Anyone still using a Bullet Journal?

[Fairislefandango]

It was such a big thing a few years back! I'm still loving mine (I think I'm on my 8th annual one now!), and I like to start a thread on here once in a while to see if anyone's got any great new ideas or systems, or if there's anyone keen to start using one. I've just kind of changed the way I do mine, and it's definitely better.

Thank you Hills I will look at that.

I've a work one and a home one, maybe for about 6 years? I've kept them all, and wondering when that will prove impractical! I used to be on a bullet journal on here years ago, I'm wondering if it was the same OP! This year I have an A4 book but I'm going back to A5 at Christmas, it was a better fit for me. I start a new one every January.

Lots of people with ADHD on here! I don't have it myself, afaik, but I do have a dc who was diagnosed recently.

Mine is a custom a5journal with square paper and strong but thin cardboard covers, I usually have different topics of interest in it, as I try to write the information out, so one it stops me printing reams, I try to do sections by subject, and sometimes use a mix of bulletpoints etx

I still haven't tried this
I looked at the link Hills kindly gave but didn't realise it would be that long.

i'd like to keep everything in one place so a diary with a load of dotted paper at the end is probably good. I have written it down as a task for Tuesday, to try listing/doing till the end of Nov using the Alasdair method.

I need to discipline myself to actual sit down with a journal and get off MN!

Definitely must be A5 otherwise too big to carry with me at all times.

Anyone with any sticker or washi recommendations?

I don't use it every day, more for to-do lists for weekends and holidays. But I do maintain and add to my books to read list, films/TV to watch list and my hair and beauty list - which is dates of haircuts and treatments, so I can easily see that for example eyelash dyeing is overdue. I've also got lists of meals that the family like, to make meal planning easier, divided into meat/fish/veggie.
I might go back to it, I found great for motivation, eg planning in time to see friends, or even reviewing paperwork.

Not for day to day life, but I have one for the house move/ renovation. I used it for the house move as a diary, packing list, to do for address change. For the renovation, I make plans for rooms, timeline, keep measurements, room drawings, budget etc.

I realised my current one will end at Christmas so if I do any end of year reflections, they will start the new one or impact what I do for the new bullet journal.

I also realised I don't often go back to look at the previous journals yet I have kept them.

you could always add pages to you current on for the end of year reflections to prevent the carry over.

I find mine great. Another one with adhd and I think being able to suddenly change how I’m using it keeps me using it long after a standard planner would have stopped working- eg switching from daily pages to a week or back, having an arty phase and then not.

I’d love to see photos of people’s pages - I suspect they’d be much more useful than the arty farty ones on Pinterest.

Currently I’m doing a weekly spread on two pages, but I actually use four pages by folding the middle one in half and using it for brain dumps, shopping lists, and anything else.

I’m also experimenting with having days across the top, and time blocks on the side. But I haven’t worked out if that’s helping or over structuring.

I’ve started a habit of sitting down on a Sunday with a checklist and getting all my stray bits into the bujo. In the past I would find planners didn’t work but I hadn’t recognised that there are steps.

1. check future logs and monthly planner
2. check my phone calendar
3. check emails
4. check whatsapp
5. check photos …………….etc

glaringly obvious if you’re NT, but I had to identify the smaller steps.

I’m thinking of getting sticker paper for the printer and creating my own add-ins particularly for calendar pages.

I tried bullet journaling around 5 years ago but just couldn't get the hang of it. I don't think it's for me but can't find anything that is!

What was it about it that didn't work for you, @Cantcopewithkids ? There are so many variations on how to use it that maybe there's one out there which would be better!

I'm NT but I find it great to be able to change my merhod too, @Whatsleftnow . My life and schedule have completely changed since I recently went back to work full time, so my journal is undergoing a change too. I haven't quite settled into a new merhod yet though.

@Fairislefandango when I first learnt about the system I thought it was going to be the solution I've been waiting for as I have so many lists. I have my current lists that I need to action but also have loads of other lists eg books, habits, goals, wishlist, places to visit and so on. I usually kept these lists in a separate filofax and I'd have another planner for the immediate stuff. So I thought the bujo would be the answer.

But I found it fiddly. The going back and forth. I'd start a list and then run out of pages and it would be split across 2 places. I don't know if I was doing it wrong. My brain just didn't get it. I tried so hard, I bought lovely notebooks, pens and stickers and everything too as the arty side of it really appealed to me too.

I'm still searching for a system which works for me.

