Why Bullet Journaling Just Doesn't Work...
2023 ж. 13 Нау.
383 101 Рет қаралды
I kept a journal for 5 years. Here are the biggest mistakes people often make when BUJOing. Enojy!
I kept a journal for 5 years. Here are the biggest mistakes people often make when BUJOing. Enojy!
The people who decorate their journals and make it beautiful aren't missing the point because they misunderstood the objective, they just have a different objective. Yes, the system was designed to simplify and organise without spending a lot of time and effort on it, but for some people this may be the only creative outlets they have. If you always have it on you, then it's easy to whip it out and start creating something, spend a few minutes on your lunch break doodling title page or whatever. The people who genuinely love decorating their spreads don't necessarily do it all the time, but they *make* time to do something they enjoy. Their bujo doubles as a sketchbook, or scrapbook; it's a hobby AND an organisational tool. It's counter-productive to you because thats not a hobby you see value in. You're not getting the same level of satisfaction that they get, and thats perfectly fine. My advice to anyone starting bullet journalling, would be to keep the bullet journal and decorating separate. Start a scrapbook or decorate your personal journal instead so you can keep the bullet journal as spartan as possible, at least until you get the basics down and learn how to use it. Plan in some time for decorating the other journal, so then you have the bullet journal AND the hobby. Once you get the hang of bullet journalling, then try decorating it. Just dont go all out or it'll put too much pressure on you. Start with just a title page or even just the titles. Keep it minimal and use your other journal to go all out in. If it becomes stressful, or too complex, then just keep it as a bullet journal and remove the hobby aspect.
Exactly my thoughts. Not everyone's bullet journal is made for the exact same reason. I think it's nice some people have found their creative outlet when it comes to journaling and even can wind down during it from a stressful day. If it works for you & makes you feel happy/comfortable, then it works.
@@extrakimmu ^ a lot of generally artistic people like decorating everything. It isnt a chore for us. I personally don't bujo, and my journal (which is for therapeutic reasons, primarily to help with my adhd, anxiety, and ptsd, doesnt replace therapy but is a tool to cope) is usually simple, but sometimes I go ALL OUT and nothing is wrong with that
You my friend are one of the very few people who get it ! I've seen so many people hate on the artsy journals and I just don't get it. If it adds value and joy to your life , consider decorating it as a hobby ! If not just use it as the productivity tool it is. Or maybe somepeople just want an art journal not a bullet journal. That's totally fine too. Bottom line , you do YOU ❤
im an artist and i try to do two different journals. one artistically one and one ugly one. Works for me. i love to use colours and drawings in a journal in general
When I was doing my bujo pretty bloody regularly, it was so creative. Like art, and printed out photos of the months "theme". Colours EVERYWHERE. But that worked for me. It really worked for me. I loved sitting down on a Sunday to do the next weeks spread, I loved sitting down on the last few days of the month to do the monthly spread. Like it was a form of self care for me. What stopped me continuing doing a bujo was COVID, and the fact that I graduated uni. So a lot of my journal was filled with ... nothing. It wasn't because it was creative, it was just... lack of things to do. That and my ADHD got worse when COVID hit, but you know...
Some people use bullet journaling as their creative outlet, I think it's nice some people found their creative side when doing this hobby. If it works for them, then it works. Not everyone's bujo is for the exact same reason
Agreed. The main reason for bullet journaling is to get more done and stay sane while at it. If doodling helps you do this, be my guest 😊
@@bartekmalinowy Your channel is really underrated!
@@bartekmalinowy And to make it even more clear, not always to get _more_ done but to do things in a _better way_ (as in in a way that suits oneself the best).
If it helps you be creative, doodle, design, etc. GREAT. But don't. Call. It. Bullet journaling.
@@utueliasthat's literally the opposite of productivity. Getting less done but doing it in a way "that suits oneself best" aka lazy people. People really be claiming to use productivity techniques to be less productive smh. Do whatever design you want. Waste your time however you want. But don't insult the creator and people who use it by calling it bullet journaling
Because of creating “pretty” spreads it actually made me stop doing BUJO because I felt disappointed because I can’t be consistent from doing all the pretty designs. From now on I’ll make simple ones that actually helps
This is so great to hear! Still seems surreal that a silly video I made is actually helping people somewhere 😄
@@bartekmalinowy keep going!
This video is great! I would love to have those pretty journal layouts, but yes, they made me feel disappointed. Maybe I will start put with this method and transition into making it more artsy once I have more of a flow with it.
I use Pip-stickers; kinda expensive but saves lots of time and makes my journal look real cute. I hate plain journals... My plan originally was to learn how to draw, and I LOVED doing the bujo for that reason, BUT it was too much pressure. Drawing is one of my daily habits that NEVER get checked off:(
I have two separated bujo's, one for decorating and for the day, and other for organisation. Sometimes i add colors or stickers to the 2nd one, but most of my creative things go for the 1st. Some people find this inconvenient, but if one day u woke up with ur creativity at the 99%📈, u may want to decorate something with those feelings, and just keep ur organisation bujo "clean" or, as the name says, organised. Hope it helps! 🩵🩵
Those who treat their bujo like a gallery instead of a tool are completely missing the point.
AMEN. By the time you color and design, draw, you could have accomplished several tasks which is the reason for a planner or notebook. "Can't see the forest for the trees" syndrome.
@@MR-pr8tp It depends on the person. Productivity and creativity can go hand in hand, they're not necessarily mutually exclusive. Personally I won't use my bullet journal in the long run if I don't find it pretty and if I don't have fun setting it up. And it's my hobby as well. I like spending time on it, but I spend this time on bullet journaling instead of watching Netflix for example, not instead of doing what I have to do. You don't have to be this black and white...
@@chaaachouu16Agree. It’s a hobby. Sure I use it to keep track of tasks and info, but I also enjoy making it beautiful! If art or paper crafting isn’t your thing, use the original method!
