Organizational Techniques - Tickler and Chron File

One of the biggest problems we encounter in our consulting with businesses, and our students is time management and organizational techniques. This article will concentrate on some good organizational strategies. Two of the best organizational techniques I have found over the years are the Tickler File and the Chron File. This article will concentrate on how to use them everyday in your business.

A Tickler file is used extensively in the legal arena. A Tickler file is a file in which you put items that you need to take care of by a certain date. For example, an accordion file is used in the legal office, the accordion file has dates from 1-31 with monthly folders (January-December). If a court case is to go to trial on June 13th with depositions to take place through May, the case would be put in the accordion file in April, so that letters could be sent out in April to those who need to be deposed in May. The letter for a particular individual would be placed in the appropriate day for May that the person was to come in, or even the day before with a note to call and remind this individual they have an appointment. Anyway you get the idea. The tickler file allows you to put notes, files or letters in them as a reminder (tickle your memory) for you to do something. The tickler file is also a great way to get all the papers off your desk. When I am done at the end of the day, I place my to do list (with the items to be done), in my tickler file. My tickler file is a legal size accordion file, which is numbered 1-31. I have made up my own monthly files. Yes, you can purchase manila files with the months already on them, however, they are expensive, an expense I don't think is necessary. My tickler file is in the drawer of my desk. When I am finished at the end of the day, all of the items I am still working on are placed in my tickler file for the next day. So the tickler file can serve a two-fold purpose, clearing off your desk at the end of the day, along with acting as reminder and keeping track of what need to be done in the upcoming days and months for you.

For those of you running your own Lease Purchasing business it also allows you to tickle a reminder to yourself to run your ads on a consistent basis, utilize your marketing strategies, Real Estate meetings, speeches, and articles to write, along with the other items you need to do.

I know many of you use computer programs that act as tickler files do. This is fine, as long as you use them. I know you can set up a system like this one in Outlook and many of the Personal Management Programs. That's fine. However, I find that most people don't follow through with the computer programs, and have found when consulting with businesses that the old fashioned way makes them more comfortable, since they are handling paper and files and don't have to bring up a specific program to look for something. However, if you are more comfortable with a computer program, please feel free to employ one. Just remember, to be organized, you do have to use it.

Another issue that comes up quite often is finding a particular letter or memo in a file. One of the best ways to keep track of correspondence is by using a Chron File. A chron file is a chronological file of all the correspondence you send out on a monthly basis. You would have chron files for all twelve months with the letters sent out that month in date order. If you use client files, you can still use the chron file, just make a second copy of the letter for your chron file. It might seem extra work for you, however, I have found over time, not everyone can remember a particular clients' name, and it is much easier to remember they did a letter in a particular month, and find it that way. Chron files are very handy for those businesses that don't send out a lot of correspondence and don't want to have to make a file for one piece of correspondence. Your correspondence is organized by month and year and much easier to retrieve if you need to. I keep the current monthly chron file and the past two months in my desk drawer before my tickler file.

For those running a lease purchase business, your chron file is perfect for those follow-up letters from telephone calls to sellers, marketing letters to mortgage brokers, real estate agents, etc. You don't need to make a separate file for those type of letters, just place them in your chron file.

For more organizational and time management strategies, check out our Complete Home Based Business Manual at:
http://www.homebusinesssolutions.c om/products/hbmanual.htm

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2001

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com

In The News:

---

Setting a Pitiful Example: Twenty-six Warnings to Heed *

TO: All Parents [and Employers and Managers]From: Your Child and/or EmployeeDate: The present timeRe: Don't Spoil me; Teach Me1. Don't spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not to have all... Read More

Innovation Management ? some ideas are better than others

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly,... Read More

Business Leadership Skills - Managing the Human Being Behind the Business

Managing the Human Being Behind the Business It's a common problem and we've all seen it - business owners that are just 'too busy' all of the time, and as a... Read More

Turn Your Speech Into A Leadership Talk

My experience working with thousands of leaders world wide for the past two decades teaches me that most leaders are screwing up their careers.On a daily basis, these leaders are getting the wrong... Read More

Communication, Feedback, and Participation: Three Easy Tidbits For Smarter Business

On communication: One of the biggest strains on the communication process occurs when the sender or receiver is experiencing stress, anger, or frustration either at work or at home. When a situation is... Read More

Discover the Astonishing Power of Words Today!

