Get Organized - Use Index Cards

The Lowly 3x5 Card

Written by Michael Angier

I love technology and I'm fascinated by what it allows us to do. And I have a good bunch of cool tech toys—I mean tools. They help me operate more efficiently and effectively. They're also fun. But some of the simplest and cheapest tools we have are often the best. Abraham Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope. Imagine: one of the greatest speeches ever given was written without the help of a typewriter, a word processor or a speechwriter—not even a nice piece of paper. They were simple words, well written, well delivered and well received. I find the simple 3x5 card as being one of the handiest instruments in my efficiency toolbox. I use them for many things. I'm confident that if President Lincoln had had 3x5 cards, he would have written his famous address on several of them. Even though I have a Palm Pilot, a notebook, a PC and a scanner, I use 3x5 cards extensively. I keep them with me all the time. They fit in my shirt pocket and in my checkbook. I keep them on my nightstand, in my planner and on my desk. They're easy to write on and they're easy to file. I write down affirmations, quotations, ideas, addresses—even jokes. Of course, most I throw away after I've used them or transferred them to my PDA or desktop. But many I file away in inexpensive card file boxes. Every once in awhile I go through them looking for ideas and quotes. An idea that may have been impractical or untimely may now be appropriate. Or the idea may trigger a different one that can now be easily implemented. They're great for jotting down the key ideas for a speech or a presentation. When using several of them, you can rearrange them easily. Write your goals on them. Keep your mission in front of you. Jot down a quick to-do list. Put your affirmations on them and carry them with you everywhere—with ease. You can buy them in different colors if you like. You can get them lined or plain. They're cheap to buy, easy to use and they're worth their weight in truffles. If you don't use 3x5 cards, give them a try. See for yourself how something so simple and so plain can be so productive.