Thursday, August 25, 2005

My tickler file


my tickler file
Originally uploaded by schastar.
After reading Getting Things Done, I realized the importance of a pragmatic organic system. Before, I was putting too much stress on the synchronization part of it, like if you are going to have a task list, it should have an open digital format where exporting and importing was easy, like a text file or the task list of the palm pilot if the synchronization software was available.

But after trying the tickler for some days I needed to surrender to the power of simplicity. Every day at the end of my work, when reviewing the uncompleted tasks and merging them with the next day ones, I realize the proper priorization of some of them that I have been draging for too long. So either I put them far ahead in the calendar (kind of a "some day/maybe") or I give up doing it ("trash" or "waiting for", if i can have someone to do it for me).

The only inconvenient is to search. It is so unconfortable when someone ask me "are you free on wednesday morning?" and I have to go to my desk, open my drawer and take out a huge folder to browse in all the papers to be able to finally give an answer. I'd rather have a quick look in my small desk calendar. But of course, if I have to keep synchronized the calendar with the tickler file, I loose a lot of time so for the time being I only write the meetings, because once set they don't use to move suddenly.


Emanuel showed me the power of having everything online, but the other day I went to backpackit to finish my list for a BBQ and it was closed for maintenance! Imagine would have it been a more vital issue!

So I'd rather have the tickler system implemented *nicely* in a Palm soon. No matter how happy I might be, I still miss my synchronization... *sigh*

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