TAKING A BULLET (JOURNAL) FOR YOU

I’ve always wavered between paper time management tools and electronic ones, probably because I deal with a daily showdown of my left and right brain. I love setting up new organizational systems but the first time the post-it notes start to take over, I know my system has failed.  

Until now, I used a combination of Outlook calendar, iCalendar on my phone, and a shared document spreadsheet to keep my family and life in order.

Rather than explain my madness, I’ll simply say that an “Analog System for the Digital Age” flew by my head one day, clipping my memory and leaving a lasting mark. It appears to be mindful, simple and succinct like my paper systems, yet stores and recalls info like a computer. Ryder Carroll invented this system called the BULLET JOURNAL (BuJo for short).

WHAT I LOVE:

• This system seems streamline, visually clean, very adaptable and customizable, and works well with my creatively chaotic mind.

• The scheduling system reminds me of a refined Franklin Covey system (which I used 15 years ago) so it already made sense to me. Like the Franklin Covey system, it’ll be the best thing that happened to me or the absolute biggest time suck.
• I love that I can create layouts for any project or goal I have from reading books to exercise!

• I love that I can be as streamline or embellished as I want – I decided to start simpler to form the habit of using it.
• I love using colored pens – they make me happy! Pens that don’t get bloppy keep my hands clean and pages smudge-free! I have pens stashed in my purse, in my car and at my work desk.

• Knowing how much I love books – carrying a bound journal with me feels elegant.

WHAT SCARES ME:

• I’m a researcher and decided to do an internet search for Bullet Journal and almost lost my mind.  This system has blown up and evolved into:
• So many creative systems (Pinterest)
• Support groups (Facebook)
• How-to videos (Youtube)
• Fandoms (Instagram)
  for a second I was regretting finding this fabulous system.  
• Seriously what started as an efficient dot, square, and journal system was taken hostage by all the scrapbookers and now the pages have doodles, washi tape, fancy folds, and calligraphy!  The way my mind works, if I can’t do it that beautifully – do I want to do it at all?
• My OCD (self-diagnosed) and Type-A tendencies.  Though I did set up my journal and survived a few mistakes without hyperventilating.  

MY JOURNAL:

I researched what journal to get as well. Many people preferred the Leuchtturm1917 Journal with dots on the pages to help guide your pen. Due to the fact that I “had to” start my journal right away, I walked to the university bookstore where I work and walked out with a Moleskine graph journal with a pocket in back for forms I collect. No pen loop? No problem. 

I started with a simple layout based exactly on Ryder’s system featuring:

The Index

The Weekly Layout (see Ryder’s video to learn how to set up your journal)

Again, I started simple with the following key to guide me, but used colors to keep my categories separate.

The 2nd month I decided to try a new Weekly Layout that allowed me to separate Household, Blogging/Social Media and Appointments/Miscellaneous.  This allows me to better visualize the plates I have in the air.

NOTE: My Secret Code: Cursive! My kids can’t read it easily – which is another blog post all together!

Will this be the perfect system for me? Only time will tell – but being in November, I’m starting to feel the pressure to commit to a system for 2017. Stay tuned…

What about you? Have you tried bullet journaling? Do you have any layouts that have changed your life? Do you have a different system you love?

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