Just let people do it however it works for them. I haven't ever seen an artistic journaling person say that other people should be making their journal pretty, but I've seen so many "functional" journalers complaining about how other people like to keep their journal, even when they are only spending minutes a day to keep it visually interesting. And I say this as a person whose daily pages look WAY worse than the functional layout shown in the video. But every month I commit about an hour to painting a complicated new monthly spread. It's one of my hobbies, so it's by definition not a waste of time, even if the spread doesn't keep me on task or make me more productive. Every few days I put in a nice sticker or tape in something interesting. My journal works for me as a productivity tool BECAUSE it exists in a liminal space between diary and planner. The day to day is functional, but without the fun stuff I wouldn't bother coming back. Can't we just stop the judgment and let people journal how they want?
No, people aren't missing the point, they make their own point, I also bullet journal and to me it is something is use to draw because I like drawing but can't actually bring myself to draw a whole painting. I also use it to write down my tasks and figure out what exclusive task I needed to do for that day. Everyone has their own way of bullet journalling. No one is missing the point.
I was flipping through an old, mostly unused journal and found a couple paragraphs I wrote about a cat that has since died. I wish I'd written more. I'm a writer, so I write. The pretty spread people are artists, or want to be, so they draw. Possibly the worst thing that happened to journals was corporate people realizing they could rebrand scrapbooking stuff as journaling stuff and suddenly you don't just need a notebook and a writing utensil, you need washi tape, stamps, punches, and tombow markers to go with your name brand leather-bound dot grid journal and authentic replica fountain pen. And I say this as a dot grid fan.
Washi tape companies when bujo got invented: 🤑🤑🤑
whenever i just want to look for journaling content i only find scrapbooking, scrapbooking ruined journaling! scrapbooking shouldn’t be considered a journal, it should be considered a scrapbook.
@@itsCas Well sounds like a you problem, because when I know what I'm looking for I have to specify and I find either for writing or scrapbooking because I do all of the above or even together. People need to stop complaining over little things and let people be.
As a writer myself, I loved reading your comment. I had the same realisation a couple of years ago while looking through old journals. My entries were focused on my schedule and the projects I was working on. At times, I wrote about how nervous and frustrated I felt about insignificant things. I only found a few golden sentences here and there (or a paragraph at most) that mentioned *something or someone I loved.* And like you, I also lost a pet, my dog, when he was quite young. Searching for his presence in my writing was heartbreaking. There was hardly any evidence of how much I had loved him and how important he had always been to me. This why I now write about specific little moments or thoughts I want to treasure. It doesn't matter if I don't catalogue my entire day. Honestly, I might not even mention school or work in my journal ever again. My life is much more vibrant than my daily tasks. There is so much love to write about.
@@Prieta100so if it's a "you problem" to others it's not relevant but your garbage take is more valid?
I’ve been trying to get into bullet journaling for years but kept failing because I couldn’t make it pretty enough (I have messy handwriting) At the beginning of this year, I started to focus more about functionality and less about aesthetics, and this made it so much easier and stress-free to keep journaling.
Have you ever heard of a computer? It's 2023, wake up
For this reason I gave up bj and have resorted to a cheap yearly planner (10 USD) instead. Can't be bothered to be artistic and well organized at the same time.
@dan2000ist that's so great to hear that it works for you :) keep going, you rock in your own way.
@@BotDetector-44 Bullet Journaling in paper is less distracting
this is what drives me crazy. Bullet journaling isn’t about being pretty or drawing spreads. The name has been co-opted by something else and so bullet journaling gets a bad name. It’s flexible enough to allow that level of creativity if that’s what you want, but it’s not required at all.
I started bullet journaling in college but it only lasted for a few months if not weeks. I was overwhelmed by the bujo community where all the people seemed to have pretty spreads and templates. I thought I needed to be like them to be successful in bullet journaling. It turned out I didn't have to. By the time I found out about this, I had switched to digital journaling using Notion which worked better for me. Now I can spend the time that I used to ruminate on what highlighter or pen color I need to use, to do other more productive things for me.
"Bullet Journal: Lessons & Corrections" Summary (My own words, not direct quote) 1. Form over function 3:45 1.1 Keep it simple. Flexible. Do what works for you 2. Writing for clarity >>> organization 4:48 2.1 Action step: Nothing fancy or complicated, create everyday evening routine & write flow based method journal entry 2.2 Pragmatic insight: Check calendar of events next day. Write tasks want to accomplish to mentally prepare beforeee waking up what to do everyday 2.3 Why journal write? Be aware how you spend your time & Reflect on your archived timeline of personal writing of thouhts, ideas, notes 3. More gratitude journaling 6:07 3.1 Most ROI habit to do every. single. day towards delayed gratification, not instant gratification 3.2 Simple exercise (The true impact on fulfillment and happiness): Gratitude as a resource to develop willingness, ability and skill to appreciate small things, even on bad days. 3.3 Write a word, sentence everyday for 21 days (How long it takes to form a habit) 4. Bonus Oversight Revision: Look back!!! 6:50 4.1 Assertion: It cancels your energy, time of the function and process of organizing and joting little insights to not refer back to your writings 4.2 Regularly re-read (Monthly, weekly, your own choice) 4.3 Implent review to take action as a tool to personal development/success- 1x/ per month look back at journal entries, try to ask 4 Qs 4.3.1 What worked? 4.3.2 What didnt? 4.3.3 What lessons did I learn? 4.3.4 How did my habits go? 4.3.5 Bonus Q: Where did my time go? (Time tracker) 4.4 Inspiration, Motivation to change after self-evaluation: 4.4.1 See your winnings, success, achievements big or small. 4.4.2 Have a strong inspired/driven/ determined mindset & consistent/focused action to be accountable/disciplined to manage & meet your micro/long term goals 4.4.3 My personal remark: Dont give up! Goal setting is a learned skill and practice. It's not created overnight.
This comment is actually so much better than the video itself
W
Wonderful, except the 21 day rule is a myth and it varies drastically for everyone.
