Mini-tickler

M

malisa

0
I've never set up a 43-file tickler system. I've never thought I would have stuff for it. I tried with a couple files once upon a time ('check weekly' and 'check monthly') which seemed like it would work as long as one was doing weekly reviews. However, this was when I was in the process of some renovations and my desk kept moving. (Home/personal only system).

I'm cleaning up my office, re-organizing, etc. I'm thinking of setting up a tickler system. But again, I'm thinking that a folder per day for my personal stuff is overkill. I'm thinking 12 monthly files and 4 or 5 weekly files (for the current month, rather than 31 daily files).

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Anyone tried something similar or some kind of modified (read: smaller) tickler system? TIA
 
That's the way I started!
At first I had only a "tickler" for the upcoming working days. Later on I created a monthly and weekly tickler, which I still use at home for private stuff.
At work I started to use a full 43-folder tickler about a year ago, since I attend daily several meetings which all needs its own prep and documents or reminders.

One advice: just start using it, just the way YOU think it will work best for you. You can always modify your system based upon your experiences working WITH the system.
 
malisa;86127 said:
Anyone tried something similar or some kind of modified (read: smaller) tickler system? TIA
Click to expand...

I have a monthly tickler, so in total that makes twelve files (they really are just 12 punch holed plastic maps that I keep together)... In every file there are maybe two or three items, I use it mostly to keep stuff I'll need at a certain point (tickets, reservations, ...). And i'm very happy with it this way... no need for me to have daily files.

So yes, just use the tickler idea and adapt it the way it is useful for your needs!

Myriam
 
I suggest you set up a full-blown tickler file system and give it a test drive. You'd be amazed at how useful it can be if you work it daily. There are things that show up in my inbox that I'm not able to decide about right away and there are no additional actions for me to take to gather more data; I just need to sleep on them and let them cook internally. The tickler is great for those things; it's a decide not to decide system. Without it my only choice is a hunhh? stack.

It's also great for things like:

Tickets for a concert or sporting event that you received in the mail three weeks before the event. Just put it in the tickler system and magically it shows up in your inbox the day before the event.

Shopping catalogs (or pages from them) that have something that you *might* want to buy but are not sure. Keep forwarding these items until you've made a decision about whether or not to buy it.

Inspirations and other regular reminders you need to see occasionally. I've got a note that reads "how well are you listening?" randomly circulating through my tickler file so I can take stock of how well I'm managing a personal weakness. Without those reminders I lose track of some of my behaviors until they get me into trouble. A note in my tickler file is a much better trigger to check my behavior than a fractured relationship, reprimand or getting fired.

If you're going to try it you have to commit to working it daily and if you're going to be away from the tickler system on a business trip, you must process everything in that date range before you leave.

Give it a try. You may be surprised how useful it is. It's one of my favorite tools.
 
Cool, I might try that myself. The problem i had is that I didnt have enough stuff to fill each day. Hence I didnt check every day, hence I never got the habit. However there might be one or two things a week I could check on a Monday morning. Let us know how it goes.
 
Thanks all for the input. I realized that I needed to get something set up as I was cleaning up my desk/office to avoid the 'huh?' stack. Very true.

I've set up 5 weeklies (Week 1/2/3/4 and 'crossover' week) and then one for each month.

Roger;86148 said:
I did modify my system -- but I made it bigger! You might find it interesting anyway: http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?9720-43-Folders-not-quite-enough!
Click to expand...

After reading about your bigger system, I realized that this is a GREAT idea for organizing both future AND past stuff. So I'm going to make a folder for 'Future Years' (in my less-is-more system, I think one will do) but also some for the past few years that I'll at least use to help me organize some stuff that I can then later sort through.
 
Tickler

I have one of those "accordeon" type files that has two numbers in each "space", 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and so on. Anything that isn´t for this month goes to the very last space with a CLEAR (red) note on which month and day (and year...) it belongs to. At the end of the month I just distribute all to the corresponding dates.

