Personal organizers

[Rasputin]

What, if any, personal organizers do you use? Filofax? Franklin? Daytimer? How do you use them? Goal-setting? Etc.

[Gone_Hiking]

After attempting to go paperless with Google Tasks and Outlook Tasks, I decided to go back to Daytimer.  The calendar has space for goal setting and notes.  Two pages for to-dos are included at the beginning of each month, and two pages of note spaces are included at the end.  There is also a longer list of calendars, currently 2019, 2020, and 2021 in full-page format, and years 2022-2025 in half-page format, that are perfect IMHO for longer-term goal visualization.

[soccerluvof4]

Yea we go about as far as google calendar and thats the extent of it. Beyond that , paper and pencil for my old fashion lists to get done

[Peachtea]

Have you heard of bullet journaling? I’ve used this system for a little over a year and love it. There are lots of resources online on how to do it. Don’t get distracted by all the “cutesy” stuff and Pinterest worthy example pages, it’s actually a really effective method.

With bullet journaling you can use any notebook or journal you want, but there are ones you can buy that are more set up for it. I admit that I paid $20 for cute, compatible one but you can use a regular $1 notebook to see if you like it. The journals recommended come with a table of contents, page numbers, and dots/lines to make it easier; but you can make your own table of contents and number the pages of any notebook. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FWRVTMO/ref=twister_B07CQT8KC7?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

The reason bullet journaling is so awesome is because if you are a list person you now have one place for all your lists, plus your calendar. So I have a list of everyone’s bday, my reading list, my read list, my yearly calendar, monthly calendar, monthly to do list, daily to do list, workout log, investment plan, expense tracker, holiday lists and recipes, etc all in one place and it’s amazing. My work and home lists are all together, so I’m no longer bringing home post it notes from the office for my life list or vice versa. When I think of something it goes in the journal.

Essentially the basics are that you use the table of contents and page numbers so that anytime you have a new list you log it into the TOC to find quickly later. You have a few pages for a “future log” things you’ll need to enter in upcoming months: like wedding dates or vacation dates that are months out or things you need to remember to do 3 months from now. You create whatever random lists as you need them (birthday, book or show recs, specific project to do lists). Every month you create a calendar and monthly to do list, referring to your future log to see if there’s anything important to include. And after that each day you need a daily to do list you create it. There is a system of checks/arrows that indicate whether you completed something or moved it to another day/month. The benefit of this system is you never run out of space or waste pages. If you don’t have much going on in January, maybe you only use a couple pages. Then in February when you’re slammed at work, maybe you need 10 pages for all your daily lists. Since you make it as you go, it’s always the right amount of space. And you can “interrupt” your daily log with a new page/list (maybe grocery list or etc), because you just log that page # in the TOC so you can find it later.

My monthly calendar takes less than 5 min to set up, it’s just:
January 2019
X 1 Tu   New Years (off work)
   2 W    work conf 9-5pm
X 3 Th   Friend’s party 6:30 pm
   4 F     dentist 10 am (123 main st. Suite 100) Dr. dentist

The simpler you design your calendars and lists, the more likely you are to actually use it. For example, I used to have a full blown “habits chart” but it was too much of a pain to keep up. So now on my calendar, I just put an x on the margin for days I workout. I actually log it and can see how many times a week I workout. (Before I had more details, but didn’t regularly log it).

[RyanAtTanagra]

I use Trello with a GTD-style layout, and Google Calendar for scheduling tasks.  I make sure to set the calendar event to notify me ahead of time via email that it's coming up, with a lead time appropriate for the event, which could be 24 hours for something like a dentist appt, or 2 weeks for things like birthdays.  I really like this system as it's pretty simple, but powerful enough to handle anything I need to put in it.  If you're trying to get tasks organized I highly recommend Getting Things Done if you haven't read it, before you try to set up a system, as he talks about some larger themes that I feel are important.

[Moonwaves]

I did a Franklin-Covey course years ago in my first job and still incorporate aspects of what I learned there. I have a small Paperblanks calendar (one week per two-day spread and a pocket at the back that I can keep stamps in. It also comes with a small address book and this year I've repurposed that as my meal planner/for shopping lists). I also have a bigger notebook that I use as a bullet journal. Lists, lists and more lists. Notes from lectures or events I attend. Words I want to look up. Notes on what I've cooked and questions for my dietician. Spending diary. Agree with Peachtea about how great it is.

