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Original poster

Bullet Journal

967 replies

mercifulTehlu · 23/01/2016 21:18

I've just found out about this fab way of organising your life, thanks to a kind poster on the 'people who are efficient ' thread. I was wondering if any other MNers are Bullet Journalers? here is the website if anyone's interested.

It's only a couple of days since I started my journal, but I can already see that it's going to revolutionise my ability to be organised. I've tried loads of apps, lists etc in the past, but have never really hit on a system that worked for me. I have very high hopes of this one though (plus it involves pretty stationery Smile )!

OP posts:
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Original poster
mercifulTehlu · 01/02/2016 22:24

I was lucky in that I had a lovely, perfect-sized notebook (Christmas present ) lying around, for which I had no particular purpose. I think next time I'll put a Leuchtturm Bullet Journal one on my Christmas list though and some washi tape and pretty pens .

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Karcheer · 02/02/2016 16:44

Hello,

Since giving up work I've become the queen of procrastination!
Today I've purchased a notebook and started the bullet journal.
Also started the healthy habit tasks, so drinking water, vitamins on my list!
This could revolutionise my life !

Karcheer · 02/02/2016 18:12

How do you show weekly and monthly reacurring tasks?

DoreenLethal · 02/02/2016 19:06

I use labels.

Karcheer · 02/02/2016 20:35

How?

BYOSnowman · 02/02/2016 20:36

Are you supposed to carry the book with you at all times or can you leave it at home? I was thinking of taking a photo of the current lists if needed for going out

ICJump · 02/02/2016 21:41

BYO. I take mine. It's small enough to fit in my hand bag and I can just pull it out. I find that really useful for thing like products only available in one store. So I have a list for Big W which stocks that method stuff and a few other things. I'm going to start an Aldi one to as I alwAys forget the things u mean to buy and end up with tents and sheets and power tools rather than cheap washing liquid

BYOSnowman · 02/02/2016 21:46

I will lose it if I take it out the house or leave it in the wrong handbag. I started somethings similar a while back and it was fine for a few months but then I lost it and never got a replacement.

One handy thing was having a list of things to pack for holiday for me and the kids!

Maybe I will start with an 'at home' version

PolkadotRosa · 02/02/2016 22:16

Great thread! I've been inspired and have started my bullet journal. I've also read a bit about GTD after hearing about it on here and have started a mega list of everything I need/want to do...feels so good to free it from my headspace and write it all in one place.
If, for example, I had an event to take my daughter to next week and I had to do a series of things in the run up to prepare (a list of to-do's), how/where would you put everything? If you are meant to plan tasks by the day, how does this work?
Also, do you all do the one-line calendar? I couldn't fit my 29 days of Feb on one page vertically! It's an A5 poundland notepad but I think the spaces between the lines must be too big and I need a posh, much nicer notebook (any excuseGrin)

DoreenLethal · 02/02/2016 22:19

How?

I print the monthly lists onto labels, peel them off and stick them where I need them in the bullet journal. I dont have weekly ones, but i do have 'course prep' ones, where i stick them when designing courses on the relevant page.

DoreenLethal · 02/02/2016 22:23

For an event, you can either box off the to so list in the monthly lists, or give it a page of its own.

I print out month by month calenders (day across top, month to view) and stick them in and the first 12 pages are thenmy diary. Then start the BJ proper after that.

It really is yours to customise as you wish.

BendydickCuminsnatch · 03/02/2016 06:21

Can I ask, when you think 'oh I need an Aldi regulars list', where do you put it? Do you have a section of lists like that at the back of the journal? I wouldn't want lists that aren't to do with a specific day right in the middle of a month, as would be flipping through to find it each time.

PolkadotRosa · 03/02/2016 07:50

Hi Bendy my understanding (and I could be wrong!) is that you just write it in the next available space and then write Aldi Regulars pg 4 in your index.

Original poster
mercifulTehlu · 03/02/2016 08:29

Ooh lots of posts! I'll try and answer some of the questions...

Weekly and monthly recurring tasks - I have a separate double page for that kind of thing. On the first page of it, I have a list of household tasks, under two headings (daily, weekly) but in no particular order within those headings. On the other page I have a schedule showing each weekday and the regular things I have to remember to do every week on that day (put bins out, pack the kids' swimming gear etc ).

I don't take my journal out of the house usually. I would if I were working though, or maybe if I were going out for the whole day. As it is, I'm rarely out of the house for more than an hour or two.

About the calendar - luckily my journal has exactly the right number of lines to fit a month in.

About the event - I would have the event entered in the calendar, but would probably make a whole new page for the event's to-do-list.

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PolkadotRosa · 03/02/2016 08:29

Hi Doreen thanks for that. Your monthly list labels, are they blank for your tasks (going off the bullet journal site where one side of double spread pg is calender and other side tasks for month). Do you just use your month by month calenders you have at the front rather than a page listed 1-30/31? SorryGrin

PolkadotRosa · 03/02/2016 08:30

Ooh cross post. Will read!

