Want to help yourself and others get more done (and enjoy the doing)? Here's an excellent method

If you want to support people, including yourself, in making changes or accomplishing goals, read The Progress Principle. The simple message: Research shows that if we can see our progress, no matter how small, we are motivated to keep on the path towards the change or goal. I can't tell you how many times I have recommended the book, or how many times people have read the book and then sent me a hearty "thank you."

For a quick overview of the book, click to watch this video (99u) of coauthor Dr. Teresa Amabile. In it she mentions that a person can track their progress in many ways including using an app; one example of this kind of app is iDoneThis, which you can download for free.

A related technique comes from, of all people, the comedian Jerry Seinfeld. It's called "Don't Break the Chain" and is decribed at lifehacker:

I finally decided to give Jerry Seinfeld's productivity secret a try. It's more commonly known as "Don't Break the Chain," and the concept is simple: spend some amount of time doing a desired activity every day and, when you do, cross off that day on a calendar. This creates a chain of Xs showing your progress. If you don't do your specified task on one day, you don't get an X and that chain is broken. It seems almost too simple to work, but it's allowed me to accomplish so much more than I ever thought possible.

And here's an app to support you in not breaking the chain: Wonderful Day.

If you have not already tried harnessing the progress principle, I urge you to give it a try.

Note: One of many reasons I am a believer in the value of the progress principle (other than that I have seen it work for myself and others) is because it is compatible with some of the solution-focused techniques, such as scaling. I have blogged about solution-focused approaches in the past, e.g., here, here, and here.