So: bullet journals?

[balsamandash]

Heeeey, people who use this thing that is supposed to be super useful. I would like to also use the useful thing. Talk to me about how you use the thing?

...Words are hard. But yeah. Have looked at the thing, think it may be of use, am going to try starting one soon, would appreciate any advice/tips/whatever from people who do the thing, if any of you do.


In other news: Heading to family's for the night, because 1. brother has an acting class showcase, and 2. one of grandmother's oldest friends died, and we're going to go try and cheer her up a little/give her company. Expect more to-do-lists when I get back, because that... actually worked out really well, so I might try doing that for a little bit. Especially as sometime this week I will be starting up/planning out work stuff with my mom, so my TDL will grow massively, most likely, at least until I get everything set up for that.

Comments

[longmagpieroads]

I will tell you about the thing when I get home from work!

[balsamandash]

<333 You are wonderful and I adore you.

[teaotter]

This will be rambly; sorry!

My favorite part about bullet journals is that I can make up what I want them to be as I go -- but it's also the part that made it hard for me to start. Sometimes I have a hard time making choices, so having lots of choices was a stumbling block.

So I started my first one in the back of an old notebook. That way I could try different organizations and see what worked best for me without worrying about "messing up" a new notebook.

Mine is organized mostly in 2-page spreads. Index pages, and then a couple of pages for things I want to keep track of (in my case: media I want to consume, perfumes I desperately want to try).

Then I have my first month spread. On the left page, I have a list of all the days and any specific appointments or deadlines I need to keep track of. On the right-hand page, I have a monthly to-do list. I have a section for bills to pay, a section of HOA responsibilities (I'm the Treasurer), and a section of cleaning tasks I'd like to get done once a month.

I keep a paperclip in the book to the current month's page so I can mark things off the lists as I do them. Also, so that I can turn there easily if I have time + spoons for cleaning but no idea what to do next.

Then I have weekly spreads. (I start my week on Saturday, which is weird, but I want to keep the weekend together and it's easier for me to gear up for the work week when it's on the same page as the weekend. I dunno, but it makes sense to me.)

For the week spreads, I divide each page into 4 sections, then add the days/dates. The 8th section says "Coming Up" and has the list of things coming up the next week that I need to remember.

I fill things in on each of the days. I make little empty boxes next to to-do list items and fill the boxes in when I'm done. I put filled-in dots next to things that just happened or events that don't require me to do anything except go there (so-and-so's birthday, etc.).

The best part for me is that I only have about four lines to write to-do lists on these pages, so I can't overload myself. If I get everything done, I can do tasks from other days, or go back to the month page.

Some people do entire day pages. I started out that way, with the day pages starting after the week spread. Which was great if I had a lot I wanted to write, like a journal entry, but sucked if all I was putting in was to-do lists. Because then I made giant to-do lists, and didn't do them, and felt bad about it. ymmv, of course. Lots of people like them.

I also keep a paperclip to the current week spread, so I can get there fast. (One clip goes around all the pages up to the month spread, the other goes around all the pages from the month spread to the current week)

I don't spend a lot of time making it pretty, but I use it a lot and end up both getting things done and feeling like I'm getting things done. (Being able to see all the filled-in squares is useful for telling jerkbrain to stop lying.)

[teaotter]

I can take photos if you'd like. I'm not sure whether my descriptions make any sense.

[balsamandash]

I thiiiink they do - I need to read this again now that I am not on my phone, but I don't entirely have the presence of mind to do so right at this moment - but I would appreciate photos nontheless if you don't mind it? Sometimes it's hard for me to translate things to visuals.

I will come back and respond to the longer comment once I get that chance to reread it.

[teaotter]

Okay, these are not great photos. And there are kind of a lot of them. Sorry!

Because I use two-page spreads, I had to do something with the page just inside the cover. So it's got a "if found, please contact" thing on it.



Next two pages are the index so far:



Then my half-year pages (which I forgot in my description, and honestly I don't really use)



Month pages for July:



The left page has the dates, while the right page has a general monthly to-do list thing


Then there are week pages (which I start w/Saturday, because it works for me even if it's weird)




eta: I took out the close-up photos, because they were less good than the big ones. Ah well.

[balsamandash]

I don't think, on second read, I have real specific things to say, but this is super helpful. Seeing it both explained and the actual pictures of how it worked gets it a lot straighter in my head than only getting one or the other, so thank you, a lot.

I do think it's something I'm gonna give a shot, so, hopefully this works out. :)

[alatefeline]

Tip on the wrong topic (feel free to back away slowly and/or tell me to mind my beeswax):

Specific advice: Make TDLs that are manageable and specific to time frame, topic, or both. You can always write another one. Keep them to what you can actually do without feeling overwhelmed, and you'll feel accomplished when you check them off.

General principle: Maximize the *efficiency* of use of the tool or repeat what was effective in the past, rather than trying to maximize the stuff the tool is applied to, if you want to keep getting good results with it.

[balsamandash]

Any and all organization tips are very much appreciated at any time, for the record. Whether or not I've said anything about it lately, it's always an issue I'm looking for help with.


I will keep this in mind! Goodness knows I need to find some way to make TDLs work for me continually, instead of sporadically....

[alatefeline]

Good to know. I'm not feeling very organized myself right now, but I'll get back to you.