- A Note From Anne
- What is a Tickler System?
- How to set up your Tickler System
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Hello!
How many times do you look at your mail and receive a postcard for an event and think, "oh I'll put it here on top of my desk so I don't forget it!." Only to realize as you are going through athe piles of paper on yoru desk a few weeks later to find that postcard resurface and you missed the event. It was yesterday! I hate to admit how many times in the past that has happpened to me.  One of the best productivity tools that has greatly enhanced my level of personal effectiveness and to overcome this "buried postcard syndrome" is the use of my Tickler File. The use of this "reminder system" really came home to me when I was at a training with Barbara Hemphill in North Carolina when she introduced Chris Crouch. Chris developed a training program, using the Tickler File in The GO System. The system is the only one that I have found that handles all the time-sensitive items that tend to pile up on your desk or counter. You'll find it's also a great tool for managing daily workflow for both your personal and professional life.
The tickler file is something I recommend to my clients who have date sensitive issues that cause stress and feelings of not being in control of their incoming "stuff". The tickler file is uniquely capable of organizing all the paper "stuff" out there that has no conventional or electronic place to go. Let's see how this amazingly simple, yet highly effective tool can enable you to regain control with your life.
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What is a Tickler System?
 For those who don't know what a tickler file is-a conventional tickler file consists of 43 folders: It works just like your paper day planner that you might have, only the advantages of a tickler file is that it's uniquely designed to organize and keep pieces of paper that otherwise can't go into your day planner. Your tickler file, when used correctly, is the ultimate reminder system for time-sensitive documents that don't have a place anywhere else except in the growing piles on your desk, commonly referred to as the "black hole." |
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How to Set up a Tickler System
There are two main elements to a Tickler System:
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The Location: The desk drawer closesto you, The "Go To Drawer" or a Portable File Holder. For the portable file, the recommended size: 12" x 5" x 12"  You can find a manila file holder at your local office supply store where the manila and Pendaflex hanging file folders are found. It's important that this file holder be slim (no more than 5" in width) because the manila folder you place inside your tickler must stand upright to be effective. Any file holder with a width more than 5 inches will make your manila folders rest at too much of an angle. The ones I use for myself and my clients is a portable plastic file box with a lockable lid and a handle. Nothing fancy, but it suits the purpose perfectly.
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43 Manila File Folders.  Selection of the correct manila folders is crucial. You want to purchase a box of manila folders that are the "3 tab position" variety. These usually come in sets of 100. The 3 tab position means that the box of manila folders are divided up into thirds with one third of the folders having the tab on the right side, the center and the left side. Do not purchase manila folders that are all identical tabs. The purpose of having different tabs is to distinguish between days of the month and the calendar months. You might also want to invest in some colored folders to distinguish your months from days, but this is optional. For a more cusomized version, you can use the SwiftFile. It's a little pricier, but it's durable as can be and comes with a tutorial from Barbara Hemphill.
First get started by purchasing your supplies for your system and next week we will follow up with tips on using your Tickler System. In the mean time, if you need help setting up your files, contact our office for an on-site or "virtual" meeting. |
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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Productivty Trainer and Organizing Consultant, Anne McGurty, publishes the "Organizing Strategy" weekly ezine with 1,200+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your productivity, save time, and enjoy the quality of your life at work and at home, get your FREE tips now at www.StrategizeAndOrganize.
WANT MORE INTERACTIVE CONVERSATIONS AND TIPS: See Anne's blog. |
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About Anne:
 Anne McGurty is CEO of Strategize & Organize, a company devoted to training individual's to be more effective with the tools and resources to be productive in their work environment.
If you liked today's issue, you'll love Anne's transforming productivity training and organizing products to help you organize your business -- and yourself -- ranging from productivity consulting for individuals and executives to small business coaching programs to keynote speaking and corporate training programs to improve efficiencies in the workplace and improve productivity.
While Anne's best known for her expertise in productivity and expert office organizing, her clients share that her biggest impact comes from her philosophy of "personalizing her programs to fit the needs of her clients so they can streamline more efficiently with existing processes" - ensuring to create a sustainable work environment. This, Anne says, is the most important key to bringing an individual to personal freedom with time and organization.
You can learn more about Anne and her services, programs, and products at www.StrategizeAndOrganize.com. | |
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