Coach's Connection

[Barb]

First, I'd like to say that this new feature is terrific! The Coaches really have a good grasp of what it takes to make GTD work, down where the rubber meets the road. I have enjoyed all the Forum posts from Coaches too--that's you, Kelly--but it's especially nice now to have a regular feature.

Secondly, I'd like to comment on Julie's recent post about tickler files. Installing a tickler file was the last piece of GTD I implemented. I resisted doing it for years, for all of the same reasons I've read in the Forum--don't have enough paper items to put in there, I'll forget to look in there, etc. About a year ago, I bought a "Desk File/Sorter", I think made by Meade. It's an expanding file with 1-31 slots, followed by slots with the months of the year. It fits nicely in my large bottom desk drawer, right in front of my project files, and is more compact than a series of 43 folders would be. I use it to hold bills due, travel information, weekly review information, client payments that aggregate until banking day, information about a book I may want to read, saved until I update my reading list on Sundays, etc. It's not unusual for me to look in there and see nothing for a particular day either. Actually, seeing nothing is a bit of a rush!

I remember to look in my tickler file by placing a reminder on a "morning checklist" I have--just to make sure I remember to feed the cats, take my vitamins, do my sit ups, etc. You could also consider adding any weekly or monthly checklists you may have, parking an appropriate reminder perhaps on your calendar. I have a monthly checklist for "personal items"--I take an inventory of shampoo and hair products, makeup I use, and medications I take. I don't like running out of certain things as replenishing them requires either a trip to a salon, a mail order situation, or a trip to a mall.

I'm so glad I finally implemented this piece of GTD. If I'm processing my inbox, it seems at least 2 out of every 10 pieces of paper will end up in there.

To answer the question "where do I buy a desk file/sorter" in advance: they are hard to find. Files with 1-31 OR the names of the month are easy, but the combo file is difficult. I ordered mine through an Amazon 3rd party vendor, but Office Depot will special order it for you. I think I paid around $10.

 

[DStaub11]

I use an alternative to the tickler file that has been working well for two years. My system is in Word files. One of them has upcoming days, weeks and months in a list, so that I can put a note to myself at any time. Accompanying pieces of paper go in The Drawer, one of my many clear sterilite drawers. For instance, a reminder to mail an insurance form by next Friday goes on that date, and the form itself goes in The Drawer. The Drawer also has pieces of paper that go with stuff on my next actions list.

Last March I was encouraging a good friend and fellow freelancer to raise her rates. She decided to raise them a bit at the time and said she would go up another notch in six months. I left myself a note under September, and popped her an email when it came up. (She was astounded!)

I haven't found an item yet that would work better in a physical tickler file. It saves me a hunk of file drawer space!

Do Mi

 

[sdann]

The physical tickler file is something I set up last; I kept telling myself there was no reason for a tickler. I now check it daily and it is continuously taking on a more active role in my productivity system.

The tickler contains reminders of things that are date-specific, but not hard landscape items. (This distinction is very important to me.) Now it is used for so many things: upcoming deadlines, reminders for events or to open projects, updated information I need to gather, items I need to maintain, and checklists or worksheets. One of my favorite functions of the tickler is to use it for memorization or healthy thought changes, whereby I pull out a sheet of concepts or thoughts to read daily or weekly. As examples, I have learned new business concepts this way and reminded myself of positive behavior changes I am actively implementing.

I must say I really enjoy the Coach's Connection.

 

[Barb]

Great Idea!

The physical tickler file is something I set up last; I kept telling myself there was no reason for a tickler. I now check it daily and it is continuously taking on a more active role in my productivity system.

The tickler contains reminders of things that are date-specific, but not hard landscape items. (This distinction is very important to me.) Now it is used for so many things: upcoming deadlines, reminders for events or to open projects, updated information I need to gather, items I need to maintain, and checklists or worksheets. One of my favorite functions of the tickler is to use it for memorization or healthy thought changes, whereby I pull out a sheet of concepts or thoughts to read daily or weekly. As examples, I have learned new business concepts this way and reminded myself of positive behavior changes I am actively implementing.

I must say I really enjoy the Coach's Connection.

Using it for a reminder of healthy changes and new behaviors is a terrific idea. I'm going to try that!

 

[dschaffner]

The physical tickler file is something I set up last; I kept telling myself there was no reason for a tickler. I now check it daily and it is continuously taking on a more active role in my productivity system.

I understand the merits of a tickler file if you spend most of your time in one office, but I travel a fair bit, and have a home and work offices.

I'd be curious how people implement the tickler if you are seldom in one place more than 50% of the time.

- Don

 

[jonsimmons]

Electronic Tickler

I've gone at the Tickler problem from the exact opposite angle, and implemented an electronic version using Sandy (www.iwantsandy.com). All my reminders end up on 'her' list, and I get an email summary every morning with any items I need to have re-emerge.

This only works for me because a) nearly all my tickler items are as a result of some non-physical input (web page, email, word of mouth) and b) I travel between home, work and client sites all the time. The irony is, when I have physical items to deal with (e.g. theatre tickets), I don't have a physical file that I can guarantee to have access to! If anyone has a mobile solution they use for this, I'd be interested to hear about it.

 

[mavakil]

Hi everybody,

The Tickler file for me too was the last in my implementation piece. Although I don't have enough paper as real heavy-duty users do, I still find it an integral part of my GTD system.

I have further customised my system to have an additional category in my Outlook Tasks GTD system called "Tickler". So day specific events and information go in there.

I have written all my thoughts and experiences in this blog post: How I use a Tickler file to remind me of all the big and little things in my life.

Hope it helps.

Arif Vakil
Certified GTD Trainer

 

[ChristinaSkaskiw]

Tickler file and travelling

Hi,

My tickler file is one of the pillars in my system. It's so easy to use! Initially I used hanging folders, but they do take up a lot of space. Now I use manilla folders and it's only about an inch thick, so doesn't take up much space.

I understand the merits of a tickler file if you spend most of your time in one office, but I travel a fair bit, and have a home and work offices.

I'd be curious how people implement the tickler if you are seldom in one place more than 50% of the time.

- Don

I travel for work, going to all kinds of places. What's nice about the tickler here is that before I travel I empty all the files for the days I will be away, so I know there's nothing "timely" in there I would miss during my trip. The bits I want to take along go into a "support material" travel folder (I have a set of "traffic light" coloured folders for travelling, red for "in", yellow for "support material" and green for "done"). I don't bother with separating the tickled items into days while on the road.

I have one tickler file and that's at home. All my e-ticket print-outs, hotel reservations, maps, etc., all go into the tickler. One way I keep track of whether I have made all the necessary travel arrangements is that I put the details in my diary (paper filofax), e.g. flight time and number, hotel booking reference and phone number.

Happy travels!
/Christina