I don't understand Tickler lists

[darpe]

I'm reading GTD for the first time and I'm struggling understanding the difference between what David next action category; the Calendar. The three types of reminders you put in your calendar are time-specific actions, day-specific actions and day-specific information.

I don't understand how the tickler system is separate and distinct from this. He gives the examples "taxes are due in a month" for the tickler system but I don't understand why this wouldn't fall under day-specific information or day-specific action.

I'd appreciate any help understanding the differences. Thanks in advance.

 

[René Lie]

I am experimenting with a tickler list in my list manager (Asana), based on what I heard David talking about in a podcast.

This is for calendar items that are way further into the future than you would typically go in your weekly review, but that it would be nice to be reminded of at an earlier time - car service, passport expiration and other things that could use more than a week or two notice.

Of course, I could put these items in a calendar like you say, but I like to keep my calendar as "clean" as possible - but your mileage may vary...

For the items that are used as examples in the book, e.g. plane tickets that you need the day you are traveling, a whole day event on the actual date works fine for me!

 

[FocusGuy]

I don't understand how the tickler system is separate and distinct from this. He gives the examples "taxes are due in a month" for the tickler system but I don't understand why this wouldn't fall under day-specific information or day-specific action.

Tickler is Something you will use for the future.
Can be material so you have a folder divided in month and day
Can be digital it is something you will start a certain day (some software has start date)
Can be on your calendar as you explained so well eg people to call this day only, time to get ticket for Rugby and may be sometime time to start a certain project.
Keep it simple, Keep it efficient !

 

[schmeggahead]

He gives the examples "taxes are due in a month" for the tickler system but I don't understand why this wouldn't fall under day-specific information or day-specific action.

Below might be tldr so here's the short version: Less clarified, less commitment to doing but know enough when we need to clarify further is what goes in the tickler.

There is something called the "hard landscape" of your day. Typically, day-specific action must be done that day and day-specific information is required for day-specific actions, appointments or activity we are involved in that day (like construction closures on your route to work, you need to see them that day because you will use them in an action.)

Tickler is sort of day-specific and sort of month-specific and I feel that it is much softer than the above. I want to see it that day or sometime that month. I want to see it typically means it is tossed into the Inbox for clarification. That is the only commitment we have to an item in the tickler file: I will consider it on this day. Lot's of partially clarified stuff goes into tickler for me. Think of it as a kind of popup mind sweep.

Tickler is also a specialized Someday / Maybe list. Items we put into Someday / Maybe lists are ones we want to look at sometime in the future and maybe do something about (meaning toss it into the Inbox). A tickler helps pinpoint when we want to consider it. A hybrid list (kind of halfway between tickler and Someday/Maybe) is the "When I am in London next time" list containing restaurants, attractions, people, etc that I might want to do on that next trip. I want to see it again, not on a specific date, but only when I am planning that trip.

Hope this helps,
Clayton

I love my GTD system; everything is hidden until I need it. - Caroline Clark

 

[DKPhoto]

With the taxes due example, the tickler file is used as you then have a month to work on them before they are actually due-the hard deadline (which would go in your Calendar).

You would then most likely add the next action to your lists for paying your taxes.

 

[mcogilvie]

There have been some excellent explanations, but I would add one more. A tickler file lets you defer something without doing much processing. “When will I be smarter?” is one way David Allen explains it.

i don’t know if this is useful, but I find that ticklers can be implemented very naturally in apps that support start dates in addition to due dates, e.g., Things and OmniFocus.

 

[Matt_M]

Great question! I had a very similar thought when I first started implementing GTD. In fact, I thought that the tickler file was largely a holdover from a bygone era. However, I was able to more clearly delineate a tickled item versus a scheduled or planned item on my calendar. The definitions I use are as follows:

• Tickled: Indicates an item is considered unprocessed and requires further clarification that cannot be determined at the present time but will be possible in the short term future. The item should be put back into the GTD Inbox at some point in the near future for determination at that point in time.
  