I’m an industrial designer and I was taught “form follows function” and while that might sound like what you pointed out in your video it kind of isn’t. As the function changes so does the form… and the way the brain of the person that uses the journal works also plays a big role. For you the more artsy setup doesn’t work and I thought I was the same but this year was the first year I actually stuck to a journal the entire year and funnily enough this year I did an illustration for each month and very artsy fonts… this way I personally feel motivated to open the journal and actually use it plus if I have to commit and sit down at the end of the month to create the new spreads it forces me to actually use it and to find the motivation for that I do it in a way that is enjoyable for me. It takes me the better part of a day to do the entire month but that’s essentially one day of ‘me-time’. That being said: I do art and I draw in sketchbooks during the month as well so for me this is free time not a daunting pile of work… well most of the time at least and at those times as soon as I got up and started doing it I do find it enjoyable. The best thing about using a bullet journal is that you can personalize it so it works for you… some people just need to realize that having an artsy journal might be nice but if it doesn’t work for you it’s ok to let go instead of pressuring yourself to do it any at cause that clearly defeats the purpose 😊
I LOVED this comment, I’m definitely going to quote you! 🤩
I agree on the pretty spreads. I occasionally have free time and like to make fancy crafty spreads, but I usually spend about 10 minutes setting up monthly pages in a format that is functional. It matters more to me to be able to use and feel comfortable in my journal, and that means allowing mistakes and low effort pages to exist. I also have slowly started adding in a journaling aspect where I answer daily, weekly, and monthly questions so that I am more focused on my goals and my mental health. I like this a lot because before I didn't realize when my mental health was declining but now I'm forced to face my mental state on a regular basis
How's it going so far? Do you see any real benefits?
@@bartekmalinowy i think so! I'm still trying to get to a point where i consciously think about my goals more often but now I'm starting to see my progress in a measureable way as well as collecting data to be able to look at why certain things didn't work. I think the biggest benefit is i feel like i'm actually making progress because i have data to see what had changed/worked and what hasn't, whereas in the past i just had to rely on my memory and a vague sense of how i felt about my goal progress. But even though I am not more mindful all the time, it's comforting to slow down every week and write down my specific emotions instead of continuing to distract myself from them. I feel like i am taking care of myself more by journaling and giving my future self a record to look back on.
I love to look at the pretty designs, tried to replicate some and I realised that I'm not using them at all. So I decided to have a monthly, some lists each month and the rest is simply journaling/creating. It works so well and if I want to draw or scrapbook I just use the next free page. People are too focused on other people's opinions because of social media creators. Just do what fits you and it will be perfect for you.
I think this video went straight to the point. I love my journal pretty BUT - I threw away three journals in the first year - I finally bought me a Scrapbook journal in addition as I realised it stressed me that every month looks SO different It was like my brain could not focus on what was written there because it was busy sorting out the designs and months and finding the information - so my monthly setting is basically the same layout every month but I make it pretty with Washi tape (mostly) because it is a quick and easy way if you are not an artist - I skipped my daily spreads because I realised they stress me (I do not have that many appointments and stuff to write down) I sign the "never sacrifice function for form" line. I found my way after a year. I still love how Bullet Journaling works for everyone differnt.
I really love that getting super creative with bullet journaling is fun and useful for some people, but for me it just made the process too overwhelming to keep up with. but it clearly works for some people
For me, the more I enjoy creating spreads and looking at them, the more I want to use them. I've consistently tracked and planned stuff in my bullet journals for half a decade and I have been more consistent than with any other system, because on top of being functional, I enjoy it. I enjoy looking at it, I enjoy making the pages, I enjoy filling it in, I enjoy the doodles and the lettering and the scrapbooking and the painting and it makes it a lot more functional for me, personally, than having a bare-bones function only planner. And in the times where I've been stressed with a lot going on, those have been times I use my bullet journal more. Going all out on spreads doesn't put pressure on me to go all out with every speed. I have spreads that are nothing but bare functional lists and checkboxes. But overall, if I enjoy my planning system, I use it more, I use it more reliably, and I use it more consistently, which makes it more functional, not less.
I see a lot of comments saying that making your bullet journal pretty isn't bad; let me yes, and that. I do it the other way around. My sketchbook also serves as my bujo. This is EXTREMELY helpful because I skip pages with sketches and art pieces I'm proud of and repurpose sketch pages that aren't particularly good, or that I used just to test swatches or do practice strokes or gestures drawings. Sometimes I completely remake an old sketch into something entirely different with new materials after I've bujo-ified the page. I am also a stationary JUNKIE and it's a great way to use a lot of my washi tapes, stickers, sticky notes and ephemera. This also serves an incredibly important value of mine, which is to actually USE all the different notebooks and sketchbooks I've only partially filled because I was just testing them or not happy sticking with them or felt limited by them. Whenever I combine the two, I have a reason to fully utilize a whole sketchbook. This has been my first year doing this and I've finally, for the first time in my life, completely filled a sketchbook where I love just about every page and I'm planning out another for next year, which I imagine will be filled up before the year is out----which never happened with my old Bujos that I used to switch out for some new fun notebook with different/better paper or whatnot. It's not a junk journal. It's not a smash journal. It's not a travel journal. it's not a bujo either. It's my sketchbook bujo and it's taken me five years to realize the minmaxing of a bujo is just not for me, so I've developed a system that works for me. I imagine a lot of bujo creatives absolutely feel the same love while decorating their bujos. :)
I remember the first time I got into bullet journaling and while I did a lot of pretty spreads it immediately worked for me but after I finished the first (and school for that matter and went straight to university) I had a bit of a bullet journaling crisis. I didn't have much time anymore to create spreads and tbh I had pretty bad friends who even looked in my journal where I wrote personal stuff too. Since then I was pretty afraid to take it with me. I just recently decided to go back to the basics and I've watched the "original" bullet journal video again. I keep the journaling part and the planning part separated now but I still kept the habit tracker and sometimes time tracker in my bujo. One big mistake I made in the past was that I set up all the pages for a months in advance and taking away the flexibility that way. Also for anyone who might read this that has the feeling that gratitude journaling just doesn't work for them: It helped me a lot to write a little paragraph why I'm grateful for that certain thing. I often see people writing gratitude with just a few words but for me that never worked because I didn't feel grateful until I actually thought about why I'm grateful for that thing. Maybe that could help you too! On a side note: That's a pretty professional video for a channel this small and it was very interesting. Great video and keep up the good work :)!