Original poster
mercifulTehlu · 03/02/2016 09:18

Bendy - I thought that at first (about having lists in the middle of months), but I think that's what you're meant to do, and I have duly embraced the concept! As long as you put every page in the index, it's fine. I definitely do not put anything at the back of the journal - I start at the beginning and don't leave blank pages.

So for example, part of your index might go:

February calendar and task list p. 21-22
February daily journal p.23-24, 27--32
Aldi Regulars p.25-26

It seems counter-intuitive at first, but actually the slotting things in as they come up, and keeping everything together as a continuous stream of what's going on in your life does work.

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DoreenLethal · 03/02/2016 09:33

Your monthly list labels, are they blank for your tasks (going off the bullet journal site where one side of double spread pg is calender and other side tasks for month). Do you just use your month by month calenders you have at the front rather than a page listed 1-30/31?

I have say 5 end of month tasks so I print out a page of labels on word [L7116] using the label manager [instead of an address, just type in the tasks as you want them listed, highlight and go to Label manager and select the correct label type and it will print a page of them out.

My BJ is for a full year so I print out a year's worth from a website like this: www.calendarlabs.com/printable-calendar.php And then the first 24 pages are the month on the LHS and a label of the tasks on the RHS, with room to add stuff underneath.

So for example, the table of contents is the first unnumbered pages.
Then 2-3 is Jan
4-5 is Feb etc

I have taken a pic of August to show you...

Then after December, I have one page of carry forward dates as I often have dates booked into the next year...and then the BJ proper starts.

I have to have the full year of dates with a diary, I tried it adding the months as I went but with nowhere to pencil dates in I was getting confused. So each week has a new fresh page with stuff ported in from the monthly diary page, and more detail on day to day tasks on there...I've added a pic of my weekly page as well.

Anything not done this week will get ported over to the next if it is still important enough to do.

Bullet Journal
Bullet Journal
Karcheer · 03/02/2016 16:47

Omg! I've got so much done today!
I'm probably not using it totally how it should be, as when I thought of stuff I just put it under today, but I've done things I've been putting off and got things to do for the rest of the week, feeling very motivated!
I'm not sure the calendar will work for me as it is, but having a page per day seems to.
I've done a specific page for birthdays, which I always miss. Need to work out something for food as dreadful at planning, but hey, work in progress.
Off to clean the nespresso :)

BendydickCuminsnatch · 03/02/2016 21:08

Merciful thanks for the explanation. I do like that idea actually - the thought of it WITHOUT the index was stressing me out but yes, index makes sense. I forgot about it.
Have been watching lots of Filofax setup vids on YouTube Shock I've already got a Filofax so going to use it for this year but still loving the idea of the BJ!

Allgunsblazing · 03/02/2016 21:22

I have been hard at work and more or less finished my financial pages. I split each page into 12 and had one for 2016 and one for 2017.
I am building a nest now, so I am pulling all the stops in ensuring I am planning strategically.
Also, in the box for each month I am filling in each square as the goal has been reached (sort of like a coloured in bullet).
I have also made a page for DDs and contracts and deadlines etc.
I'm enjoying this.

Original poster
mercifulTehlu · 04/02/2016 07:33

Sounds great, Allgunsblazing! My most major barrier to being organised is my own laziness and procrastination. So I still find it hard to get all my tasks done. However, with this system, I find that I'm just 'migrating' the tasks I haven't managed to do that day and not beating myself up about it. And because I migrate them, and then do actually get around to them, I still feel fairly in control of everything. This is a big step forward for me!

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Allgunsblazing · 04/02/2016 07:56

merciful, do you have a routine, as in: in general?
Before I sorted a quite rigid routine that fits our family, I found it hard to be in control of hat was going on, because something always 'cropped up'.

I am dyslexic, big time, and nobody has ever sat me down and explained any of this to me (I am NOT saying you need sitting down and explaining toGrin, I am just explaining from my point of view). Stuff like do the bedding every sunday, for example. Never! It has been all haphazard growing up. So I got a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing. So days off would be mammoth cleaning sprees for instance, only to start all over again the next day. no one size fits all families. Be kind to yourself,

Ememem84 · 04/02/2016 08:23

I started bullet journal on Feb 1. I love the idea. I had a Filofax. And my phone. But really like crossing things off lists.

Will see how it goes

BendydickCuminsnatch · 04/02/2016 10:35

Think I'm going to use these this year - I am way attached to my Filofax but I do have lots of food lists etc all over the house so these should be good. I will probably end up doing a BJ but my filofax is soooooo pretty!

OK sorry totally hijacking thread with irrelevant stuff.

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