[Linea_Norway]

I use a GTD website/app called Doit.im for tasks, projects and goals. While working, I pay for the Pro version and use it at work, on phone and iPad. I think it works very easily.

DH and I use Wunderlist on our phones and iPads to share lists for shopping or packing. This app works on iPhone and Android. I guess Wunderlist could also be used for task/project/goal management, but I like Doit better.

I have recently started to use Evernote for pasting in notes that I want to keep for later use. I don't love Evernote, but it can take screenshots and put them in the notebook and is free. Earlier I tried to use Doit for it, but that is more suited for just finishing tasks.

[zee dot]

Another vote for bullet journaling
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/27/books/how-to-bullet-journal.html

Search instagram for #bujo or #bulletjournal for ideas

Don't get overwhelmed by the art component - I use it for the monthly planning and the collections.

I'm using a cheapo notebook and having done it for a month am THRILLED with the progress I've made on my habits and goal development.

[Johnez]

Another vote for bullet journaling
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/27/books/how-to-bullet-journal.html

Search instagram for #bujo or #bulletjournal for ideas

Don't get overwhelmed by the art component - I use it for the monthly planning and the collections.

I'm using a cheapo notebook and having done it for a month am THRILLED with the progress I've made on my habits and goal development.

The video in the article has changed my life.  Thanks for sharing it.

I actually checked out bullet journals years ago and thought the whole concept silly.  Some of people's "spreads" were insane in complexity and creativity.  Didn't think it was a good way to organize my life.

But the INDEX.  OMG.  Why didn't I think of that???  And the idea that I can just keep going and going, and screw it if a day takes 3 lines or a whole page.  Doesn't matter!  And the collections, holy crap.  Christmas list.  To do list.  Ideas.  Quotes.  School Assignment lists.  Habits.  EVERYTHING.  All indexed and damn I love this thing.  I use a $5 notebook and a cheap ball point, maybe I'll graduate to washi tape and 36 different color pages and a Leuchtterm1917 notebook and a fountain pen when I finish this one lol, probably not though since this thing doesn't require any of that to work.

[Rasputin]

Can one use the concepts of bullet journal while using, say, a Franklin Covey planner?

[Peachtea]

Doesn’t look like it would be compatible with Franklin Covey planner (from google images). Not enough space and too pre-broken down. It works best with a blank notebook. If you want a nice (looking) planner instead of a regular notebook, just get the Leuchtterm1917 for bullet journaling. It’s cheaper than the Franklin Covey planner. My favorite part of the Leuchtterm1917 is that it’s “lay flat” so you can write one handed without wrestling the pages down. It looks like I’ll get at least two years out of mine, so I’m okay with the $20 cost. My coworker is nearly done with 2 in one year. I’d probably try finding a cheaper notebook/journal if I burned through them that quickly.

[merula]

I'm also a big fan of bullet journalling; I've been at it for 2+ years.

I also do not do any of the artsy stuff; I just have two pages with a box for each month, a monthly summary and a daily log.

I have a major issue with the entire concept of an "index" at the front of a book. A list of what a book contains that's at the front isn't an index, it's a table of contents. Indices are by definition at the back.  So my index is at the back, which also means that I don't really have to guess how many pages it'll be. I just start at the very last page and work my way forward.

[BlueHouse]

I'm great at organizing and making lists and calendar entries, but I'm shit at opening the task list, organizer, calendar, etc.  So I constantly miss things, or don't do things and then end up with a massive list of to-dos.

I use google calendar a lot, and google tasks when i remember to look at them. 

I recently started using Todoist and I think this one may stick.  It seems good for people like me because it includes a daily email of things that are due TODAY and lets you reschedule things easily.  You can have multiple projects or categories or labels or tags to keep things organized.  There's also something called Karma that shows how many items that were scheduled actually get done, so that motivates me to get some things off my list.  I can also use it with Alexa, on my phone, or on my desktop.  I've only been using it a few weeks so far, but I've reviewed my tasks every day since I've started and made progress every day, so that's an improvement over everything else I've used so far.

[dashuk]

I use some of the ideas from bullet journalling, but in Orgzly on my android phone.

http://www.orgzly.com

Initially ended up with it because I wanted something non-cloud and where the underlying file was plain text, but it was only after a brief foray into paper bullet journalling that I figured out a good way of using it.