Wow, thanks for this super insightful comment! I'm very grateful you watched the whole thing. Love the gratitude practice you're talking about. I always do that 'in my head' when I'm writing a thing down, but for those just getting started that's an awesome idea. Happy to have you on the team ;)
I feel for ya. I had anxiety when I read what your friends did. My mother read mine as a teen. And didn’t hide it. She wrote back. She also did it again when I was 24!! Anyways. I’m sorry you were betrayed like that. That never should have happened. And quitting journaling was just a human reaction. Don’t ever feel bad for shutting down 💜💜
Hi Yatshie and Lola. Sorry to hear that your journals have been peeked at 😢...... maybe you might like to try creating some codes which only you yourself could understand. That way, you could enjoy the benefits of journaling without much fear of anyone violating your privacy , and also engage in a sense of mystery when you re-read it later in life where somehow you'll have to make a guess of your own notes. 😂
@@4061earthabcdesong haha. I like how you’ve made this into something fun. For sure we’d have to guess at what the heck were saying. We’re we drunk ? We’re we pretending to be posh? 😂😂
@@Violett_Ginnyour mom sounds awesome ... moms ❤️
it is exactly the video I was looking for! thank you a lot for being clear and concise. especially for showing examples of how you actually write it down. I found out about bullet journaling years ago but never actually got to do it (probably fancy videos set my expectations too high) very grateful for you bringing it down to earth.
Happy it helped. Lowering the bar is a great tactic for whenever you’re not feeling ready or good enough for something.
The old scrapbooking community has faded away and scrapbooking is now seen as old fashioned. The scrapbook energy lives on, though, and has spread into the planner community now. It’s kind of it’s own thing, separate from pure productivity/planning.
Actually, I discovered "scrapbooking" through my attempts at planning. My friend is an OG scrapbooker and has over a decade of memories in these neat books going back to high school. They are pretty awesome, but not quite my thing. Now, filling in things I did in a planner and "memory keeping", that clicks for me. I still don't have the same level of detail or frequency of events recorded as she does, but if I'm going to record at all, its going to be in a planner.
Scrapbook was useful, it build a record of memories. this is useless, people acting busy rather than being busy
@@yossarincatch6051 ??? Making a pretty scrapbook page is very similar to someone making pretty planner pages. I see a lot of people doing Baby/travel planners/journals. They put pictures/details/itinerary/packing/etc. Sounds like youre gatekeeping because you arent a creative person. Thats okay. Let other people be creative.
make it just pretty enough to keep you motivated and to draw your eyes around the page. no more, no less - adjust it to you. this keeps you at the right level of decoration to keep the system functional and useful, everyone from list and a line to full creative outlet
I use my bullet journal (for me more planner than journal) in a similar way, but at the beginning of every week (I set that up usually on a Sunday) I write down a simple list of tasks that I want to do the next week. Just a simple to do list, with estimated time for each task, and an arrow on which day I plan to do it. I also have a list for the overarching projects and dates / appointments that I write as an even more simplified to do list at the beginning of the month. In the week list I make tasks, not goals or projects, but these broken down into easy tasks. The notebook that I use has two bookmarks, but I don't really like the fabric strings. I put them at the end so they don't get in my way and use sticky notes to mark the monthly and weekly overview and the day. The fancy bullet journaling rabbit hole was something I fell into, and sometimes I do 5 minute pretty weekly setups when I feel like it, but only then. There is nothing wrong with decorating it, but it doesn't work for me personally. For things like birthdays I have a list printed where all birthdays are listed separated in months (so I don't have to write them down every year new) with a few rows in each month to write in when I add a new one. For things that are not in the following week or the current month I also have a cheat sheet that I put into the little pocket of the notebook. I don't want to go through the planner every time I look for a birthday or other important dates that are not now or don't have to be started now. The small pocket at the end of the Leuchtturm notebook is ideal for keeping these separate sheets that I only use once every month to put into my monthly to do list. For me it is a pure productive / organisational tool. I journal in a separate small book that I keep at the end of the planner. In my mind it makes more sense to journal in a separate space and not in between my weekly to do pages. But the book is small enough so I can easily carry it around in the planner and not have a separate big notebook that I have to carry around with me.
I agree with this. The reason I failed to do bullet journaling is the consistency I wanted when decorating my journal. I spent time designing my spread and got tired when it came to making the schedules or important parts that I actually needed. I tried using a simple notebook to write all my tasks and accomplishments for the day and surprise, it worked for me. From then on, I've been focusing on the functionality of the journal that I need. I just decorate my bujo for fun during my free time and I don't overdo it. In fact, I bought stickers so I didn't have to do some letterings or banners and so on. The good thing about this is I discovered something about myself: simplicity works for me.
that's so nice to hear. Keep going:) For me the weekly and daily spreads didn't work. I was so stressed to keep up with the pretty stuff. But I already have a note book where I can write as messy as I want. I'm an artist so I wanted to use the bullet journal for my creative time and space. that's why I moved away from the daily thing and just did a pretty page with lots of space to write my thoughts down whenever I need to clear my head. I write down every quote or thought I want to keep and look back at. So that's my way to deal with that, I'm glad you did find your own:)
This video is so under appreciated!! Doable, resonable advice given in a short amount of time. Brilliant!
OMG YES. I needed this validation that I can be free from the pretty pressure. The actual writing/journaling part is missing from every planner video I watch because self-reflection is messy. So you see people switching their journals to buy a new one. But it’s the process that matters, not the planner! Thank you!
1 - don't make it preety 2 - write down your thoughts and your day 3 - be grateful 4- review monthly by asking 4 questions 1) what worked 2) what didn't worked 3) what lesson learned 4) how your habits go means habit tracker
Journaling has expanded beyond traditional notebooks and pens. There is now a greater demand for vibrant scrapbooking supplies such as washi tape, stamps, punches, and tombow markers. Nevertheless, the importance of using top-notch journals and fountain pens persists. Being a supporter of dot grid patterns, I truly relate to this passion.