Picture all the people you know who are dynamic, successful and self-confident. The ones who are the stars of every gathering. The people who are witty, intelligent and entertaining. The scintillating personalities who... Read More

When Code Freeze Turns To Code Slush

Time To Market (TTM) is a vital concept that every executive understands. Releasing a product to market before your competition gives you a significant first-mover advantage. As such, project managers are extremely pressured... Read More

Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Coworkers Collaborate to Complete Successful Initiative

This short story, Coworkers Collaborate to Complete Successful Initiative, is part of AlphaMeasure's compilation, Tales From the Corporate Frontlines. It illustrates how important cooperation, collaboration, and communication are to achieving the common goals... Read More

Top 10 Things Every Business Should Provide for Every Worker - Including the Boss!

Doing business and meeting the needs of workers is increasingly complex. Employees and managers often prefer a cafeteria-list of fringe benefits (a "flexible spending account") so they can choose increased health care, child... Read More

Six Reasons to K.I.S.S.

Six Reasons to K.I.S.S. "Very often, people confuse simple with simplistic. The nuance is lost on most." - Clement Mok, Chief Creative Officer, Sapient We've all heard THIS acronym, K.I.S.S. ? Keep... Read More

Choosing the Right Corporate Training

According to a Gallup Poll, 80 percent of employees said the availability of company-sponsored training programs was a factor in deciding whether to accept a new job or stick with a current one.... Read More

Protect Your Computer System with a Comprehensive Security Policy

The most difficult part of creating a Security Policy for your business is determining what, exactly, to include in it. Never heard of a Security Policy before? You're not alone. But whether you... Read More

Coaching Can Get The Boss In Shape

Who tells the boss that they can improve their management or leadership? How do they look at themselves objectively and identify what areas they can improve and the benefits of doing so?These days... Read More

Getting the Most from Appraisals

Does your organisation have one of those annual 'occasions' that few look forward to: the annual appraisal or performance review? How do you look forward to it? I wonder how people talk about... Read More

Want to Manage Your Time? Get Real!

You know the drill - the ridiculous deadlines, the relentless barrage of email, voicemail, phone calls, all those "got a minute" interruptions, the constant worrying that one of those many balls you're juggling... Read More

Best Workplaces

The Best Workplaces report (Financial Times, April 28, 2005) notes many factors in common with Managing Creativity and Innovation.Material reward is not the sole factor in determining satisfaction. Microsoft UK offers acupuncture and... Read More

Why Outsourcing Could Be The Best Thing You Do For Your Business

While it's probably not true to say that the traditional 9-5 job is on its way out, it IS true that more and more businesses these days are starting to see the value... Read More

Effective Ways to Give Performance Feedback

Consequences of Not Giving Effective FeedbackLet's take a look at some typical examples of what goes on in work environments when managers don't give good feedback.Example #1: John has been working at his... Read More

Reflections in the Glass Ceiling

The recent news about one of America's most powerful woman ceo's being removed from office has raised the discussion about gender bias, again. It disappoints me that in 2005, I still hear women... Read More

Minimising Conflict With Effective Communication

Did you know there are 5 types of communication that lead to conflict? Let's look at them... Definition of 'Conflict' It helps if we first define what we mean by... Read More

Employee Retention: Five Leadership Fundamentals

Are your management practices on the right track? Retaining your valued or high performing employees must be a strategic issue for your company. Throwing more money at your workers is not the answer... Read More

Supplier Sees 53% Reduction in Out-of-Spec Orders Case Study

The goal of perfection is a challenge. It is often viewed as an expensive process requiring large investments. Yet one company has realized a 53% reduction in orders that have to be set... Read More

How to Fire an Employee

One of the most difficult tasks you will face as a business owner will be firing employees. Employees who consistently break the rules, do not perform the functions of their job, or cause... Read More

Why You Should Hold One More Meeting

If you are completely happy with where you and your business currently are then you can stop here. If growth and change aren't something you have any interest in, there is no need... Read More

What To Do When Your IT Project Is Late, Over Budget, and Looks Like It?s Never Going To Work

Here's a scary statistic. According to four prominent research firms, only around 20% of all IT projects are finished in a timely manner. By "timely" the researchers mean without loss of quality or... Read More

Are Your Marketing Pieces Up to Date?

The other day someone asked me for one of my informational brochures. As I was giving her the piece I stated that if I were printing these today it would be a little... Read More

Why Businesses Fail - And What You Can Do About It!

Have you unintentionally set your business up for failure?No one sets out to fail! Most business owners read all the statistics (maybe more than once) before they open their doors. Many know the... Read More

Involving People Gave Us the Improvements We Needed

We had a problem with handling materials in a production department. Our process required raw materials to enter the department, be processed, and leave the department. The raw material was placed on pods,... Read More

DIVERSITY is a BIG word -- With A HUGE Business IMPACT

Second thought! Just in case. YOU or someone you personally know may fit the following picture of success which may carry too much risk for comfort.You can sit back and simply enjoy the... Read More