Learning to be Consistent Using the Chain Method

Writing and Meditation

Writing a PhD thesis is the largest project I’ve worked on. As I began writing I often found myself feeling slightly uncomfortable. At first I wasn’t sure what it was. Then I twigged! A PhD is a huge project, which is by and large self managed. Its size can lead to anxiety, which in turn can lead to procrastination as a coping mechanism. This, in fact is what I was doing. I was spending my time reading. Thinking I needed to know more, before the writing could start. Intuitively however, I knew something was off and so I Googled. I wondered if anyone else was experiencing similar problems. Of course, there were plenty of people sorting through similar issues, with many different ideas on its cause and a solution. Most of them were silly. Some of them made sense but, just didn’t seem to hit the money. They spoke of being relaxed. But I was already relaxed. Maybe too relaxed, in fact.

In the end, I found a method suiting my personality. One that I felt comfortable with but, more importantly, one I felt could be fun. So, I’m guessing by now you want to know what this method is? I reckon you might even be thinking about how you can use it for your own projects.

Jerry Seinfeld’s Chain Method

The Jerry Seinfeld Chain Method or JSCM – after Jerry’s own productivity technique for writing. But, this method could just as easily be called the Principal Skinner Envelope Licking Method or PSELM (of course that will only make sense to those who know of the TV show, The Simpsons), and in some ways the PSELM is probably a better description of the underlying psychology. The JSCM is a method based on healthy self-competition. It’s an easy enough concept to grasp. You get a calendar such as the one in the photo. It is important that it is a one sheet calendar, as the days need to be easily visible. Place the calendar in a prominent place. In my case it is near the door of my room. So whenever I walk in or out, there is it. Reminding of how well, or not, I am doing. Then, for whatever project you are working on set yourself a daily goal. For me, the calendar on the left represents X hours of meditation per day. The one of the right, X number of words writing per day. Then once I have met my set goal I mark the day with a big red cross. The goal is to build up the chain of crosses. As Jerry says: Don’t break the chain!

Funny enough, it works. Although the photo above was taken on the first day and only has one cross. As you build the chain, you begin to feel invested in seeing the chain unbroken and growing. I am now up to day four and have four red crosses. Strange, I know, but it works. It’s quite satisfying to mark the calendar each day. And the thought of not getting that red cross gently pushes you to make your daily meditation or writing goal. Its a carrot and a stick method in one.

You can read more about how Jerry and his method here

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