Agreed! I didn't stick to the bullet journal the first time around, but what stuck with me was that minimalistic dotted grid. Perfect for organized chaos. Having recently fell into the neverending pit of fountain pens, my creative mind is screaming for a round 2.
Thank you very much to bring everything back to simplicity , it's a kind of decluttering what you are doing
So many different types of journals these days! I don't really do bullet journaling, per se, because it seems counter productive to me. As you laid out, it can be more if a distraction to try to have pretty layouts for the purpose of organizing your day, week, month, etc. I have a planner for planning life, keeping track of appointments, deadlines at work, etc, and a notebook that I suppose could be considered a "bullet journal" minus the journaling. It's my detailed to-do list for myself and my team, on a daily basis, to accomplish and track goals throughout the day and week, and I make sure I keep space for taking notes throughout the day, from phone conversations, meetings, etc. My actual journal is much more of a private diary to write down my thoughts, feelings, happenings in my life, etc. It stays at home, because well... it's personal. I carry a small notebook in my purse for jotting down quick notes when I'm on the go, if I need to remember something I'll forget later, if it's not written down, but again that one is more personal in nature as it really just pertains to my personal life... not necessarily private. To me, bullet journaling seemed kind of neat at first, and I life the idea of it, but it's really just overrated, and not something I find works for me the same way it apparently does for others.
This is definitely a good starting point for people who get their first graph lined or bullet page journal and I wish I figured this out on my own 2 years ago. When I attempted to bullet journal , I pretty much gave up as soon as I started because I couldn't find a format that worked for me. I felt that I wasted a journal or two attempting to draw out something I could use, but would quickly throw it across the room because it wasn't neat or pretty. I understand that a majority of bujo doers out there use it as a creative outlet. I already deal with clutter and mess and all the supplies I thought I needed or design ideas I thought I wanted to try out just didn't work for me personally. It's both good and bad that users want to share their design ideas but I think it also oversaturated social media with what a "perfect" spread could look like. It would benefit some people like me to have brainstorming or examples of starting displayed as well.
Nobody talks about how much the supplies for those pretty spreads costs. Mines functional but I do use highlighters, color coding pens, & doodles to jazz it up. Occasionally a sprinkling of washi tape & stickers. Just using what I already had on hand up. That’s just for initial set up. For actually using it. I only use a basic black pen. I just started getting back into it. And my Word. It is driving me nuts. I was looking for inspiration & dang near everything is “planner style”. I have a planner. This is my *journal*. It’s really hard to find just journal spreads. Let alone ones that are simple & functional. 😒
It depends on what season you are in. I enjoy making mine pretty, it's an artistic outlet for me. There are some months I do VERY minimal spreads. I think where people get caught is comparing to other people's bujos. Comparing can be toxic in life generally speaking. I don't journal in mine because I don't want to. I do a gratitude log, it's (yes, very corny...but true) life changing.
This video is so good and so necessary!! Great insights and ideas (and I gotta say that the video itself is pretty dope also, great editing!). It certainly helped a lot!! Thanks a million!
Maybe instead of setting out to make a pretty spread from the beginning you should focus on making something functional, and then after you've moved onto a new spread, if you so desire, go back to the old spread and use the free space to do something artsy, preferably in a contrasting color so you can still easily read the stuff you journaled. This would also be a good use for any stickers or washi tape you wanna use up. The key thing is lowering the barrier to using the journal while prioritizing its intended purpose without stifling creativity entirely. I don't currently use a bullet journal, but I do use a Kokuyo Jibun Techo, and I've noticed that adhering to its very rigid, specific layout is making it harder for me to use it, so on that note you don't really want to have grand plans for your journal layout anyway, since later within the same spread you may want to switch things up; it's better to go in and pretty it up afterwards once all the work has been done in whatever way made sense at the time.
I think it can be confusing because 'bullet journaling' has morphed into something more complex than the OG bullet journals. If you're just starting out and interested in the productivity aspect more, then definitely go OG Ryder Caroll style. Bullet journals don't HAVE to be complex & artistic. If you're a creative at heart who wants to be more productive, then keep it simple until you nail down the core principles, then try adding fancier elements if you want. But if you find yourself getting worn out from all the fancy setups, scale it back. Ultimately, it should be what works for you, and Ryder Caroll's process is just a guide - a starting point - and a great one at that. I do both, but if I'm extra busy and short on time, my layouts get simplified. I often plan the time to do artistic setups and break it down like I would a goal. And sometimes I say eff it and go simple because I feel like it. Just find what works for you, and don't focus on what others think you 'should' be doing, but on what YOU should be doing to accomplish your goals. Easy peasy. 😊
Adjust it to your needs; you don’t have to follow any one else. I use mine with a weekly spread and a few extra sections: yearly plan/monthly sections with space to write upcoming commitments. I have a page with journaling entries, but never beat myself up if I don’t do it. I use pages for lists/personal projects randomly as things come up. If I could figure out how to post a picture I would! It includes 9 vertical rectangles (m-f plus this week and next week). I graph my sleep hours. With the 2 spare slots I (at the moment) have one for sewing projects and one area for work tasks. I use a circle for personal and a square for work tasks. I keep an eye on my ‘this week’ list and slot things in and adjust as I go. Works great for me. I also do gratitude, either on the main page or in notes section. I don’t beat myself up about any of it! It is a visual plan of my week and I love that! Appointments have alarms in my phone as well when important. Done!
I loved doing the pretty journal spreads for a long time, but I’m an artist so it was my little daily art journal or I’d paint a theme for the month or something. Then after I graduated high school there was way less time for that so I made it simple and the promptly lost all passion for it, and just had a regular planner. I think it for some people the decorating is the fun part! I rekindled my love for Bujo recently but I went with a digital app called Paper and I can use images and stickers from all over as well my drawings, so yk, people just gotta find their own way to make journaling fun and not just practical.
