DIY Getting Things Done Tickler Files

If you are like me, and I can't assume that you are, then you have heard things about this Getting Things Done method (commonly known as GTD). As Wikipedia says (at the time of writing), it is an "..organizational method created by David Allen..." and it has given Mr. Allen a fair amount of praise and a fair amount of money. Of course there are people who will talk about how great he is and there are people who will talk about how he got it all wrong, but I don't fall into either of those categories because I've never read his book. One specific item in his book that was brought to my attention is the Tickler File system. It consists of 1 folder for every month and 1 folder for every possible day in a month, so 12 folders for 12 months and 31 folders for 31 possible days means you have 43 folders. This tends to simplify things for you by only allowing you to file stuff for some day this month, or another month.  The hardest part of this filing system is getting yourself into the habit of using the files regularly, they are easy to build yourself.

Start With Inexpensive File Folders

43 folders aren't very much when you are visiting the wonderful world of Office Supplies.  You can purchase a box of 100 file folders for cheap and you are almost done with your Tickler File.  The official GTD guideline for a the file says you should have your tabs lined up according the month and date.  That means your monthly folders might have the far right tab while your daily folders could then have the far left tab.  The Universal file folders (here is the link again) come in a box of 100 with tabs on the right, center and left.  That means you'll have 33 right, 33 center, 33 left and 1 extra.  That is enough to create two different Tickler Files and still have a few left over.

A Good Labeler is Nice

If you have good handwriting you don't need to worry about how you are going to label your files, but if you listen to anybody who has had to read my handwriting it is occasionally a necessity.  They are pretty simple.  You type in a word or a number, and it prints out a sticker that you put on your folder and you call it good enough.  Obviously you'll find all kinds of uses for your labeler around the office and around the house so it won't be a single use tool.  If you get a cheap labeler it won't have the same features as an expensive labeler so take a look at a selection of different label makers.

You can go online and look at pricing on David Allen's official GTD Tickler folders, but I'll leave that up to you and Google.  At the end of the day, for the price of one official filing system you can build yourself two filing systems and have a labeler left over to take home and start labeling members of the family.  I have a feeling your kids might mind more than your dog.