Anyone else tried to Bullet Journal and failed?

[Sparklfairy]

I love the idea of a Bullet Journal, but can never get it to stick. I realised part of the problem, and it's really really stupid

I love stationery, but I buy a shiny new book for BuJo, and then I'm scared of messing it up somehow so it stays empty to keep it nice

It makes no sense obviously, so I've just bought an A5 ring binder and pad of paper, and I've 'built' a BuJo in that so I can add and remove pages when I inevitably screw them up without wrecking the 'niceness'.

I also like that I can add collections, and then if I don't want them anymore I can get rid of them without having a big glaring 'YOU ABANDONED THIS' in the middle of the book.

This sounds pathetic written down, I'm not even really a perfectionist normally. I just wondered if anyone else had a similar experience with BuJo? The only problem I can vaguely see is the index, but for now I have those index tabs to separate the sections until I kind of find my groove with it.

Has anyone else got any tips to see if I can organise my life a bit better going forward?

Yeah I tried and failed. It was going to change my life...

I try and fail every year!

I tried it a couple of years ago. And failed after four weeks.

Do it with a cheap book rather than buy a new one. I used them for years for my work, and have one for home. I recently found an old one and just carried on using it. It's only you that is going to see it so stop holding yourself to some weird high expectation and just do it.

Or don't. I'ts totally up to you.

I've tried it and also failed miserably. I think my issue is that I think of stuff to put in it and then just don't 😬. It was going to change my life as well @RagzReturnsRebooted - but I seem to only be able to live my life by the seat of my pants and I'm starting to come to the conclusion that nothing will change it 😭😂

@Shedmistress

Do it with a cheap book rather than buy a new one. I used them for years for my work, and have one for home. I recently found an old one and just carried on using it. It's only you that is going to see it so stop holding yourself to some weird high expectation and just do it.

Or don't. I'ts totally up to you.

Thats fair. I do know I'm totally ridiculous

The folder is working for now until I get past the idea I'm doing it "wrong". I've read here loads of times that people have adapted their own totally, so I'm moving towards that

Is the problem that you're focusing too much on the aesthetic? Could you maybe a try a very 'no frills' back to basics style bullet journal that is functional, then a creative scrapbook style journal that you can pick up as and when the mood takes you? There's something very authentically satisfying about a real working uncurated notebook full of pages and pages of different inks, crossings out etc.

I think most people who start bullet journaling give up fairly quickly 😂

Yes you're probably right @CorpusCallosum

I'm not sure @MrsTophamHat. I suspect i have ADHD so whilst I have no interest in the Pinterest "pretty" pages, equally your idea that the pages of different inks/crossings out being a thing of beauty actually fills me with horror as it feels a reflection of my chaotic mind

The stumbling block seems to be the starting something and then probably abandoning it, so I just don't start it at all. having the pages I can take in and out is proving useful to lift that mental barrier, rather than it being a graveyard of abandoned good intentions

I chew my nails to buggery, they look an absolute mess, so if I start biting my nails I have to log a tally on a page I made. Now I'm noticing I'm thinking actually I cba to get the BuJo out to log it, so I just won't bite my nails.

I either don't understand or can't get to work for me their to do list either, so I've made my own setup.

I guess normal people throw themselves in with a normal book with gusto mistakes and all and I've had to adapt with this! Its been quite freeing.

I have started and abandoned a bullet journal every year for years.
I love the idea of all my brain dumps/diaries/to do lists in one place and I'm a sucker for a naice notebook and fabulous pens.
When I first heard of them I thought they sounded just the thing that would solve all my problems (snort)
So I looked them up on youtube
And found at least 20 millionty videos about making them beautiful and mine never are because they just aren't
And I really struggle with knowing how many pages to leave for my 'daily log' for the month so I can start a 'new thing' (usually a list of how much yarn I own)
So I get stressed that I'm doing it wrong and stop.
I like the idea of a folder - then it wouldn't matter if I didn't know how many pages to leave.
OP - you are a genius.

I resolve to keep a diary or lists or bullet journal or something like that every New Year for the past 40 years probably. Never lasts more than a few days - I just can't do it!

They do not have to be beautiful!

Black or blue pen and any paper.

Don't leave any pages for anything, just start at page 3 if you want an index and put everything for the week there. Honestly, don't overthink it.

I restart mine every January. This year it lasted until the end of March, where I remained fat and poor.

No doubt, I'll start with gusto this January, I wonder if I'll make it until April this year?

I have my to do lists on my computer as it is so much easier to type it all out/cut and paste when I need to move things without scribbling lines out (I also need things to be in order!). Plus I can email myself if out to remind to add to my list when I randomly remember stuff.

