Back in 2016, I wrote a post about How I Use My Bullet Journal. I got distracted by Traveler’s Notebooks and various other bits so never got back to writing a part 2. So here is part 2.
How I Use My Bullet Journal NOW
Having had a red and orange bullet journal back in 2016, I decided that I would start the year with a yellow insert so I went with the Leuchtturm1917 in Lemon. (You can find it on Amazon here).
This became my first bullet journal for 2017 before I got distracted. I’ve tried a variety of TN inserts but apart from my day to day journalling I don’t seem to be able to settle on an insert that works for me. I did have one but the company discontinued that particular one. When it comes to my bullet journal, I definitely go for a bit of a “catch all” method. So there’s sometimes no entire rhyme or reason to it. Also I still go with the “if it doesn’t work, tweak it” method.
At the back, I have Christmas gift lists written to write thank you cards once Christmas was over. In January, it traveled with me to Italy. While there I used it to document what we did then journaled about it when we got home.
Next up there were notes from different preaches at church. In the end, I moved my sermon notes to a separate journal to keep them all together. However somewhere along the line that got muddled as well. Therefore, part of 2018’s plan will be getting out that journal again and carrying on with separate sermon notes. I’ve used it for to-do lists and work notes too. I guess there are risks with having this all in one journal. However at the same time, by having a catch-all bullet journal. I can find what I need and know that chances are that one thing I need is scribbled in there somewhere.
But what about future planning?
I often come up with tasks I need to do in the future but can’t always fit them into the bullet journal Future Log kind of method. So this year along side my bullet journal which will catch day to day tasks. I’ll then use the set days in the diary to record future tasks. Like I already have one written in around the 6th January to check for an invoice payment for work and as I issue my December invoices I will be recording those payment dates as I go along so that I can try to keep on top of my business admin that bit better.
I guess some die-hards would be shouting “THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS!” but I’ve tried forward planning in one journal and it just doesn’t work for me. Also rather than this being some over complex thing, I’ve stripped it back to a day a page which shows me the whole year. For this one I’m using a Moleskine 2018 Large Daily Diary 12 Months (this one has a soft cover and is on Amazon here). I think I am going to attempt to decorate it because although plain black looks professional, it’s really not me now is it?
What are you using for your Bullet Journal?
I’m currently finishing up these final pages in this yellow journal – I have about 10 pages to go and I’m pretty sure my “things to do by Christmas” list will fill a page easily! I’ve got a couple of Moleskine and Leuchtturm1917 notebooks ready to go which I’ve gained over a little while. I was given a gorgeous purple one for my 30th birthday. I started using it one day but didn’t really have a purpose for it so I think that is going to be my first one for 2018 so that I can use up the unused pages before going to a new/almost new journal.
With this new system, I would like to get some kind of cover for them both. However, when they are in the same cover it’s going to be very bulky. I think for the time being I will be going back to one of my fabric iPad cases which worked quite well before. I just need to get it out from under the bed when Chris isn’t asleep in the bed!
Do you use a bullet journal or do you have a different method? Is it something you’ve wanted to try but not got round to? Are you starting a new journaling or planning system in 2018?
