Valuable Advice from Jerry Seinfeld

Most people have fallen behind a time or two and said “there just aren’t enough hours in a day.” Making the most of the mere 24 hours doesn’t always come easy to people. Staying focused can be difficult, especially when it comes to long-term goals that don’t demand urgent priority, like filling documents or even exercising for example.  

Brian Isaac, a blogger and software developer, received surprisingly valuable advice about time management from none other than comedy legend, Jerry Seinfeld. The advice that the creator of the hit show, Seinfeld, gave to Isaac can be used in almost every situation for all kinds of working people.

Years ago, when Seinfeld was a new show and Jerry still worked the comedy club circuit, Isaac was aspiring to be a sand-up comedian. One night, Isaac took advantage of his opportunity to ask Seinfeld for advice when he (Seinfeld) was headlining at a club. Isaac sought advice about how to succeed in stand-up comedy and, not surprisingly, Seinfeld replied by saying that Isaac should write new jokes every day. This advice stuck with Isaac because of what Seinfeld said about how the advice should be carried out. Isaac explained:

He (Seinfeld) told me to get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall. The next step was to get a big red magic marker.

He said for each day that I do my task of writing, I get to put a big red X over that day. "After a few days you'll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You'll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is to not break the chain."

“Don't break the chain,” he said again for emphasis.

This calendar phenomenon can work for any working person who wants to make the most of their time. Unlike their employees, business owners don’t have the “luxury” of a boss to keep then on target. Often times owners have to force themselves to stay motivated and make sure all their responsibilities are taken care of, particularly when their hard work doesn’t grant immediate benefits. These responsibilities can include making calls, networking, and staying organized; the only way to successfully carry them out is to keep up with them every day.

So, listen to Seinfeld. Find a wall calendar and start putting an X through each day that you complete your obligatory tasks.

Remember: don’t break the chain.