As part of my ongoing GTD Thirty Day Challenge, I wanted to talk about how you should set up a tickler file.
After listening to some of David Allen's conversations, I think he uses 43 folders for his tickler file. The 43 folders are 12 for each month and 31 for each day. If it is January, I'd have 31 folder into the January folder of my months. After each day, I'd take that day's folder and move it behind the next month, in this case February. If it's the 20th, the previous folder for days 1-19 would be behind the February folder now.
What happens when I use my tickler file? If I get a bill that is due on February 3rd, and I want to remember to pay it on that day, I would stick the bill in my February 3rd folder. On February 3rd when I look at my tickler, I'd see the bill and remember to pay it.
I really do not like using 43 folders for my tickler file. For starters, it's hard to remember to check it every day. People then have to remember to check it and they'll start to ask themselves "how do I remember to check my tickler file?" The next reason is it is very bulky and not very portable. Finally, when you move the daily folders behind the next month, you have to remember to move the items in that months folders to the proper day.
If you use GTD though, a tickler file is essential to set up because there are things in the future that you need to remember. The folder type of tickler is perfect if you have a lot of physical type items you use as reminders. For most people, their work doesn't create the kind of physical items that really justify a folder tickler file and I suggest setting up a tickler file differently to address the problems above.
How To Set Up A Tickler File
First, I put a plastic folder in my briefcase called "Waiting For" that holds all of the stuff I might need to remember to check on a future date.
After that, I would create a folder in my email setup called "Yahoo Reminders". If you look at my folder setup in my other article called How To Set Up Your GTD email, you can see how I have this set up. I then filter all of my Yahoo reminders into this folder and they bypass my inbox.
The final component of my tickler file setup is Yahoo calendar. Anything I need to remember on a certain day gets entered as an all day event. An email reminder is associated with the event and a email goes out 2 days before I need to remember to do it. I also have it send me a text as a backup.
In the above example, the bill I got needed to be remembered on February 3rd. I enter the all day event on the third like "Pay very important bill" and by default it sends me an email reminder two days before it occurs. The actual physical bill goes into my "Waiting For" folder in my briefcase.
On the 1st day of February, I get a Yahoo reminder that reminds me about the bill that needs to be paid on the third and it goes directly into my Yahoo reminder folder in my email account. In addition, a text goes out as well giving me a backup on my blackberry in case I can't get to my Yahoo reminder's folder in my email account. I review my blackberry text messages every day and review my reminders folder too as well if I have access to it.
This setup is especially lightweight and extremely portable. It reminds me of everything so I do not have to remember to check. I also don't have to move stuff around in my tickler file. If you don't use email reminders, you really don't have any idea how valuable they can be. My suggestion is use them, even if you use the 43 folders as your tickler file. They will improve your GTD system 100%
Once you learn how to set up a tickler file in this fashion, you'll find it ideal for maximum effectiveness.
After listening to some of David Allen's conversations, I think he uses 43 folders for his tickler file. The 43 folders are 12 for each month and 31 for each day. If it is January, I'd have 31 folder into the January folder of my months. After each day, I'd take that day's folder and move it behind the next month, in this case February. If it's the 20th, the previous folder for days 1-19 would be behind the February folder now.
What happens when I use my tickler file? If I get a bill that is due on February 3rd, and I want to remember to pay it on that day, I would stick the bill in my February 3rd folder. On February 3rd when I look at my tickler, I'd see the bill and remember to pay it.
I really do not like using 43 folders for my tickler file. For starters, it's hard to remember to check it every day. People then have to remember to check it and they'll start to ask themselves "how do I remember to check my tickler file?" The next reason is it is very bulky and not very portable. Finally, when you move the daily folders behind the next month, you have to remember to move the items in that months folders to the proper day.
If you use GTD though, a tickler file is essential to set up because there are things in the future that you need to remember. The folder type of tickler is perfect if you have a lot of physical type items you use as reminders. For most people, their work doesn't create the kind of physical items that really justify a folder tickler file and I suggest setting up a tickler file differently to address the problems above.
How To Set Up A Tickler File
First, I put a plastic folder in my briefcase called "Waiting For" that holds all of the stuff I might need to remember to check on a future date.
After that, I would create a folder in my email setup called "Yahoo Reminders". If you look at my folder setup in my other article called How To Set Up Your GTD email, you can see how I have this set up. I then filter all of my Yahoo reminders into this folder and they bypass my inbox.
The final component of my tickler file setup is Yahoo calendar. Anything I need to remember on a certain day gets entered as an all day event. An email reminder is associated with the event and a email goes out 2 days before I need to remember to do it. I also have it send me a text as a backup.
In the above example, the bill I got needed to be remembered on February 3rd. I enter the all day event on the third like "Pay very important bill" and by default it sends me an email reminder two days before it occurs. The actual physical bill goes into my "Waiting For" folder in my briefcase.
On the 1st day of February, I get a Yahoo reminder that reminds me about the bill that needs to be paid on the third and it goes directly into my Yahoo reminder folder in my email account. In addition, a text goes out as well giving me a backup on my blackberry in case I can't get to my Yahoo reminder's folder in my email account. I review my blackberry text messages every day and review my reminders folder too as well if I have access to it.
This setup is especially lightweight and extremely portable. It reminds me of everything so I do not have to remember to check. I also don't have to move stuff around in my tickler file. If you don't use email reminders, you really don't have any idea how valuable they can be. My suggestion is use them, even if you use the 43 folders as your tickler file. They will improve your GTD system 100%
Once you learn how to set up a tickler file in this fashion, you'll find it ideal for maximum effectiveness.
About the Author:
Dojo Kuhn has been practicing GTD since 2005. To help you set up their Getting Things Done system, he developed a unique GTD Thirty Day Challenge that you can use to help you set up your system. You can also find a walkthrough of how to set up a tickler file that shows you how he uses a tickler file.
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น