Bullet Journal

I am not sure if you have heard of the Bullet Journal or not but I somehow tripped over it on Facebook.  I think someone posted it and I checked it out.  I like the idea and decided to try it. 

Here is the link to the website, Bullet Journal and a little video to watch how it is done. 

The reason why I wanted to try it was because I didn't feel I was using my free time, when the kids are in school to the best.  I wanted to accomplish more and see that I was accomplishing things.  I know my one big down fall is Facebook.  I see too many shiny objects and follow them.  I still have to work on that and I have deleted a few things I was following because they were too big of a distractions.  

I have been using the Bullet Journal since the end of august and quickly found some things I needed for it to work better for me.  

So here are some pictures to help you see what I have been using. 

I found this pretty notebook at Staples, I forget what it cost but it was under $10.00.  It also has a lot of pages.  I could fit it in the purse I was using at the time but I got a smaller purse for Christmas so it doesn't fit in my purse any more.  But it is easy to carry around.  Some people use Moleskin notebooks, the thin ones.  Personal choice and yes there are a ton of pictures 

and ideas on Pinterest. 

My inside cover, I wanted to mark some of my pages so they would be quick to find, and I am using my Washi tape for this.  It makes it quick to turn to the page I want.  Especially the Daily Task page, since I go there every day.  The above is one of my ideas.

This was think I was impressed with right away.  I have always wished I had an index to my journals but the idea of going back and indexing them is a nightmare.  But with this index you write it as you are living your life. 

This is one of my pages from my first week of using the journal.  I had a hard time keeping the day on one page and I was rewriting very day some of the things I wanted to do everyday, and that became a drag real fast.   I did find this fun set of pens in fun colors that I use with no rhyme or reason, just a color to match my mood.  I do rotate between all eight colors.  For December I used only red and green and I was very sick of red and green.

So for September my first full month of using the Bullet Journal I made a daily task list.  I tally how much water I drink here.  If I exercised or how many steps I took.  I check off if I study my scriptures.  Something I enjoy doing but don't always make time every day for it.  This has helped.  I also write a SI or Scriptural Insight to my scripture reading each day.  This has really helped me to pay closer attention to what I am readying, especially since I am reading the Old Testament.  Something like sewing, genealogy or scrapbooking, I am to choose from one of this things to do on a day, not all three of them.  My way of seeing that I do something I enjoy each day.

Just so you know I am not perfect and I missed doing this for a full two weeks.  Let me tell you I forgot to do things I needed to do for callings, or home.  

The left hand side is my list of long term projects like clean out and reorganize all the drawers.  I am doing Declutter 365 this year so I have already checked off the kitchen drawers!!

The right side is my weight chart.  I was making progress there until Thanksgiving came and I got sick and I stopped exercising and I was eating whatever.  I only gained 4 pounds, so no bad but a step backwards.  I am getting on track again!!

This is another change I made.  I didn't want to keep going back to my calender to see who had birthdays or what, so I made two pages with the months blocked off and special dates noted inside the box.  I am not much of an artist but I did a little drawing just to dress up the page.  

Another change I made was a page called the Week Of and it would start on Sunday and list the things I need to do that week that are different from other weeks.  Like get ready for a quilting class or if the girls have something special going on.  Plus the things I want to do weekly like Index on Family Search.  

The page on the left is a calendar page, what, where, we have to be on a given day.  The page on the right are the monthly tasks.  As things come up I can add to this page.  I am busy!! My Daily Checklist comes after these pages, as you can see by the tape on the top edge.

I don't usually decorate my pages but I did this page since it was the New Year.  I do save my ticket stubs and tape them in.  The bottom half of the page I use to write my SI or Scriptural Insight and my TM or Tender Mercy.  I write what some little thing that was a small or big blessing to myself or the family.  It has really helped me see the Lord's blessing our life.  

I also write other happenings of the day.  Sort of like a journal but not with a ton of space open to give you writers block.  :-) 

This might not be for everyone but I found this system works for me.  I am happier using this then some other calenders or planners I have used.  I have seen some out there that gals must spend hours doing and dressing up.  I don't have time for that.  I review what I finished at night and check it during the day to be sure I am not forgetting something.  I review it in the morning for that day.

It has helped me to accomplish more and feel like I am doing something.  I still have to watch out for my time wasters.  I am going to start using a timer to limit my time.    

Here is to a productive New Year.