So this year I decided to start bullet journaling! I’ve always liked the idea, but it looked too high maintenance to be sustainable! But a friend showed me a more simplistic approach and so I decided to give it a try too.
Why?
Why would I bullet journal in the first place? Towards the beginning it felt a little like a waste of time, I’m someone who doesn’t struggle finding ways to procrastinate, so I knew there was a chance I would spent so much time trying to make it look pretty ( emphasis on TRYING)! But for someone like me, actually writing down what I plan to do that day, kind of motivates me, and I know that if I don’t do it I can’t tick it off. I know that is sounds quite ridiculous, the one thing motivating me to complete a task is the fact that I can tick a box when I’m done! But sometimes when I lack motivation, that is literally the only thing that keeps me going, I know if I don’t tick it it’ll have to be passed on to the next day’s list, and I’ll regret it later on!
What I used to do before is literally just grab a random sheet of paper, write down a checklist and just throw it away when I’m done. But that way I couldn’t keep track of my progress/productivity. There are some days where you feel like you’ve achieved so much, but when you look back you realised you actually wasted a lot of time! This journal kind of helped me look back and confront the days where I just felt productive but didn’t actually do anything!
Sample:
I am by no means artistic or creative in any way! But I thought I might show you just what some of the pages look like. WARNING: these pages are really simple, like literally some of them just have titles, lower your expectations for what’s to come!
The pages I’ve included in mine were based on watching 100 million different Youtube videos, finding what suits me, and adding pages that I might find useful. Of course this is not some guideline, so if you choose to make one, it could be personalised to your daily needs!
What is your method of staying organised? Comment down below!
abooknation 
This is actually fascinating, although I’ve heard (a lot) about bullet journaling.. I’ve never really considered it for myself. I like how you used it not only for tasks but to brainstorm for future blog ideas. It’s a more versatile method than I really thought and I’m inspired to (maybe) give it a shot.
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That was my initial reservation as well! I didn’t know how flexible it really was, but I definitely recommend at least trying it!
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I’ve tried everything under the sun. I’ll be honest: I’m the world’s least organised person. My method is to do what I want to do, put off what I don’t want to do, and panic and complete what needs to be done at the last possible second.
This looks very cool, though! 😊
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Sometimes I tend to do that as well! But as a uni student I know that can have huge consequences so that’s why I tried sorting myself out at least a little bit :’D.
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See, kids? Discipline. Does you wonders 🙂
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My organization method is writing everything I want to do in a planner. Anything in that planner for the day gets done!
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I started using a bullet journal this year as well, and had the same thoughts as you about procrastination and how would I make it pretty? I gave up on the “pretty” idea seeing as I’m not very creative, so most of the pages in my BuJo are just headings and text as well, but hey it works for me! 🙂
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I know!! It’s so easy to get caught up on making it look pretty, and when you’re someone like me that’s not really achievable! But headings and text are just as functional as well, so I don’t feel like I’m missing out :’D. Also I feel like a really pretty Bu-Jo is hard to maintain!
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I think you’ll see a significant improvement in your work output as a result of using a bullet journal. I look forward to your update on how it’s serving you!
I have been using bullet journals (or a priority list, as I call it) since I was in high school. I have been using a calendar on my wall more recently in order to track my writing and editing schedule, and it has also been very helpful in keeping me on track!
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I also recently started a bullet journal and I’ve also been more motivated to do things now to check off the boxes. I didn’t think I’d be able to keep it up but it’s going good so far. I hope it keeps motivating you!
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I’m getting more done using a “ugly” bullet journal. It’s been very helpful to track my dally writing especially.
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Same here! And it’s so easy to maintain!
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Most of my output and work comes from being at… work (I sound like Austin Powers). I use my work journal to make notes on what needs to be done each day, as well as using my Outlook calendar for more urgent items, things that need to be done by a certain time.
It helps SO much! And I often find myself thinking of extra things I can do or test out to see if they benefit my job while I’m thinking of the days tasks. Kind of like brainstorming I guess, it gets you into that workflow headspace.
As for things like my blog, finishing a book tends to be a reminder enough for me to make a review 🙂
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Recently I haven’t really had the time to read as much, so I haven’t posted a review in a WHILE! Whenever I have the chance I will sit down and make 2/3 blog posts in advance and schedule them. That way this blog doesn’t just sit here collecting dust :’D
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Scheduling posts is SUCH a life saver! I have 2 a week for the next month or so so I can take my time and catch up on novels I’ve been wanting to get to. 😀
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I bullet journal as well, and I love seeing that someone else goes for simple layouts as well! If I go artistic, it just looks awful, so I keep it to clean lines and lists.
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So, do you ever do something that is not on your list, and then add it so you can mark it off?😉
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ALL THE TIME! Sometimes when I’m feeling unproductive I add ridiculous tasks like washing my hair, or cleaning! These things don’t really warrant a place on my Bu-Jo because they should be done regardless, but it just makes me feel so much better to tick it off!
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I write down my obligations into an app on my phone and I also paste post-its on my laptop; that way I get to look at them all the time and manage to be productive.
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I’ve started using post-its on my laptop as well, I find it more difficult to be distracted when the task is literally staring me in the face!
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I tried this, started out beautifully with the title, using coloured pens, fancy fonts etc then realised I had written JAN 2016…the wrong year!
Undeterred, I carried on until mid Feb when I lost it in my messy house.
Good luck with yours :-))(
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oh noooo, I hope you find it! Thank you 🙂
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Ooh that looks great. Nice and simple, just the way I like it.
I totally know what you mean what you mean about ticking things off to stay motivated. I do that both at work and with the blog.
Usually I keep a small notebook in my handbag because inspiration comes when I least expect it, so I jot down ideas for blog posts there and tick them off as I go along.
A jornal would look better for sure but I rather like taking the tiny notebook with me everywhere I go. 🙂
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Thank you! I bought this journal and it’s not huge, but it’s also a decent size. I’m always able to carry it with me. Because like you said, sometimes ideas come out of no where!
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At work I use an app called Wunderlist, where you are able to create tasks that you tick off, several lists, and folders where to put the lists. I find it really useful!
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I started using a bullet journal last year and I really like it. It keeps me sorta organized. My general laziness gets in the way of me not doing the not important stuff. When it comes to the artistic stuff to the bullet journal I just generally ignore because I am not all that artistic and in the end you just spend money on fancy pens, washi tapes and whatever else. Colouring pencils work just fine if you want to add some colour to your journal.
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I really want to start a bujo but I feel like I don’t do enough to put in there
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Maybe by using the Bu-jo you would get more done!
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Probably! Maybe I’ll notice how much I actually do too
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