Great summary of what to not get off track on, if using your journaling to identify issues, improve productivity and stop bad habits to overall improve yourself and your self awareness; as your goal. Then these issues can derail your efforts . I had noted these issues as well-and it too took me a few years as well. I suppose it is because we watch others and emulate the artistic beauty they show- instead of keeping to the goal we wanted from our journaling. Then we wonder why it seems to consumes more of our time and productivity, without actually doing what we wanted it to. This succinctly summarized the pitfalls well. Appreciate it.
Excellent video! This is the best I have seen on the bullet JOURNAL. Thank you.
I was amused to see that your primary reference point for appointments remains the calendar app on your phone. This makes sense to me as it's efficient and quick. What you are descibing really is simply keeping a diary and making notes of things that interest you or you want to remember. nothing revolutionary really, Charles Darwin was good at it and his simple diaries stood the test of time. People waste too much time on this stuff instead of just getting thisngs done. I was like that at school at exam time, I spent ages producing revision timetables and the time would have been better spent revising 🤣
Thank you! This is great insight. I was trying to set up a BuJo and getting frustrated. This is so helpful!
I've tried bullet journaling in its simplest form for almost four years. I love the reflection and journaling part. However, most of the time, I couldn't or didn't figure out how to actually go back and recollect the "golden nuggets." So, I skipped that step for four years. Oddly enough, now I believe I have a massive, overwhelming journal that intimidates me when I try to go back through it. As a result, I feel like it was useless. I just couldnt digest what I wrote, so I stop doing it. Does anyone else relate?
I really like your idea for highlighting the day. I’m going to try that for my own BuJo and see how it like it.
To each their own, everyone has their own way of doing things. Journaling is self-expression, there is no right or wrong way to do it.
I just looked back through my old bujo I had from 2 years ago because I wanted to start it again. I was proud of the pretty spreads. It was nice to look back on the art as well as the words. I think bullet journaling got overwhelming for me because I felt it was making me too busy and re-inforcing the idea that I had to feel productive to feel healthy. I do need a balance of structure and relaxing. What's cool is you can completely tailor it to yourself and even make plans to relax! I think I'm going to start it again with emphasis on the habits and journaling part. It really helped clear my mind at the end of the day. I think as humans, we are naturally competitive and get worked up on being the best and perfect. We become obsessed instead of gradually introducing a new thing. If we don't do it perfectly, we give up. That was the hardest thing about developing this particular habit. Anyway, maybe I should have journaled this stream of consciousness....😅
First video I've seen from you and I LOVE the vibes. Keep it going :)
Great to have you here :)
I've been doing bare bone bujo for about five years now. Still managed to pick new ideas from the clip. Thanks!
Wow! That’s incredible to hear! Glad I could be of help :) Cheers from Poland!
Make it simple is the most important thing
The title must contain "for me" at the end. Because I love bullet journaling, I can manage the notebook the way I want. That's the idea of BuJo, you can do wherever you want
Yeah, but that would reduce the clickbait impact. This guy didn't stop journaling. He needed a catchy title for his list of bujo "sins" that boil down to the bujo version of hike your own hike.
It's nice to hear your opinion on this. I love Bullet Journaling although I'm just doing it since 2023 started. However, in the beginning, I was so stressed to write everyday and to keep it pretty. I'm an artist and this is where I live. I found a place for all that creativity. I didn't need to write something down for every day, I just needed a space where I could write down so that my thoughts would get more clearly. So I cut the bullshit, I kept the designs pretty but I quit doing an "every day" or "weekly spread". That just didn't work for me. So: I love bullet journaling for everyone who struggles just like I did - you can cut all the bullshit you don't need and just do whatever the hell you want. :)
after "forgetting" to update my even quite simple bullet journal, I'm in a rut. But after listening to what u said about this made me realize it was simple but not simple enough to help me achieve my goal to be productive and mentally free. You showed me the pathways now ill walk on it. ThankYou!
I suffer with bad anxiety and fear I’m going to miss something. Although I also use my google calendar I find having an actual diary I can write things down in really helps. You do not have to make it this perfect work of art. Yes add colour if ya want but it doesn’t have to be a competition or a master piece that’s not the point of the system
Yup! I also use google calendar, it’s just more convenient for keeping track of appointments. The BuJo is home for my tasks, long-term planning and reflection. And I’d say: add as much colour as you want to, as long as you get stuff done ;)
I'm using my bujo for the 3rd year now and started with the artsy spreads, too. After half a year, I couldn't keep up with the pretty spreads anymore. The second year, I decided to just make the monthly cover pages pretty and sprinkle some art around if I had time and the urge to do so. Oftentimes I just wrote the month and glued in a pretty picture I liked. This year, I even reduced the cover spread to one page and the layout of the productivity pages has developed pretty basic and usable. I love to use stickers and washi tape to bring in more joy and colors into the bujo which is very quickly done. Colors and pretty things helps me stay motivated because I get bored by minimalistic pages very quickly. I think the biggest thing is sticking to the bujo and adapt it when it doesn't help you as much but becomes a chore. Leave out the things that don't help you or don't make you happy and evolve what works best for you.
Thank you for your video, I will start asap. I think this will help me to organize myself better
Thanks, this was the kind of information I was looking for.
as someone who's obsessed with keeping everything "aesthetic" this really spoke to me. I was planning to start bullet journalling and this helped! Thank you for making this!
The trick to Bullet Journaling is that it requires minimalism to be effective.
Really good summary 🎉 one of the best / clearest i’ve seen thank you.
This video is the best journaling tips for beginners! Thank you for this!❤
Comments like these really make my day! Thank you for this, too 🥰
I realised after i get up and do my stretches , going for walks does wonders, i come back refreshed and READY for EVERYTHING AMAZING-
This was an excellent reminder! I might strip mine down to the bones. One suggestion: You might try starting your day with gratitude. It can have a positive effect on your whole day. Also being grateful before any event of importance is a good habit. Amazing how gratitude can improve your health, emotions, and even brain wiring. Science is catching up with what the Haudenosaunee have known for years.
There’s a difference in a bujo (for productivity) or simply having an art journal. Different purpose but people keep messing that up.
