
sheets for tracking finances or vehicle mileage, exercise logs and other individualized reference materials. A core technique to the Franklin Planner system is to begin each day with fifteen minutes of "solitude and planning."
Because of its overall design, the Franklin-Covey system lends itself to use as a tickler file
Tickler file
A tickler file is a collection of date-labeled file folders organized in a way that allows time-sensitive documents to be filed according to the future date on which each document needs action...
, as well as a long-range planner. Most annual versions of the page inserts for the Franklin system include yearly calendars for at least five years; future monthly calendars for at least three years; and then the current year's pages and associated monthly calendars for planning. When used as a total package, the system provides a means of tracking minute details; storage of signed agreements (especially if pages are archived in the archival binders); and tracking of business and personal expenses for taxes.
FranklinCovey markets the planner heavily to government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and corporate
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
workers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with a business strategy that creates revenue from sales of seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
s, books, stationery
Stationery
Stationery has historically meant a wide gamut of materials: paper and office supplies, writing implements, greeting cards, glue, pencil case etc.-History of stationery:...
and luxury
Luxury good
Luxury goods are products and services that are not considered essential and associated with affluence.The concept of luxury has been present in various forms since the beginning of civilization. Its role was just as important in ancient western and eastern empires as it is in modern societies...
-grade accessories.
The Franklin Day Planner was first produced in 1984. It was followed by a time management workshop, which emphasized clarification of personal values
Value system
A value system is a set of consistent ethic values and measures used for the purpose of ethical or ideological integrity. A well defined value system is a moral code.-Personal and communal:...
, priorities and mission
Mission statement
A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making...
. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989, is a self-help book written by Stephen R. Covey. It has sold more than 15 million copies in 38 languages since first publication, which was marked by the release of a 15th anniversary edition in 2004...
by Stephen Covey, was published in 1989, and training and consulting based on its concepts were developed for this and First Things First in 1994. Ancillary software products were also created for Palm OS
Palm OS
Palm OS is a mobile operating system initially developed by Palm, Inc., for personal digital assistants in 1996. Palm OS is designed for ease of use with a touchscreen-based graphical user interface. It is provided with a suite of basic applications for personal information management...
and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
in the late 1990s, promoted at specialized Franklin Covey retail stores. Although there were 125 such stores in January 1999, many have closed in favor of retail sales through Office Depot
Office Depot
Office Depot is a supplier of office products and provides many services. The company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, printing, document reproduction, shipping,...
, Staples, Office Max and licensed variants such as the "DayOne" line at Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
.
See also
- FilofaxFilofaxFilofax is a company based in the UK that produces a range of well known personal organizer wallets. The organizers are traditionally leather bound and have a six-ring loose-leaf binder system. The design originated at Lefax, a United States company based in Philadelphia who exported products into...
- Getting Things DoneGetting Things DoneGetting Things Done is an organizational method created by productivity consultant David Allen, described in a book of the same name....
- Richard I. WinwoodRichard I. WinwoodRichard Ivan "Dick" Winwood is an author, religious leader, and business executive with Franklin-Covey.-Biographical background:...
- Personal organizerPersonal organizerA personal organizer, day planner, personal analog assistant, or personal planner is a small book/binder, designed to be portable, usually containing a diary, calendar, address book, and other sections usually including blank paper. It may also include pages with useful information, such as maps,...
- Stephen CoveyStephen CoveyStephen Richards Covey is the author of the best-selling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Other books he has written include First Things First, Principle-Centered Leadership, and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families. In 2004, Covey released The 8th Habit...
- Time managementTime managementTime management is the act or process of exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity. Time management may be aided by a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when accomplishing specific...