I don´t have too much physical tickler stuff so this works fine - as long as I remember to look at it. Lately I have had so few physical tickler items that I have started to put a "T" in my electronic calendar to remind me to look at my tickler.
 
As I started to fill it, I realized that my idea of 4 weeks plus a cross-over week wasn't accurate most months (I guess it would be every 3 months?) So I put the Week 1 and the Crossover week tabs (I'm using hanging files since this desk drawer has rails) into the same hanging file. I didn't need a Week 4 because the 4th week of Feb is the 1st week of Mar (crossover) and I'd rather think of it as the beginning of a new month than an end of an old month. I just stuck the week 4 file behind the next month. I'll see how that works.

I also stuck post-its with dates for each week on them. I can see that this would get tedious long-term, but not a big deal while I'm trying it out.

It made it very much easier to clear off my desk with the set-up in place. I like it very much so far.

ETA: Not directly related to the tickler, but in cleaning up my office and the many long neglected stacks of papers I opted to fill the empty drawer of the filing cabinet with bite sized chunks of stuff to go through. I'm going to put a number on each hanging file (lateral file cabinet) and put something in my tickler to go through one file per week. Much less daunting.
 
I have a very thin tickler file, because I don't have much to put in it. It consists of a ring binder, with two sets of dividers - one at the front numbered 1-31 and one at the back Jan-Dec. Anything I want to put in I slip into a plastic wallet which has holes at the side and file it in the relevant section. If I have something too big, like a massive set of documents for a meeting, I usually have a reference folder for that meeting or subject area, and I put the documents with that, and a note on my calendar or in the tickler for where to find it.

At the end of a month, I move all the stuff from the next month's section into the numbered daily sections.

Ruth
 
I had lots of my stuff in binders in sheet protectors long ago. I had one for project support for many small projects and a couple dedicated to larger ones. I tried to use it for everything beyond reference. I might have even had some form of a tickler in there. I had limited drawer space and it worked for a while. But I eventually got a nice big file cabinet and a couple additional little desk/file drawers. I disassembled those.

While I was at the office supply store yesterday I saw the dividers with 1-31 etc. on them and thought briefly about it. If I decide I want to switch to daily rather than weekly, I may try that. Thanks for posting.
 
Roger;86148 said:
I did modify my system -- but I made it bigger! You might find it interesting anyway: http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?9720-43-Folders-not-quite-enough!

If your slimmer version is working well for you, that's great. The main thing is to keep using it; everything else is just a tweak.

Cheers,
Roger
Click to expand...

I haven't implemented yet, but I was actually thinking of doing something similar for the next few years at least until the end of my university degrees. I thought it'd work well for reminders for subjects that I want to do etc
 
Modified Tickler File

In my modified version of the tickler file in my office I use 12 folders instead of 43.
The first 6 folders are labeled in blue and using small caps. The last 6 folders are labeled in green and using all caps. Below is how i arranged these folders in my desk (the folder "monday" is in front):

NEXT WEEK
FRIDAY
THURSDAY
WEDNESDAY
TUESDAY
MONDAY
next week
friday
thursday
wednesday
tuesday
monday

"Next week" folders replaces the 12 month folders in the original tickler file model. Similarly, the "weekday" folders replaces the 31 day folders in the original model. If I need to be reminded anytime within the weekday (or NEXT WEEKDAY) I will place the reminder in any of the weekday folders. If I can't decide for it for now (perhaps it should be remembered three or more weeks from today) then I will place the reminder in a "next week" folder first. Then it will be placed in its proper weekday folder later during my weekly review.

I modified my tickler file because:
1. my office space is too small;
2. I want my tickler file in front of my desk, since these reminders are main priorities;
3. setting a tickler file is too expensive for me ( I used 1/5 cut folders in my modified model which is priced 3 times higher than the standard ones).
 
I notice that the conversation about ticklers focuses on physical files. I wonder if those of us that are 99% electronic also find the 43 folder idea useful.

