Forget productivity apps, online calendars or finding an accountability partner, if you want to stick to a diet, a work plan, or a fitness goal, take a leaf out of comedian Jerry Seinfeld's book.

Seinfeld - who was the creator of the eponymous comedy series which is widely regarded as one of the best sitcoms on television - credits his comedy success with the fact that he sits down and writes material every day of the year.

So how does he do it? He has a very simple tip to make sure he doesn't skip a day. It involves a red pen and an old fashioned paper calendar. Every day that Seinfeld spends time working on his writing, he draws a red cross on the calendar. Then the next day he writes, he does another cross. And another.

Soon, he says, after you have 10 crosses or so, you will not skip work because it will upset you too much to break the chain.

Your mind wants to keep the chain of crosses going more than it wants to take a day off. Well, if it works for the mega millionaire comedy genius...

* Marianne Power is the author of helpmeblog.net

Weekend Magazine