I started one in January. I have a really stupid thing that always held me back, where if I got some beautiful stationery I would be hesitant to write in it and "mess it up" with missed days, messed up layouts etc.

So my bullet journal is an A5 ring binder and A5 paper. I can switch things out, move them around, reorganise, throw things away that aren't working for me anymore (blasted habit trackers) instead of it being a graveyard of attempted self improvement and failures

the last 6 months have been very stressful and it was abandoned, but I've been tentatively starting up again. I can easily tidy the whole thing up and start fresh whilst keeping the good stuff.

Ah ok. I don't mind things being split over more than one page if it's an ongoing thing, as long as I have it in the index. Some people also write down (on the current page, next to the page number at the bottom) the page number to go to for the next section of that list/collection iyswim, so as to avoid needing to turn to the index. I find it a lot less fiddly than having different places for different things (lists, calendars etc).

Actually I'm finding it really annoying that I now need to have separate places for things anyway, due to the fact that I have to separate my work admin from my home admin. I don't want to ditch my journal, because I love it and it's been sooo useful for 8 years, but I'm using it less and have less time to keep up with it!

I've made a decision to use a two column spread with planning pages on one side, and collections on the other in the main index rather than all listed together.

Have you tried FlyLady with the Control Journal? The routines have been a game changer for me. It's supposed to be a housework system mainly but it's helping me organise my life too.

Ages ago I tried the housecleaning stuff with fly lady but I couldn't really get along with it . I remember getting a million emails per day.

I did the like sink thing before going to bed which I try to do.

I haven't heard of the control journal.whats that like?

I don't know what my problem is. I find it really frustrating that I can never stick to anything. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me.

What bullet journals do you all recommend i.e. brand of book? Also is the aim of it both a diary and a book of lists in one?

Yeah flylady is over the top with emails. the mn thread doesn't recommend signing up for them. She has example control journals but you can make your own. Mine has lists of birthdays, my chore routine rotation, my meal plan bingo, family addresses, repair people no#s etc. It is the control binder for the house.

For me i like stationery island books. Posh enough looking without being extortionate. But really it is a book that works with the pen you want. The point of the bullet journal is what you need. I have had separate lists to diary aspect, i have had combined. Basically as i see it, my bullet journal should allow ,my life to run smoothly so if it has my christmas shopping list, my easter meal planning, the books i have in a series so i don't end up wtih duplicates as well as my calendar (where, what and when i need to be/do) and my basic to do list.

I am ditching the bullet journal because i found a planner binder in the works which basically covers what i set up and i can add additional pages to the binder. I want to focus on other stuff rather than spending time on drawing stuff out. My meal plan bingos are going to printed sheets rather than bullet journal pages.

What bullet journals do you all recommend i.e. brand of book? Also is the aim of it both a diary and a book of lists in one?

Diary, calendar, lists, planner, notes, ideas, journal of thoughts and feelings about stuff - everything really!

I've tried a few brands, but have completely settled on the Leuchtturm 1917 for years now. I like a dotted journal, and they come in lots of colours.

I'm feeling a bit sad about my journal because I'm hardly using it since I went back to teaching full time. I have a work calendar and planner which I have to use and keep separate, and my Bujo isn't getting a look in! I just don't have time for it, and yet I feel like I need it really. It's a work-life balance failure thing, I guess!

I think before rushing to buy journals you need to think what its purpose is. My bullet journal is simply a SYSTEM that allows me to FOCUS. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, it gives my mind a storage space. Keeps everything in one place. Clarify your journal’s purpose: is it mainly to declutter your mind and unplug at the end of the day? All in one place.

I think only buy doing it you will find out if you want memories, artistic, quotes, what collections to include, if you have habit trackers or not.

Bullet journal forces me out of procrastination and gives me structure and makes life less overwhelming

You can change everything about your journal until it functions exactly the way you need it to for your current season of life, so don’t feel pressured to stick with anything.

Bullet Journaling is a mindfulness practice, too, not just a productivity system,

About to buy my new journal for next year - anyone found something nice so far?

I used to do bullet journalling, loved it. Never connected the ADHD side before, that's interesting. Makes sense though, having everything visual (aka so I doesn't drop out of my head)

I loved the Blox company dot grid book, lovely paper quality. And also dotgrid but their paper and binding wasn't so good (staples!)

Now erasable pens are easier to get I think I'll restart!
Used to use Muji pens, but I'm loving the legami ones now. Lovely writers, cute and they sell refills.

I've written my own excel work goals planner. But by life outside work is a bit of a disaster