I have not yet set up a 43 folder system as I use future dated calendar events for everything like this.

Are there any electronic people out there using 43 folders?
 
pxt;88049 said:
I notice that the conversation about ticklers focuses on physical files. I wonder if those of us that are 99% electronic also find the 43 folder idea useful.

I have not yet set up a 43 folder system as I use future dated calendar events for everything like this.

Are there any electronic people out there using 43 folders?
Click to expand...
I think most would use future start dates, if they can. I do.
 
pxt;88049 said:
Are there any electronic people out there using 43 folders?
Click to expand...

I am nearly all electronic but I have physical 43 folder system as well for the things that come in as physical paper that I need to defer.

For my electronic things I want to defer I put start dates on the actions in my Omnifocus system.
 
The Reverse Tickler

The Tickler File is a tool. And like any tool, it should be used in any manner that actually works.

What I am currently doing: The Reverse Tickler:
I have the 43 files set up (12 months/31 days). But I am using the monthly's only. The monthlys are being used as a location-device. For example : (On Blackberry) Next action: Respond to Jone's Letter (April). My NA entries reference the location of the document. I go from the NA list to the tickler file.

I think the original purpose of the Tickler was to go from the Tickler to the NA list. So I receive a letter, for example, and I file it in tickler-file day 5. On the 5th day I empty out Day-5 and see the letter. I then either respond to the letter or GTD-process it. The Tickler "tickles" you at a future date.....more like an in-box with a date assigned to it.

The reverse-tickler is working great. I can do a search for "april" on my blackberry and everything in the April file comes up. Document retrieval is fast. (To the amazement of my coworkers.) But basically I scan my NA list. See "respond to Jones letter." See that the letter is in "april" tickler-file. Go to the April tickler file...and git the thing done.

......I should attempt to try using it as it was designed, however, as I am probably missing out on mine-like-water benefits.
 
MikeC;88195 said:
The Tickler File is a tool. And like any tool, it should be used in any manner that actually works.

What I am currently doing: The Reverse Tickler:
I have the 43 files set up (12 months/31 days). But I am using the monthly's only. The monthlys are being used as a location-device. For example : (On Blackberry) Next action: Respond to Jone's Letter (April). My NA entries reference the location of the document. I go from the NA list to the tickler file.

I think the original purpose of the Tickler was to go from the Tickler to the NA list. So I receive a letter, for example, and I file it in tickler-file day 5. On the 5th day I empty out Day-5 and see the letter. I then either respond to the letter or GTD-process it. The Tickler "tickles" you at a future date.....more like an in-box with a date assigned to it.

The reverse-tickler is working great. I can do a search for "april" on my blackberry and everything in the April file comes up. Document retrieval is fast. (To the amazement of my coworkers.) But basically I scan my NA list. See "respond to Jones letter." See that the letter is in "april" tickler-file. Go to the April tickler file...and git the thing done.

......I should attempt to try using it as it was designed, however, as I am probably missing out on mine-like-water benefits.
Click to expand...

So perhaps there's an element of belt and braces there.

As you have processed the original letter, you have organised the output into next actions etc, and the letter becomes support material, owned by the NA, which may have a due date. The 43 folders are your support material filing system.

However, as the current day/month closes, you sweep through any support material for the time period. You hit it from both ends.
 
Filling the tickler on purpose

I had tried a tickle file years ago and it was a flop, because most folders were empty and the stuff that was there was mostly the sort of stuff David A says not to put on your calendar: stuff I just didn't have time for at the moment. So, it was no fun at all to use!

This time, when I started I purposely added stuff so that there would be at least one
thing each day. Many of them were names of songs I was memorizing. I would sing
the song once and put the reminder back in for a later date. After a few weeks
of use, when I had found lots of other stuff to put in, I stopped putting in the songs;
they were fun at first but I didn't feel like using them any more.

I only put in stuff that is really better done at a future date than now; however,
it doesn't have to be a specific future date. E.g. re-doing something I've just done,
such as going over one of those songs.
 
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