it was 2016 when I first heard about bullet journal and I was desperate (yes, desperate) to find a way to achieve my goals and become better efficient with my time.
I bought a sketch book and decided to do it free style after reading and watching everyone's beautiful style of bullet journaling. It's a task list, calendar, planner, goal list in one so had to try it.
Basic of bullet journaling: if you want more details check out the website: https://bulletjournal.com/ but I'm just going over what I did and looks like they have added more tips and tricks from 2016.
Rapid logging - keep it short (twitter)
Bullets* - The symbols that identifies what each items on the list means.
-- Dot : means task that you need to do
-- Dash : notes that you don't want to forget
-- Right arrow : migrate task to the next day
-- Left arrow : migrate the task for future
-- check : completed task
-- Open circle : Events
*I like to have checkboxes on my task list
Table of content in the front so you can keep track of what page is where.
Of course, I thought this was way too simple so i checked on pinterest and saw different ways of doing a bullet journal and I wanted to use this as my planner as well. This is when I realized, a messed up which is why I stopped.
What I did #1) Using a sketchbook instead of a planner! (if you are consistent then go ahead)
Why not you say? That's what I thought, I am creative and like to draw so I thought, why buy a calendar/planner book when I can create my own. Was I wrong, no matter how good of an artist or creative you might be, you can never get away from your weakness, which was laziness for me. I just couldn't keep up! The very thing that was supposed to help me become efficient became more time consuming :( Therefore I now use the Muji blank planner which has the monthly calendar & weekly so you can put the task list on those days without creating the layout.
What I did #2) Multi-purpose/task bullet journal
You know how now there are studies that shows multi-tasking as being unproductive...same with bullet journals. Bullet journaling is supposed to be simple list so you can accomplish your goals/tasks. However I thought I knew better and I should add more so I had several things in my bullet journal.
I would use it as a goal list, grocery list, book list, budget, health, notes, journal for each day and anything else
Monthly Goal list in several different categories
Relationship
*Career/job
*Health/Wellness
*Financial
*other aspirations
- On the other half of the page is the monthly activity for that month.
What I did #3) Adding extras to your task list
I went overboard. Instead of adding tasks of the day...there were:
- Money/financial - how much I spend that day?
- Health/eating - how much I ate that day?
- Spiritual/Meditation - how much I chanted and self care?
- Reflection - What I did and felt that day.
- Quotes /Gratitude - for that day.
On top of my task list for that day...it became too much about that instead of the tasks. Then after a few months...I got lazy and went back to the task list.
My suggestion is that make a notebook for all these things but a bullet journal is better as a store bought planner because of the task, events, etc.
What I did #4) Spending way too much on the art and not on the substance
Like Spongebob, I would think about the different ways of would have my journal look and what layout to use (seriously, thinking about different numbers styles and lettering).
I spent more time on that instead of what the bullet journal is supposed to help me with, getting my task done. It was very ironic that it took more time to create the bullet journal layout than just doing the actual task without it...Also I like to procrastinate and use any excuse to not do what I'm supposed to do.
In conclusion, keep it simple and don't try to be clever if your main purpose of the bullet journal is to get tasks done. If you are creative type then you can get a blank planner (like from Muji) and you can put your own flare without worrying about the layout of everything every month. Once you master it, then you can add to it.
Let me know what you think? Email me below :)
Thank you for reading and hope this helps.
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