I stumbled across the Bullet Journal system in January 2014 (which I wrote about here) and I tried it in a few notebooks over the course of the year (which worked for a couple of days but not more than a week) then I set it aside.
In October 2014, I started an experiment. I decided to try Bullet Journaling again, but instead of using a paper notebook, I created a notebook in my favorite app, Paper by 53. I realized that the paper-based system was not working for me for several reasons:
1. I am no longer in the habit of carrying a notebook with me everywhere I go, but I always have my iPad
2. Any planning system must be a joy to use, otherwise it becomes monotonous and dull, just another thing to do in a world where we all have too much to do. As a creative person, I need a creative planner... one that allows me enough flexibility and flow... one I can adapt as my needs change.Â
3. As I continue to study and immerse myself in drawing, sketch noting and visual thinking strategies, a tool that would allow me to combine my writing and drawing (when the mood strikes) would be ideal.
4. No printed paper planner fits all of my needs. Some are really great for task and commitment management, some have a more spiritual focus, some are great for values and goals planning, some are great for projects. I'm a whole person with a whole life, and I need a planner that covers all of the dimensions of my life, be they physical, mental, emotional, occupational, financial, or spiritual.
HOW MY PAPER BULLET JOURNAL EVOLVED
I started by creating my daily spread page. It was a simple blank page with black margins. I used it for a day or two, then realized that for bullet journaling, a lined page or gridded page would be more functional. I opted for a lined version of my original page.Â
One other thing happened in October which made this process much easier for me: 53 opened the doors to the Mix community, which made it possible for me to share my page templates and remix those of others. Some of the pages I've created for 2015 were possible because of the amazing grids that were shared in 2014 on Mix. I'll share more about that in another post.
Then I started playing with monthly spreads. I haven't created a spread that allows me to create the monthly Bullet Journal page in a way that is functional for me, but I'm thinking about other ways to include monthly and weekly spreads in my journal for the coming year.
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT IT
Paper is so true to the notebook metaphor, it feels like using a real notebook. The way the UI displays a partially opened book is one of the key features that makes this work for me. As you can see in a couple of the photos I've shared here, the page margin previews that you see in a partially opened notebook can be used to create a quick at-a-glance reference so you can easily find things. I use the following to help me quickly scan my notebooks:
1. Margin colors 2. Dates in the Margin for Daily Collections 3. Margin Titles for Master Tasks and Weekly Spreads 4. Page Numbers
The other killer feature is the ability to export my pages as pictures. I export them to Evernote which full-text scans my handwriting and makes it searchable. This makes it less necessary for me to create those Index pages and gives me a backup of my notebooks if anything catastrophic happens to my Paper notebooks. I am very grateful to the FiftyThree team for creating such a stable app... I have never lost data... I just wish there was a way to archive then re-import notebooks.
TRANSITIONING TO A NEW YEAR
One of the things that has been missing for me in the Bullet Journal system is a way to track the creation of habits or patterns. That is one of my focuses for the new year. I want to do more than just keep track of what I need to do... I want to consciously create specific patterns in my life that I feel will increase my productivity and wellness.
My current system includes (in order of photograph):
1. A cover page 2. A Bullet Journal Symbol and Index page 3. A Seinfeld Calendar Template 4. A monthly spread 5. A Master Tasks spread - I create one of these each month 6. Weekly Spreads (separated into work days and weekend days) that I will use for pattern planning 7. Use of Page Margins 8. Bullet Journal spreads (lined pages I use for the Bullet Journaling) 9. Notebooks for each Calendar Year (though this year I might create quarterly books... last year's Journal only covered three months and was easy to scan)
Paper is mostly considered to be an artist's tool, and I have seen many Paper Creators create amazing artwork with it. It is one of the tools I'm using myself as I learn to draw... But Paper can be used quite effectively as a planner. If you want to give it a try but don't have the patience to create your own page templates, I share mine on Mix.
To learn more about the bullet journal system, see:Â http://www.bulletjournal.com
To learn more about Seinfeld Calendars, see:Â http://jamesclear.com/stop-procrastinating-seinfeld-strategy
http://www.writersstore.com/dont-break-the-chain-jerry-seinfeld/
To follow me on Mix: https://mix.fiftythree.com/200794-Danya-D-Smith