In this lesson of the GTD Thirty Day Challenge we are going to talk about how to set up a tickler file, or specifically, how I set up my tickler file.
From what I can tell, David Allen is a big believer in the 43 folders tickler file. If you haven't seen a tickler file before, it is 12 folders for each month and 31 folders for each day. Right now it's January so I'd have my 31 folders behind January. As each day passes, I'd move the previous date behind February. Since today is the 21st for me. Folders for days 1-20 would now be behind the February tab.
Now, how do you use it? Today, I had a bill I learned I had to pay on February 3. I don't want to forget it, so I would put it behind my February 3 tab. When that day rolls around, I check my tickler file and it prompts me to pay the bill.
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.
For GTD, the tickler file set up is essential because you have to have a way to remind yourself of future actions. If you are a person who has tons of physical paper items then a foldered style tickler is the way you want to set it up. For me though, my work doesn't create many physical items and so I have a different method to setting up my tickler file to solve the above problems.
How To Set Up A Tickler File
Step one is to create a plastic folder that I carry in my briefcase labelled "Waiting For" and all the things I need to remember on future dates go in there.
Next, I created a folder in my email account called "Yahoo Reminders". You'll see this folder if you look at the image of my email folder structure in How To Set Up Your GTD Email. I then set up a filter for all Yahoo Reminders to go into this specific folder and not in my inbox for processing.
The last component is Yahoo calendar. I put any item I need to remember and enter it as an all day event. I attach and email reminder to it that sends me a reminder 2 days ahead of the day I need to remember it. As a second reminder, a text is sent too.
So, let's take the above scenario again. I got a bill today that I need to remember on the 3rd of February. I go to my Yahoo! calendar and enter an all day event "Pay important bill" with a reminder scheduled for two days prior. I then take the bill and put it in my "Waiting For" folder in my briefcase.
When February 1st rolls around, I get an email from Yahoo that tells me I have to pay the bill on the third. This email goes directly into my Yahoo! reminder folder. I also get a text message as a back up. I do both text and email because it's a good backup for when I don't have access to my Yahoo! Reminders folder from my Blackberry, I've got a text as well sitting right there. Each day, I review my reminders folder or my Blackberry for ticklered items.
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%
That is my version of how to set up a tickler file for maximum effectiveness. - 16759
From what I can tell, David Allen is a big believer in the 43 folders tickler file. If you haven't seen a tickler file before, it is 12 folders for each month and 31 folders for each day. Right now it's January so I'd have my 31 folders behind January. As each day passes, I'd move the previous date behind February. Since today is the 21st for me. Folders for days 1-20 would now be behind the February tab.
Now, how do you use it? Today, I had a bill I learned I had to pay on February 3. I don't want to forget it, so I would put it behind my February 3 tab. When that day rolls around, I check my tickler file and it prompts me to pay the bill.
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.
For GTD, the tickler file set up is essential because you have to have a way to remind yourself of future actions. If you are a person who has tons of physical paper items then a foldered style tickler is the way you want to set it up. For me though, my work doesn't create many physical items and so I have a different method to setting up my tickler file to solve the above problems.
How To Set Up A Tickler File
Step one is to create a plastic folder that I carry in my briefcase labelled "Waiting For" and all the things I need to remember on future dates go in there.
Next, I created a folder in my email account called "Yahoo Reminders". You'll see this folder if you look at the image of my email folder structure in How To Set Up Your GTD Email. I then set up a filter for all Yahoo Reminders to go into this specific folder and not in my inbox for processing.
The last component is Yahoo calendar. I put any item I need to remember and enter it as an all day event. I attach and email reminder to it that sends me a reminder 2 days ahead of the day I need to remember it. As a second reminder, a text is sent too.
So, let's take the above scenario again. I got a bill today that I need to remember on the 3rd of February. I go to my Yahoo! calendar and enter an all day event "Pay important bill" with a reminder scheduled for two days prior. I then take the bill and put it in my "Waiting For" folder in my briefcase.
When February 1st rolls around, I get an email from Yahoo that tells me I have to pay the bill on the third. This email goes directly into my Yahoo! reminder folder. I also get a text message as a back up. I do both text and email because it's a good backup for when I don't have access to my Yahoo! Reminders folder from my Blackberry, I've got a text as well sitting right there. Each day, I review my reminders folder or my Blackberry for ticklered items.
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%
That is my version of how to set up a tickler file for maximum effectiveness. - 16759
About the Author:
Dojo Kuhn has been practicing GTD since 2005. To assist you set up their Getting Things Done system, he created a free GTD Thirty Day Challenge that you can use to assist 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.
