Chase The Kangaroo

Purposeful Work and Redeeming the Time

“Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

Franklin’s View of Industry

Franklin’s life was marked by endless energy as he was a printer, inventor, scientist, diplomat, writer, and more. He believed that wasted time was wasted life. For him, Industry was not frantic busyness but purposeful labor: effort directed at usefulness, growth, and the common good.

Industry was Franklin’s way of redeeming the hours. He recognized that without it, even the best intentions dissolve into idleness.

Wisdom from the Stoics

The Stoics knew that the brevity of life demanded attention.

“Do every act of your life as though it were the very last.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” ~ Epictetus

Industry, in their eyes, was not about doing more but about doing what matters, resisting the drift of distraction or indulgence.

Biblical Echoes

The Bible also frames diligence as virtue:

“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.” ~ King Solomon (Proverbs 6:6)

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” ~ Apostle Paul (Colossians 3:23)

Labor is not curse but calling. Faithful work—whether sweeping floors or leading nations—honors God and benefits others.

Roosevelt and the Strenuous Life

Roosevelt’s voice amplifies Franklin’s. He rejected ease as an ideal:

“Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

“I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

To Roosevelt, Industry was not just personal—it was civic. A nation thrived only when its citizens embraced work, discipline, and effort, not when they sought comfort and ease.

Voices from Christian Writers

• C.S. Lewis: “A mole must dig to the glory of God, and a cock must crow.” (Christian Reflections). Even humble labor can be holy.
• G.K. Chesterton: celebrated ordinary work as the soil of community life.
• George MacDonald: “Free will is not the liberty to do whatever one likes, but the power of doing whatever one sees ought to be done.” (Unspoken Sermons). For him, Industry was obedience in action.

My Experience with Industry This Week

This week reminded me that Franklin’s virtue of Industry isn’t about motion, but meaning. I began noticing how often I confuse being busy with being useful.

Day 1 — Purpose vs. Busyness

I tend to confuse the two when I’m facing a project I’m not completely comfortable with or when I’ve procrastinated too long. I’ll fill my time with lesser tasks—work that feels productive but isn’t truly useful. Franklin would call this being “employ’d in something that isn’t useful.” The real cause, I realize, is fear. Fear mixed with self-protection.

Day 2 — Stewarding Time

Today I wasted time dealing with a car service appointment that turned into a six-hour ordeal. The lack of communication drained time, energy, and patience. I was productive while waiting, but the frustration itself was waste. It reminded me that time stewardship is about clarity of focus, not just how we spend minutes, but how we manage attention and emotion.

Day 3 — The Cost of Idleness

When I delay filing taxes, I don’t just inconvenience myself, I cause stress for my wife and our CPA. The emotional cost of delay is real. Industry, I’ve learned, is not just diligence in doing work, but in keeping commitments to others.

Day 4 — Meaningful Work

Preparing for this very essay was the most satisfying work of the week. The research, reflection, and writing gave me both purpose and joy. It’s creative, constructive, and aligned with who I’m becoming.

Day 5 — Cutting Waste

I identified one thief of time: iPad games. Ten minutes here and ten minutes there may seem trivial, but they add up to hours lost. That’s time I could invest in more meaningful pursuits; time that could shape better habits, deeper relationships, or creative growth.

Day 6 — A Small Gain

My morning and evening routines continue to anchor my days. These small acts of diligence like walking the dog, journaling, stretching, meditating, they form the scaffolding of larger goals. They give my life order, focus, and confidence.

Day 7 — Work and Rest

The difference between idleness and renewal is purpose. Idleness is mindless; renewal is mindful. True rest restores strength for the work ahead. Whether that’s quiet reading, meditation, or vigorous activity, it’s done with intent. Rest, then, is a form of Industry.

Key Aspects of Industry

• Purposeful Work: Industry is not frantic activity, but directing energy toward meaningful and useful ends.
• Diligence: Persevering steadily at a task without succumbing to laziness, distraction, or procrastination.
• Time Stewardship: Recognizing that wasted time is wasted life; every hour can either be redeemed or squandered.
• Balance: True Industry includes purposeful rest; renewal makes labor sustainable.
• Civic Responsibility: Work is not only for personal gain but contributes to family, community, and nation.

Examples of Industry in Practice

• Work Tasks: Completing promised assignments on time and with care.
• Household Order: Tackling daily chores rather than letting them pile up.
• Health: Building consistent exercise and nutrition habits.
• Learning: Devoting time to reading, study, or skill-building instead of idle distraction.
• Relationships: Investing effort in family, friendships, or community service, not neglecting them through busyness or sloth.
• Digital Life: Choosing productivity tools over endless scrolling or shallow distraction.

Developing the Virtue of Industry

• Set Clear Priorities: Begin each day identifying the most important work to be done.
• Practice Consistency: Build small, steady habits that reinforce effort over time.
• Guard Against Drift: Eliminate distractions or idle pursuits that steal time.
• Embrace Difficulty: Accept that struggle, effort, and even failure are part of worthy work.
• Align with Purpose: Direct energy toward work that reflects values and serves higher goods.
• Rest with Intention: View rest as part of Industry, not an escape from it.

Practical Focus Map: Practicing Industry

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

Area	Practice
Time Management	Block hours for deep work. Protect afternoons from drift.
Task Discipline	Start with the most important task and finish before moving on.
Digital Life	Turn off notifications. Limit idle scrolling.
Habits	Replace wasted minutes with small, useful acts.
Reflection	End each day asking: Did I spend my time well?
Rest	Rest as purposeful renewal, not avoidance.
Purpose	Align daily labor with long-term values.

Closing Thought

Roosevelt captured the heart of Franklin’s virtue:

“Better faithful than famous.”

What will it cost you to practice industry in your daily life? What would you be giving up?

What will you be sacrificing, if you didn’t pursue industry?

Industry is not about exhausting activity or chasing recognition. It is about faithfulness to what matters i.e. redeeming time, honoring God, and serving others. The real prize is not acclaim but the chance to work hard at work worth doing.

Franklin’s Virtue Series