Man this is a very solid filmmaking here! Great video, keep it up!
Thank you so much dude! This means the world. I’m really trying to become a better filmmaker, and I’ve been feeling a little stuck recently… So reading this makes my day :D Cheers!
Somehow you showed up on my feed and fell over laughing..a good thing. I had just watched a bujo and she had decorated it beautifully. I fell into the rabbit hole awhile back and quickly realized I don't have a life and decorating one sucks. Then I realized I just had a different way of doing things. Now it just has lists of paint supplies so I don't buy duplicates, people I watch on KZhead and the tutorials I've finished. I need to make a page for the quilt projects I'm working on and what kits I still have to complete. I need to make another page of all the miniature dollhouse kits I have to work on as well. I guess I do have a life, just not one that needs goals, daily habits, a calendar and mood trackers.
not bujo but my handwritten notes from studying. I like to have a small travel book with me to scribble my notes while im in class and when I get home, I transfer them into my main notebook where I know exactly what I need to write down and can plan accordingly. The presentation of my notes has immensely improved and I don't feel the need to make my scribble notes look pretty. As long as I get the information, I'm good :D
Lovely video I truly needed these tips Thank you so much 🌿
You admit that people make mistakes with bullet journalling - how does this equate to it NOT working?
These mistakes might be why bullet journaling doesn’t work for many people.
I finished my first full year last year literally just highlighting the dates each week and getting started. I’d add the month page every month with some “focus points” and a braindump section next to it and that’s it. I write birthdays and important dates at the beginning front. I allow myself to use pages behind the week pages for notes with no format, when I’m done doing that, I just start the new week. As someone with ocd, letting go of that structure was an amazing accomplishment for me to finish a whole year consistently - without worrying about how it looks - and I’m so proud of it.
Well done on letting function prevail over form :)
Excellent advice, especially about not getting trapped by making it pretty, or maybe perfect. Thank you!
Happy to know you found it helpful! Great to have you here :)
Great video! I agree with your take on pretty spreads. Simple is perfect!
Glad you liked it!!
Wow, I have been doing this for years & I didn't know it was a whole thing! But I did learn something here... How to make it more productive & helpful. However this is also a sketchbook/mixed media art book and book I use to take notes when studying all sorts of topics... It is also a personal research book into my parapsychology experiments, social experiments, thought experiments, meditation experiments health, experiments and anything else I may happen to dive into. It is definitely helpful to look back on. And also, in case it ever gets wet, use permanent markers, if it is truly very important then always use permanent markers so that it's safe from water... However, that does mean it won't be safe from alcohol and anything containing it like hairspray or also nail polish remover... So I guess this all really depends on the person and what they are surrounded by. And how clumsy they are. Anyway, thanks for making this video, Bartek. Dziękuję. Maliny są dobre. Ja mam nazwisko po słowa: Strój - Stroje - Stroju - Strojowi - Stroić - Stroiki - Strojeniu - i terz może po słowie: Nastroić - Nastrojów - Nastroje - Nastrojem ---- może zgadniesz moje nazwisko... Masz jakiś pomysł? Strojecki Anyway, have a good one, brother! 😊
Dude, yes. Thanks for this video. I was a little curious though... the video image and title indicated that this was a waste of time and that it didn't work, but it appears you quite liked it. Why the discrepancy?
I never realized how the "making it pretty" part was not allowing me to use my bujo the way I wanted to; I couldn't write notes on the sides cuz that's ugly, I couldn't just infodump to lessen my anxiety over forgetting cuz that's ugly, and in the end I just started using scraps of paper instead of my perfectly set up bujo. I tried to set my bujo in the most ugly, lazy way I could. And now I'm actually reaching out for it. Thank you so much for this video.
As someone who can't draw, I tried to find simple and easy ways to add some flair to my spreads to make them pretty without sacrificing too much time. I've landed on the pilot v7 color pack of pens, stencils for adding design flourishes and *some* ink stamps (very hard to find stuff that doesn't bleed unacceptably through the page). It's working pretty well, but I totally agree that some people spend too much time beautifying their journals.
My bullet journal is barebones and ugly as shit. I've got too much shit to do at work and not enough time for much else, that includes crazy spreads. I'm not allowed to take the journal / planner home so there's no chance really to do much other than just use it bare bones like the original creator does. It's so damn ugly LOL! It's working for me though, there's so much I would forget otherwise. I remember seeing bullet journals as a concept from the beginning and so it really surprised me to see over time how crazy people went with designing spreads. Even when I'm at home, making pretty spreads feels like showing off and a waste of time because I'm not going to look at it again once I'm done with it. Just getting into the nitty gritty is good enough for keeping me floating. Even your example of bullet journalling is more like regular journaling because it doesn't include the rapid logging until the day after. Bullet journals are meant to be to the point most of the time and finished ones are probably ugly. I'd love to see more finished examples from Ryder Caroll because I bet his are not super pretty. Or atleast not in the begining. :D I really enjoyed this video, thanks for sharing! Mine is so ugly but I'm glad in a way it just works and nobody else is looking at it really or cares at work. Just that I get stuff done, that's all that matters.
Excellent video man, good job!
Ryder Carroll’s original Bullet Journal Method has been an extremely powerful tool for me. Thank God I encountered it first, otherwise I might also have gotten lost down the rabbit hole of doodle pads masquerading as authentic BuJos.
Good for you! How’s the BuJo journey going for you so far?
@@bartekmalinowy, I’m about four years in and BuJo has helped unlock a better me. I sometimes describe its long term effects as having “re-wired” my brain, even when I’m not using it - oh, and I love how stopping and starting BuJo according to your needs is literally built into the system. I don’t fully understand the sorcery behind this system. I only know that it has worked wonders for me.
@@simransidhu3444 I feel a similar thing. It just makes sense. Helps me feel calmer somehow. And like I said, makes my time flow at the right pace. Don't really know why, but it does :P
Its a system that can used on blank paper, you can decorate it if you want but yall need to see it for what it is!
