Setting up a Tickler File

It has a funny name, but it's one of the most effective tools for staying organized and staying on top of deadlines that you might ever come across. How often have you gone into a meeting that you've known about for weeks, only to find that a single piece of paper that you needed isn't where it should be? How many times have you forgotten about a meeting or appointment entirely because it wasn't staring you right in the face that morning? A tickler file can help solve all these problems.

What you'll need is either a personal, portable accordian file with 43 slots in it, or an empty file drawer with 43 green hanging folders, preferably at your desk where you can access it easily. Each file should be labeled: the ones in front with the numbers 1-31, and the ones in back with the months of the year.

The files labeled 1-31 represent the days of the current month, and the other files represent (obviously) the months of the year. Every single time you have a piece of paper or correspondence that refers to an event or action that needs to take place on a certain date, file it in the appropriate location.

For instance, let's say it's April 3rd today. You have just received an email from a client letting you know that on April 22, their phone number and address will change because of a move. You would print that email and drop it into the folder marked "22." Then, when the 22nd rolls around, and you look in that file to see what's going on then, you will have a reminder of the change.

Let's say it's April 3rd, and you have a trade show coming up in June. Your travel itinerary is sitting on your desk. Do what you want with the itinerary, but drop a copy of it in the folder labeled "June."

On the first day of every month, each of the folders labeled 1-31 should be empty. Take all of the information in the new month's folder and file it with the appropriate day. As each day begins, you will have a folder full of all the things you need to do that day!

Learn more about this author, Beth Watson.
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