In this digital age, we sometimes overlook the great easy to use organizational systems that have ever been invented. I use 3X5 cards or index cards for various things because of their paper strength. Card stock holds up much better than regular paper and, really, if it can’t be written on an index card–write a paper.
These are my top three uses.
1. Taking notes. I think about stuff all of the time. Most of my thinking gets done while I am walking from place to place. It is then that I will think of something and pull out an index card and write it down. It recently started placing about five of six cards into my “”Field Notes” book for lists to give to others, specific tasks for errands, or just in case I need something to write on.
2. Organizing my day or thoughts. I am a list maker. I have a lot going on and things will get dropped if I don’t constantly remind myself of the tasks that need to get done. The biggest list I make is in my Todoist app, but before it goes in there many times it goes on paper in my “Field Notes” notebooks. But, there are times when I really want to get a handle on something so I sit down and write out everything on one or more cards just to make sure everything has been thought of.
3. Sending notes. I learned the art of this in the book Moving Mountains which was written after Desert Storm and before the internet. Because of the strength, one can literally pass an index card up through the chain of command and get an answer and then pass it all the way back down. Now, yes email can do the same thing–but email isn’t portable. I can have someone write me a note or I send out a note and I will be sure that the message will get there at least in one piece. As with email, you still have to follow up with the person that you sent the note to. Many times, I will use an Assistant to be a carrier of the card to get the answer I am looking for.
Who’ve thought that this far into the computer age that we would still need 3X5 cards? They are vital. They are always helpful to have around.
—–
This post is a rewrite of a post titles “3Things to do with 3X5 cards” from April 2009.
Photo from Pixaby.com