Lesson notes, exercises, downloads, and recommended reading are below the video. On mobile, the video will rescale when you play it.


How Does the Chain Method of Time Management Work?

The Chain Method was reportedly described by comedian Jerry Seinfeld to web developer and stand-up comedian, Brad Isaac.

Seinfeld used the Chain Method to motivate himself to find time to write new material every day.

Watching this video is worth 1 Management Courses CPD Point*
(See below for more details)

This video is part of course module number 1.6.2
Program 1: Managing Yourself
Course 6: Personal Productivity
Section 2: Time Management

Relevant videos in the same section as this video include:
==============================================
– The Power of Habits: Productivity through Effective Working
https://youtu.be/kXmz_E8yUGw
– Organization: How to Enhance Your Productivity by Being Organized
https://youtu.be/2eUYH0z2yiQ
– Planning, Preparation, and Follow-up: Effective Working for Better Productivity
https://youtu.be/XZUCfd9xov0
– Milestones and Deadlines for Self-Motivation and Greater Productivity
https://youtu.be/hH7w-Fwa_uU
– Overcome Overwhelm: Dealing with the Feeling of Being Overwhelmed
… https://youtu.be/Gp21qbsesbc
– Goal Setting: The Start of Your Time Management
… https://youtu.be/xgQk_Ozu2V4
– Time Management with The OATS Principle
… https://youtu.be/B_W9uhKviFU
– To Do List and 7 Other Lists You Should Use Instead
… https://youtu.be/ywiCVY6mSgE
– Prioritization: Understand Urgent & Important
… https://youtu.be/HX6ByEBuStU
– Prioritization with the Pareto Principle – the 80-20 Rule
… https://youtu.be/Q5GAH0yMzwk
– How to Clear a Backlog – The 4 Rs Method
… https://youtu.be/vx7Z3GSTvvc
– How Does the Autofocus Time Management Method Work?
… https://youtu.be/zcC9f7KZ2pQ

LESSON NOTES
=============
This technique can motivate you to stick with an ongoing task, create a new habit, or work towards a big goal.

It’s simple and needs no technology (although yes, you can get an app). All you do is mark an X on a calendar for every day that you do the thing you want to do. The rule is: ‘don’t break the chain.’

It works because it creates a habit by motivating you to want to write your
X. It’s motivating because of:
– the visual dominance of the X
– the tactile pleasure of writing it.

Process for your own chain of success
1. Decide on your goal (or goals – not too many)
2. Decide how much work to put in each day – and maybe the time of day you’ll do it
3. Put up a calendar in a prominent place
4. Each day you complete your task, draw a big red X across that day on your calendar
5. Don’t break the chain.
What if you have to miss a day, for holidays or sickness, for perhaps?
You don’t want to break the chain, but it’s not your fault. Allow yourself a blue X, or a tick

RECOMMENDED EXERCISE
======================
1. Test out the Chain method for yourself. Does it work for you? Use it for a week. (10 MC CPD Points)
2. Decide if it works for you and how to adapt it. (2 MC CPD Points)

DOWNLOADS
===========
Free Resources
– CPD Tools – https://gum.co/MC-CPD
Paid resources
– Management Courses Onboarding Kit – https://gum.co/MC-ObK ($3)

RECOMMENDED READING
=====================
I’ll be as modest as I can. I’m something of an expert on effective working, personal productivity, & time management, with 4 best-selling books by 3 international publishers:
– The Time Management Pocketbook
https://geni.us/gHa4
– How to Manage Your Time
https://geni.us/Cpvp
– Powerhouse: Turbo Boost Your Effectiveness and Start Making a Serious Impact
https://geni.us/H7GDizc
– The Yes/No Book: How to do less… and achieve more
https://geni.us/yhF90n

And here are my picks from the thousands of other books on personal productivity, effective working, & time management:
– The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
https://geni.us/Zulp
– The Power of Habit: Why we Do what we Do, and How to Change
https://geni.us/vNtXd4
– Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
https://geni.us/JxTY
– Eat that Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating
https://geni.us/48Y1LlC

Management Courses Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Points
===========================================================
You can record your Management Courses CPD points on our free, downloadable CPD record log.
Download it here: https://gum.co/MC-CPD

Each video has two levels of MC CPD points. For this video:
– If you simply watched the video, record 1 MC CPD points
– If you also carried out all of the recommended exercises, score a total of 13 MC CPD points
___

Note:
Links to our book recommendations are affiliated through Amazon

#Productivity #TimeManagement #ChainMethod

source

How to Manage Your Time Efficiently: Management Primer
Strategic Time Management: What and How
How to Use the Kanban Method for Time Management
How Does the Autofocus Time Management Method Work?
How Does the Getting Things Done Time Management Method Work?
What is the Pomodoro Technique? Working in Sprints
Eating Frogs: A Solution to Procrastination
How to Handle Interruptions and Distractions
How to Say NO: Noble Objection – the Ultimate in Time Management
How to Handle Overload: When Time Management is Not Enough
How to Clear a Backlog – The 4 Rs Method
Prioritization with the Pareto Principle – the 80-20 Rule
Prioritization: Understand Urgent and Important
To Do List and 7 Other Time Management Lists You Should Use Instead
Time Management with The OATS Principle
Goal Setting: The Start of Your Time Management
Activity Log: Logging Your Time and Activities
Email Wrangling: How to Manage Your Email for Greater Productivity
Monkey Management: How to Deal with a Monkey on Your Back
The Flow State… and How Flow Can Help You Work Effectively
Special Time: and How to Use it to Work Effectively
Overcome Overwhelm: Dealing with the Feeling of Being Overwhelmed
Conquer Procrastination: How to Avoid Putting Things Off
Three Types of Procrastination… and Why 2 are Good
Failure of Multitasking: The Multitasking Myth
Milestones and Deadlines for Self-Motivation and Greater Productivity
Wellbeing: What to do to Increase Your Productivity
Use your Energy Cycles for More Effective Working and Greater Productivity
Planning, Preparation, and Follow-up: Effective Working for Better Productivity
Organization: How to Enhance Your Productivity by Being Organized
The Power of Habits: Productivity through Effective Working

Mike Clayton

About Mike Clayton 

Dr Mike Clayton is a (former) Project Manager and now a management educator. Having trained thousands of people at live workshops, seminars, and conferences, he now delivers training mainly via video. He has 14 books with international publishers and runs two successful YouTube channels. He is also the founder of OnlinePMCourses.com

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