  For example: Determine where to host the family Christmas party depending on what everyone's work/school schedules, travel/vacation plans, and family availabilities are as the holiday gets closer and more details can be determined definitively.​
• Planned: Indicates an item is considered processed and requires engagement from me but no action is required at the current/immediate time. The item will become active and start on a future date and/or time though.
  
  For example: Work on the sales presentation for a new account that starts on the 14th.​

I further refine my items (of either type) with any appropriate start and/or due date & times as needed.

In some cases, I may have a start date on a tickled item to "begin thinking about ..." or a due date to indicate "decide now: yes or no".

For planned items, the start and due dates are exactly what they seem: "Hey, heads-up: begin working on this because it's not trivial" and "Must be done on/at date & time otherwise there are real world consequences".

I am not sure what tools you're using or how flexible your system is, but I hope that helps!

 

[nlemon3434]

Great question! I had a very similar thought when I first started implementing GTD. In fact, I thought that the tickler file was largely a holdover from a bygone era. However, I was able to more clearly delineate a tickled item versus a scheduled or planned item on my calendar. The definitions I use are as follows:

• Tickled: Indicates an item is considered unprocessed and requires further clarification that cannot be determined at the present time but will be possible in the short term future. The item should be put back into the GTD Inbox at some point in the near future for determination at that point in time.
  
  For example: Determine where to host the family Christmas party depending on what everyone's work/school schedules, travel/vacation plans, and family availabilities are as the holiday gets closer and more details can be determined definitively.​
• Planned: Indicates an item is considered processed and requires engagement from me but no action is required at the current/immediate time. The item will become active and start on a future date and/or time though.
  
  For example: Work on the sales presentation for a new account that starts on the 14th.​

I further refine my items (of either type) with any appropriate start and/or due date & times as needed.

In some cases, I may have a start date on a tickled item to "begin thinking about ..." or a due date to indicate "decide now: yes or no".

For planned items, the start and due dates are exactly what they seem: "Hey, heads-up: begin working on this because it's not trivial" and "Must be done on/at date & time otherwise there are real world consequences".

I am not sure what tools you're using or how flexible your system is, but I hope that helps!

This is a great conversation, so glad I found it, and this comment is the best I've ever seen about how to define a tickler file. I just started a Tickler list and this was really helpful. I started my Tickler list with the idea that I would use it to set up recurring tasks that I will want to do, but I don't want to see them until it is closer to the date they need to be done. For example, "Change the oil in my car" would be on my errands list, but I don't want to look at it for the next 6 months unit it is time for the action. That's a bit different than the way you described using a Tickler file, but I think I could include both my recurring tasks and the unprocessed tasks that you describe in this list. The bottom line is that either way I need to review this list regularly to make sure I don't miss something.

 

[gtdstudente]

This is a great conversation, so glad I found it, and this comment is the best I've ever seen about how to define a tickler file. I just started a Tickler list and this was really helpful. I started my Tickler list with the idea that I would use it to set up recurring tasks that I will want to do, but I don't want to see them until it is closer to the date they need to be done. For example, "Change the oil in my car" would be on my errands list, but I don't want to look at it for the next 6 months unit it is time for the action. That's a bit different than the way you described using a Tickler file, but I think I could include both my recurring tasks and the unprocessed tasks that you describe in this list. The bottom line is that either way I need to review this list regularly to make sure I don't miss something.

A few example for the Tickler File:

A physical Maybe/Someday/Memory file system . . .

An outdoor concert that might be a good idea depending on the weather forecast
(Respectfully and very sadly a father just lost his daughter from heat stroke at a concert in Brazil)

a 50/50 [probability] of getting together with someone if each other schedule 'lightens-up'

When to Start on Something . . . like a List to Prepare the Car/House for the Winter

Prior Invitations as Anniversary reminders

Memorial Cards for monthly/annual remembrance

etc.