Super brilliant and helpful! I immediately picked up an old notebook and fell in love with bullet journaling, but the more I saw all these fancy/perfect layouts online, the more envious and inadequate I felt...totally defeated the purpose and it was hard to balance the joy of being creative without tipping into the perfectionism trap. Your advice is right on and so helpful! Side note, I initially clicked on this while researching how to overcome my planner guilt/overwhelm, but watched it immediately because your surname happens to be the Polish version of my maiden name, Malinouskas (original Lithuanian spelling Malinauskas). My father/family often used the spelling Malinowski over the years. I learned recently that "malin" means "raspberry" in Lithuanian. Apparently, our people had something to do with raspberries. And we may or may not be related! Cheers! ☺️
You're exactly right👍 Personally something I prefer to keep it simple and minimal but other times when I have enough time I try to make it a little fancy
Which pen were you using in this video?
i love writing and journaling simply about what happened in my day and my feelings but all of these pretty doodles and lettering make me really anxious about doing it. Thanks to remind us journaling is just about a pen and a notebook and that's all
Amazing video. Straight to the point. This is how I started my Bujo, too. However, you definitely brought some good ideas in to it! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing! Hope you’ll stick around for more :D
I've had a bullet journal for 9 years, but it's not sweet at all. it still works great. I was looking for novelties to make this situation more exciting, but I gave up.😂
love it. Clear, real life info. Very cool. Helpful
Hey! nice video ..what kind of pen are you using in the video?
Thank you, i didn't do journaling because i was put off by the high standards I have seen in videos. Your video gave me the courage to try it with my lower standards.
Honestly, I’ve been struggling to find pretty but minimal bullet journal. Now, I’ve made my own minimal journal for tasks and another creative one to document life. But eventually my life journal is looking more and more minimalistic. This meant, I was writing, reflecting and documenting more bec I do not spend so much energy on making spreads look pretty. I do not understand why bullet journal had to become a version of scrapbooks and creative journals.
muchas gracias por este video; estaba teniendo muchos problemas de ansiedad por no lograr que mi bullet estuviera perfecto y me ayudaste a recuperar el foco! 💡 💓
Gratitude IS in fact a major factor for happiness. Nice job.
I disagree with pretty (for me). I find a simple spread to be very pretty. When I bullet journal I use maybe one color, a black pen and maybe a ruler. Elaborate spreads don't work for me. I tried buying stamps to make my boxes or my calendar. .... Simple is more functional AND prettier for me.
I wish everyone could see this video, it was incredible.
Best video on bujo. I am totally new to this, and really wasn't seeing the point of doing it if it was going to make me waste time, decorating and making it beautiful. I agree, it has to be simple.
I can't do 'pretty' journaling, agenda, diary,.. I would never get anything done then. I just use a plain notebook where I note what i have to do, and sometimes thoughts or ideas. I consider myself quite creative but I rather spend my time doing creative projects (my own clothes, some painting,...) than making my journal pretty.
Great tips. I see the "making it pretty" is kind of a controversial point for some people in the comments but I totally agree with you. I better leave the pretty bujos to designers and illustrators who love that and can make some time to spend on that. If that works for them, it's cool but for all we who doesn't, just don't get disappointed, it's still a great tool for anyone.
So true! I look at these journals people create and I think, who has the time. I just write.
100% agree with you that pretty bullet journals are counter productive. I reached a point with mine where I'd spent so much time working on the spreads that I didn't even want to open the book again that week or month. They're peak productive procrastination.
Same here! and then i started procrastinating writing the important things down until the spread was finished, it was getting crazy! The solution to me was what's on the video actually, keeping it clean and simple :)
@@fiorellaannibali I came across videos on the Bullet Journal in early 2020 while we were on lock down. My hobby became buying everything I thought I needed to even begin to use my journal. Most of that stuff is now sitting in drawers - never used.
as a person who is both in agreement with your views on how fancy and tedious bullet journaling can get, and is also a bullet journal decorator herself. Simply because I love some sort of art, I am not crazy about it, and I intentionally do not overdo my spreads. I stick to what I like, I keep my weeklies my monthlies pretty much the same as u would see in a generic calendar, and not worry about the hassles of having it allll aesthetic, allll the damn time. I believe no one should look at these journals and think of it as a chore, we all ought to make intentional choices as to what works best for us. For me that is having a beautiful cover page, a functional monthly, habits tracker and day to day tasks. I throw in some quotes sometimes but lately that is not even close on my agenda. I do love the fact that you mentioned the "journalling" aspect of it. (I try to do that too, but not in longer sentences.) I will start incorporating reflections and reviewing how my month went as that is one thing that I know I should be doing but simply cannot be bothered to because it makes me quite uncomfortable.
What makes us uncomfortable is surprisingly often exactly what we should lean in. That’s what Chris Do told me when I asked him about the best habit he’s built over the years - leaning into your fears. I appreciate your comment, what works for some doesn’t work for others ;)
I am trying one where i can move pages around , add and reorganise as i iterate. Im mixing and matching lot of diff preprinted templates/tools and diary pages to test. I may have bitten off too much but i know that it doesnt have to be perfect
If it's a creative outlet, it works. But for me, I wanted to be creative elsewhere, and I just hated every mistake I made in my journal, so I ended up giving up bullet journaling exclusively within a year. I ended up merging a mish-mash of empty blank weekly planner sheets in an A5 binder, with some to do list sheets and project planner sheets, and that's been working pretty well for me. I've found if I repurpose areas of a weekly planner sheet that I find redundant or not useful into something else, I get enough bang for my buck and I can put my creativity into my projects.
Misleading title, lol! Thank you for sharing this, though. I think you are spot on. When it starts feeling like a chore or becomes a distraction from your projects and tasks, it doesn’t work. Fortunately I’ve found a lot of joy in the simplicity of my trackers/spreads/etc.
Happy to hear you found what works for you!
I view the journal as a tool, it isnt supposed to look beautifull or anything but it CAN be if i am motivated to decorate it etc. - Organize/creating structur first - being creative secound
I like your priorities :) Do you use any other type of methodology?