- A Note From Anne
- Reap the Rewards of Your Tickler System
- Additional Tickler Benefits
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Hello!
In the first few weeks of March we talked about what a Tickler System is and how to set yours up. I'm curious if you have taken time to do this? Email me with your thoughts, comments or questions about your Tickler System. If you haven't set up your system yet, review the articles in our archives for inspiration.
This week I'd like to talk about more benefits of using a Tickler Reminder System. Let's get creative and take a look at many ways to use this valuable productivity tool!
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Reap the Rewards of Your Tickler System
 Besides being a fail-proof reminder system, most tickler file experts don't mention the greatest benefit of the tickler file-that of being a stress relief device! That's right, and it's the comment that I hear most from my personal coaching clients as well. The tickler file system is uniquely capable of handling the nebulous paper "stuff" that doesn't seem to gfit anywhere except in your overflowing in-box or in one of the many growing stacks of paper on your cluttered desktop. Stress relief comes when your in-box, desk and even your own head is empty and all your bits and pieces are filed away in a trust-worthy system that you check regularly. That all being said, your tickler file system can greatly enhance your own personal health and well-being. Not many productivity tools can do that! |
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The Benefits of Using a Tickler System
Here are a list of other benefits of using a tickler file system:
 Never pay late fees: Process your incoming bills by placing them in your tickler file on a "pay by" date, allowing sufficient lead time for cash flow and mailing/processing.
- Track Time-Sensitive Documents: Reports, forms and other time-sensitive documents can be easily managed by placing them in the folder when you want to take action on those documents.
- Fail-Proof Reminders: Defer hard-copy documents to a later date by "mailing" them to your future self. Additionally, tickler file users and followers of the Getting Things Done™ (GTD) method, utilize standard 3x5 index cards as reminders and file them in the appropriate date folder in their tickler file when they want to be reminded of such an item.
- A Handy Place to Store Coupons. If you are like me, then you might come across a good coupon during the course of the day, but really won't have an immediate need for the item on that particular day, so you might throw the coupon in your handbag or back in your inbox. Then when you need the item, you're disappointed that the expiration date is already past or you just coulnd't find it. With your tickler file, you can simply place the coupon on a date before the expiration when you think you might be shopping for that item.
 Never Forget Travel Documents: Any business person who travels a lot and even the occasional traveler will love the fact that their tickler file can hold, not only their travel tickets, but also supporting documents such as hotel information, maps and directions, and your passport. Don't suffer from the "last minute rush" syndrome where you're trying to scramble to find your passport with 15 minutes to get to the airport. Prepare everything in advance and put it in your tickler file and you can relax.
- Prepare Meeting Information: Keep track of client meeting information such as: agendas, directions, support materials, and names of people with your tickler file by preparing that packet in advance and placing it in the appropriate day folder.
- A Place to Store Your Claim Tickets. Your tickler file makes a perfect storing system for the various claim tickets that you have for picking up your items such as dry cleaning, prescriptions, work orders, etc.
 A Non-Electronic, Perpetual Birthday / Anniversary Reminder System: Ok, if you're still not using Send Out Cards, then you still havethe problem with a paper-based day planner -- every year, you have to rewrite everyone's birthday and anniversary. With a tickler file, you only have to write it once on an index card and it becomes your analog perpetual reminder system just like your Outlook or similar electronic software system. Simply write the person's birthday or anniversary on an index card and file it in the appropriate folder in your tickler file. Once that special day is over, then simply replace it for the month of the next year.
- Never Forget Support Material for Medical or Legal Appointments: Have you ever gone to a doctor's appointment and left your case history, list of prescriptions, insurance forms, or other supporting documents at home? With your tickler file, you can remember to take with you all the pertinent supporting documents to your next appointment.
- Product Warranties and Rebates: Take full advantage of product warranties and track rebates that often don't get used just because we forget or lose the paperwork. With your tickler file, you can place those documents in your appropriate folder to remind you to check up on that particular product before the warranty expires or check is due. This can save you literally hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, depending on the products that you purchase by simply having a system that tracks them.
 Fail-Proof Maintenance Reminders: Never forget to take your car in for a tune-up or change the filters on your air conditioning unit again. Simply write a reminder note to yourself and place it in the appropriate folder in your tickler file. And yes...maintenance even means YOU! Use your tickler file to remember annual check-ups and exams as part of your commitment towards good health practices.
- Never Pay Late Return Fees Again: You can avoid paying late return fees for movie and audio rentals and library books by simply putting the sales slip, library card, or a simple note to yourself in the folder when you need to return or renew it by.
- Tickle Your Relationships: Remember to spend quality time with the people that are important to you. Simply placing a note or even better, a photo of the person that you should spend time with in a future folder. I tend to be really great at following up on business relationships, so transferring these skills to my personal life creates that life balance that I know we're all looking for.
- Manage Impulse Buying.If you're an impulse buyer, then the tickler file can help you manage that costly habit. When you get a piece of direct mail or an impulse to make a purchase, simply write that product down or put the advertisement in next week's folder and revisit it on that day. You might find that something you would have wasted money on was really not that important or necessary a week later. Your tickler file gives you a system for "cooling off" impulse purchases.
- Follow up on Delegated Actions, Orders and Requests.Often when we delegate something to another person, we expect that they will do it, but in reality, they might forget about the request or not consider it a priority and it never gets completed when we want it to. Your tickler file can act as a follow-up reminder system to ensure that a delegated task has been completed or in progress.
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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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