I wouldn't be able to do it on paper and would give up pretty fast. I couldn't live without lists though - I'd forget everything!

I do this in a very loose sense - no stickers or tape or anything.

Mine is just a notebook with numbered pages, two ribbon markers and a pen on an elastic.

The only reason it works for me is that I don’t make notes or lists or anything anywhere but in my notebook. So no shopping lists in the kitchen on a scrap of paper, no phone number jottings or anything. Whatever I write down is always in the notebook.

I’ve had one purple Leuchtturm A5 hardback notebook on the go for about two years, with dots rather than lines on the pages. I love it.

I've got a list notebook too. It doesn't have any particular format, just lists of stuff.

Bullet journalling looks like another one of those things that's meant to revolutionise your life, but is in fact just another daily hoop to jump through.

I'm awaiting delivery of a beautiful Papier daily diary with a habit tracker. I'm very excited at how life changing it will be, just like last year's which lasted till April.

I started it. Felt very pleased with myself. Then the pressure started (from within) to make it look pretty. So I stopped. And avoided journals and diaries for a few years.

I now use a Clever Fox weekly planner. I love it. I don't need to make it pretty as it comes with stickers.

Your way of doing it sounds great! The only problem with any diary/bujo system is not using it. Just get into a routine and keep it up.

Make sure you keep it somewhere accessible where you can always find it too.

Yeah tried various notebooks, diaries, Filofax…looked at all sorts. Spent ages browsing Amazon and WH Smith. I’ve also tried apps in my phone. I too found the concept a bit overwhelming and got stressed about set up and making it pretty without really using it!
Thing is, I need reminders (ASD and dyslexia) -and to make sure DH knows what’s happening so I use my phone and all appointments are in the phone calendar anyway. Bullet journaling did help me plan out what I’d do each day and it’s useful to have stuff like a list of what I usually buy when I’m food shopping, what meds and health issues I have (lots) and a packing list for holiday. So I have a notebook that I have the latter in and my phone.

@JeffVaderneedsatray

I have started and abandoned a bullet journal every year for years. I love the idea of all my brain dumps/diaries/to do lists in one place and I'm a sucker for a naice notebook and fabulous pens. When I first heard of them I thought they sounded just the thing that would solve all my problems (snort) So I looked them up on youtube And found at least 20 millionty videos about making them beautiful and mine never are because they just aren't And I really struggle with knowing how many pages to leave for my 'daily log' for the month so I can start a 'new thing' (usually a list of how much yarn I own) So I get stressed that I'm doing it wrong and stop. I like the idea of a folder - then it wouldn't matter if I didn't know how many pages to leave. OP - you are a genius.

@JeffVaderneedsatray THANK YOU you get it! yes, I know the index is supposed to have like December Daily log page 6-7, 9-12 etc but that makes my head hurt. Like how can this organise you if it's such a mess So now I have my daily log all in one place at the front of the folder and just add to the pages without messing the rest of the chronology up

I realise lots of PPs are saying, 'just do it, get stuck in, doesn't matter if it's a mess, out of sequence etc'. Mine doesn't look pretty, it's just pen and paper, no doodles or colours, I don't need that. I do need it in some sort of order!!

I'm an avid list maker and I've always used a notebook to keep myself organised. A few years ago, I discovered billet journaling and tried that. I'm not very creative, so I found it difficult to make my journal look pretty. I also don't have the time, either.

I've gone back to just writing lists, but kept do of the bullet journal style:
Coloured pens - I use coloured pens to write my lists and use different colours colours for different things.

Stickers - found some cheapies on eBay and I use them to pretty up the pages.

Stamps - got some cheap alphabet stamps from Flying Tiger, which I use for titles etc.

Stencils - another eBay find - Just helps with drawing and borders eg If I am writing a list for holiday, I use the aeroplane stencil on the page.

Do it messily and then throw them in the recycling when full. You won’t care what day you ate an apple, it only matters AS you’re using it, to keep you on track. It’s the only way I got over the block!

Yes, tried and failed in the same notebook for the last 3 years.

Now I have a notebook for lists - no numbering pages or index just a cheap spiral book with one of those annoying ribbony bits you cut off your tops tied on as a page marker for where I'm up to.

My diary is all in my phone calendar. I found I got too bogged down overthinking what should/shouldn't be included in the bullet journal.

It really works for me but I try not to look at Pinterest/online versions! Some people are artists with them, it’s amazing, but it can make mine feel very scruffy in comparison.

I find it so helpful because say one of the kids has an event in three months, I can flip ahead and jot it in that month. It stops me forgetting things when I have work, kids, uni, volunteering etc. Before bed I write everything out/check the next day and I can go to bed with an empty head. Closest thing to one of those thought buckets from Harry Potter you can get in real life!