I run my Getting Things Done (GTD) system using PersonalBrain as my primary tool. Using Tags for contexts and a Thought Type for dates I’m easily able to model an online Tickler file. Tickler files are used to remind you of things in the future—in the future—so that you can forget about them now.
I firstly created an @tickler tag to hold any items I wish to be tickled about in the future.
In the image above1 you’ll see three items. An eye test, a podcast to listen to and a reminder to take a GTD belt self-assessment. That’s all great but how do I know when I need to be reminded of these during a weekly review? Well, I have each attached to a date and by expanding all on the screen (click the + button in the toolbar) I get both dates and project links.
Each date is typed using a Date thought type that I’ve created. My next eye test is due in May 2011 (2011–05). I plan to listen to the podcast in August 2009 (2009–-08).
This simple blending of PersonalBrain and tickler files is working well for it makes the most of PersonalBrain’s linking structures. When I move them to my regular lists, it’s just a click or two away with no need to re-enter information. These items are @tickler because I know I’ll do them in the future. They could be stored as Someday/Maybe items but I personally have a different class of item on that list.
See also
Further information on how I, and others, use PersonalBrain for Getting Things Done can be found in this PersonalBrain forum post.
Footnotes
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Image Lost in the mists of time. ↩