How do you handle "ticklers"?
NanetteAndrusiak
think it's just because I like to use acronyms.... :o) One of the
concepts I'm having trouble using is the tickler file. I don't have a
physical one, because I rarely have actual paper stuff lying around.
Most of my bills are delivered electronically and paid online, and so
on. Most of my paper stuff can actually be filed immediately. But I
have a lot of electronic stuff lying around that doesn't need to be
handled until a given time. I'm handling this by dumping the stuff into
the right action category (@computer, @calls, etc.) and setting a start
and due date for them. Then I don't see them on my To Dos until the
correct time. But since this isn't the way the book talks about, and
since I don't have a Tickler file, I feel like I must be doing
something wrong.
How do other MLO users handle ticklers? Am I missing something in my
setup? I've only been using these tools for a few weeks....
Thanks!
Nanette
iSobko
for any date by setting a reminder for this date. This is also the only
part of GTD where the significant work involved doesn't seem like it
would pay off. Even if you have no items for 2 or 3 days, you need to
deal with the system to keep it current and to be sure you haven't
forgotten anything.
If you just make an item in MLO and set a reminder, MLO will remind
you. That seems better than a Tickler file to me.
I'd like to here someone explain the benefits of doing it another way
though.
Sparks
electronic reminders in MLO is sufficient for you, then by all means
make those your ticklers.
The physical tickler system is simply meant to implement the idea of
using the physical letter, brochure, or whatever as a reminder for
those things you want to put off thinking about until later. If you
don't have so much of this kind of material to justify the 43-folder
approach, then it would probably be a waste of time and expense in
setting it up and using it.
There is also the possibility of simplifying the physical tickler
system for handling small and infrequent amounts of material. Get a
12-pocket folder for all the months and put the occasional pamphlet in
the pocket for the month you want to look at it again. You can then
either define a fixed day of the month when you check your tickler
folder, or just add a note to an MLO ToDo item that extra material is
located there.
Steve Wynn
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Hi Nanette,
I handle Ticklers in a few ways. First I have a place called @Ticklers which I use for reminders. I tend to flag reminders with at least 2 days prior notice (lead time) or perhaps longer depending on what it is. Then I have a Dashboard place setup which acts as my catch-all for any HardLandscape/Tickler or Routine items that need to be done on a specific day. Or as a prompt that something is near to becoming due.
In the Outline I have things setup via areas of Focus, but in each category they have an @Tickler section. So when I review I can see all of the Ticklers together. So even if a Project requires a Tickler I won't place it in the Project Outline. Instead I keep all Ticklers separate. This way it is easier to review and manage, I find. As you have mentioned if you set start/due dates they won't be displayed in the ToDo list until the appropriate time. So I find it easier to not bury them within the Outline and keep them all together in their specific focus areas.
But I also use Hotspots as a form of Tickler, if you check out the MLO Template GTDZoom4FocussedAction you can see what they are all about (see Punch-list & Routines). Basically I have a place called '^Acknowledge Hotspot' with various tasks assigned to this place. Now in the Outline they are setup like this ..
Visit Post Office and Pay Telephone Bill (@Errands) (Set on a 3 monthly recurrence)
|___ Telephone Bill has arrived (^Acknowledge Hotspot)
Once I acknowledge that the Telephone Bill has arrived in my ^Acknowledge Hotspot place. The task above it becomes active in my @Errands list. With the tasks being dated they do sometimes go overdue, especially if say for example the Telephone bill doesn't arrive. They are really dated so that a recurrence can happen more so than anything. I really don't worry too much about the dates on Hotspots, I just review them every week and see if anything important should of happened if required I reset the date and the recurrence. So really I am using Hotspots as a form of Tickler. I find it useful for Bill reminders things like that, because once I acknowledge something has happened it automatically triggers the appropriate action. Its probably not quite how you are meant to use them but I find it works.
Regards
Steve
-------Original Message------- |
NanetteAndrusiak
(Since I work at home there's really no division in my life between the
two...) But I can't figure out how those ^Acknowledge Hotspot things
work. It doesn't look like there are any conditions set on, say,
"shovel snow" to make it only appear when I check "it's snowed." Most
sections in this template are well explained, but the PRN section which
uses this is pretty vague.
Bob Pankratz
When an item has a child it suppress from the todo list. So these
items suppress there parent until you check them off.
SO; if you go to Acknowledge hot spots you can see a list of things
that might be TRUE. If one of them is true and you want to do
something about it; check it off; when you hit update the parent item
which is the associated TODO will now show on your todo list.
After the parent is complete; the pair will repeat; and the trigger
item will be back on the acknowledge list.
Desert Kris
I also work at home and I totally revamped this section to work for me.
I too was a bit confused by the PRN section at first. I discovered that
some of them didn't work right because the author forgot to put the
"place" on the parent task. So even though I checked off the child task
- the parent never showed up in any To Do list!
FYI: I used the control journal template which I believe is somehow
connected to flylady.net - and MOST of the places were missing!
Correct:
Shovel show (@home)
|___ It's snowing (^Acknowledge a PRN task)
.............after the child has been checked, the parent will show up
in any To Do list associated with @home
Incorrect:
Tidy Home Office desk
|___Can't see top of your desk (^Acknowledge a PRN task)
.............after the child has been checked, the parent will NOT show
up in any To Do list (except <all places>)
Good luck,
Kris