Template VIP Directory
Today, you can – if you wish – download my template of the structure of a VIP Directory.
It offers an example of the table of contents, and it lists a broad selection of suggestions for data and information to add under the typical categories of a VIP Directory.
I believe the template will make creating your VIP Directory much easier – because you’ll not have to start from zero.
However, as I have said several times, your VIP Directory will be unique, and its final version might look completely different from the template version I offer you today.
Ideally, your directory’s structure and content will 100% align with your unique needs, requirements, and interests. It will change over time because you will adapt it to changes in your life.
So, I suggest you take my template as a tool to help you get started.
I can see two ways you can use the template:
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- Use the template as a source of inspiration. – Scroll through the table of contents and then through the suggested categories to see what might be helpful to you. Then, start to create your own VIP Directory somewhere else.
- Use the template to fill in your data and information directly. – Save a copy of the file on your computer – and start writing in it. You can easily throw out the parts of the template that are irrelevant to you and add whatever makes sense to you.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE.
The VIP Directory summarises the ‘story’ of your life’s relevant data and information.
This story can’t be just told; it must be written down. You can choose wherever and however you wish to do that.
You can use a spreadsheet to fill in the story or, as I did, a Word document. You can create a note in your notes app. You can also create a handwritten directory in a paper notebook. – Use the format and container that suit you best.
This is why I prefer to use a Word document as the container for my ‘VIP Story’:
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- I can add new content and change the order easily.
- I can move through the document quickly and jump directly to the part I want to work on or check. (In the Word settings, if you check the box next to ‘Navigation Pane Show’ under ‘View’, and then click on ‘Headings’ at the top of the column that appears on the left side of your document, you get a temporary table of contents, allowing you to move around in your document.)
- I can create the ‘Table of contents’ on page 1 of the document, and I can print it out together with the rest of the document – my directory becomes a little booklet. (That’s very useful in my case because my husband doesn’t like to scroll around in digital files. I showed him where I file the printout of our VIP Directory, and I can trust that he will find the information he needs if something happens to me.)
- It’s so easy to type and write in a Word document that I tend to write a lot when I work on my directory. And that’s good! I believe that in this case, ‘more is better’. The more I tell and explain in the directory, the easier it is to understand – for me but particularly for others – the meaning and purpose of the data and information I decide to include in the directory.
Some final tips
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- Just get started! – You will never be ready prepared. You will never be able to do it perfectly. Don’t try to assemble all the needed information before entering it into the directory. Take any information that comes to your mind or gets in your hands and add it to the directory.
- Don’t limit or restrict yourself in your writing. – You cannot write too much. Make good use of the sub-sections ‘Notes / To do’s’ – this will clear up your head and help you focus on what you are working on.
- Don’t try to do it all at once. – Take your time. Yes, it’s a lot of work – but it’s absolutely doable – if you do it one step at a time. Plan short working sessions. Don’t rush. Create a routine that allows you to work continuously on this project.
- Pause and evaluate what you have created so far. – While you are compiling the content in the directory, stop from time to time. Imagine someone else is reading through the category you are working on. Will they be able to understand your data and information? Do you need to add some explanatory information? What about you? Will the content you just added still be clear to you when you access it again in 6-months-time?
- Get feedback on your VIP Directory. – Show the directory to your spouse or partner or to a family member or close friend and explain its purpose and content. Do they understand why you created the directory and what’s in there? Do they have questions that help you see areas of improvement? Do you need to change or add something so that others will be able to make good use of the directory in case of an emergency?
- Update the directory at regular intervals. – At least once a year, or more often if lots of new and important (= to keep) information is entering your home. You can use an easily accessible tray or a box to collect information and paperwork that still needs to be organised. This ensures you have everything handy the next time you update the directory.
- Be very strict concerning the additional paperwork you collect and store in places separate from the directory. – Commit yourself to only keeping and filing what is absolutely necessary. Remember, your goal is to reduce your paperwork radically – by 50% or more.
- Do several rounds of decluttering if you struggle to minimise the existing paperwork as drastically as you planned. – Your mind must get used to the idea that most of what you used to keep/file in the past is not genuinely relevant to you and can go without getting missed.
That’s it. 🙂
I think you now have what you need to start the work on your VIP Directory.
However, if you get stuck or have any questions, you know I am here to help.
Just get in touch (margot@letgo-moveon.com.au), and we’ll sort it out together.
One final thing:
If you are not subscribed to my Simply Organised Newsletter, I suggest you sign up now.
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Ready to start creating your own VIP Directory?
My article series, ‘Radical Paperwork Optimisation and the VIP Directory’, provides you with all the information and tools you need to start and complete the process successfully.