Bits I use from bullet journalling:

 - monthly log/calendar
 - daily log (but nested under the monthly log so I can fold/unfold the whole month)
 - future log (think about this thing in approximately this month)
 - the general ethos of just write it down quickly and get it out of your head until a sensible time to review and deal with it.

Things I gain from it not being a notebook:

 - Rightly or wrongly, I've always got my phone
 - I don't index. I can get to a month quickly by collapsing everything and scrolling. I file non-date collections under the day I started them, but just tag them 'collection' so I can find them all. Also use a few other tags like 'links' and 'spending'.
 - Has TODO/DONE states, so don't have to try and mentally parse things from multiple pages and decide what to do, just filter for all TODO. Ethos of bullet journal seems to be very much you don't rewrite your tasks, you just leave them where they are and 'reflect' by flicking through, but I can't deal with it, so would end up migrating stuff forwards every week or so.
 - I can create monthly logs in advance, so I can use it as my proper calendar. I just have them all nested under 'Future', which is also my future log, then move them up when the month arrives.
 - Because it's foldable, I can start from a nice bullet-journal-esque short note saying 'email X about Y', but if I'm sat on a train or whatever I can draft the actual thing right there under the task.

Nerdy/niche point:

 - Underlying file format is Emacs Org-mode. Laptop is Linux so when I want to really write stuff with a proper keyboard I can just plug my phone in, sync the file across, and work on it there in something that understands the file format and folds/unfolds the same way.


You could almost certainly do all this in something like Evernote, probably more prettily, but see initial point about simplicity and non-cloudness/control of my own data.

[Linea_Norway]

Shaking up this thread again, because I want to ask something about bullet journals.
Paging @Mmm_Donuts as well.

As mentioned above, I am currently using an electronic "getting things done" app which I can use on a computer, iPad and phone, which suits me today when I combine work and private life. The app though, currently works really shitty on my (relatively new) phone now, so the good argument for multiple devices has disappeared. And from January I won't be working anymore and will try to switch to an offline tool, as to live a simpler life and try something new. Also, writing something in a book at least won't give me frustrations if the tool doesn't work immediately, like when it requires entering a password or so.

I suppose this bullet journal thing requires that you bring your journal along if you travel? Because it is your only entry point. How does that work if you are on a hiking trip or a relaxing vacation? I suppose one doesn't plan to do tasks during such a trip. But should I during trips just bring along a thin booklet just in case something pops up in my head? Or should I just use a note program on my phone for all the moments a task pops up and I'm not home?

I suppose the bullet journals are something you keep afterwards as a log of what you did in a period? With the things to remember?

Also, what would be a good size, a full A4 size booklet or an A5 one? I am so used to having a really full agenda that I think a small one wouldn't be enough for a whole year. Edit: I picked a large notebook.

The other thing I do today in my GTD app, is that I can glue in links to websites and relevant info from other sides.
Currently I am using Evernote as well, as that works a bit better of saving pages in. So maybe that can be combined with a bullet journal?

Edit: I picked up a large size hardcover notebook (from work), which has page numbers, and started the bullet journal. I made the index, the monthly overview, a collection of trips we want to make during FIRE and a list of other things we would like to do that are not trips. I need to have a critical look at my current app to see which tasks I want to transfer. That is the part of the GTD method that I don't do quite enough, the removal of tasks from the "sometime" list.

[Travis]

I use a combination of Google calendar, Outlook Calendar, Todoist, digital sticky notes on Windows, and actual sticky notes.  Growing up I never got into planner books because I would either forget to write things down, or forget to go back into the book and read it again.  Thanks to digital planning tools that are right in my face, it's now easier to write things down.  I'll write down never-ending lists of thoughts on Windows Sticky Notes, but I still struggle with reading them again a couple weeks later.  I tell my staff that if they want me to remember something they better send me a calendar invite or it might as well not exist.

[Moonwaves]

I bring my notebook/bullet journal everywhere. An A5 size is good but at the moment I'm actually using a slightly smaller than that one that I got as a present. It has cartoon owls on it and makes me smile every time I see it so obviously that makes it easier to want to always have it around.

I wouldn't use something bigger than A5 because I know I wouldn't want to carry it everywhere and it wouldn't fit in my handbag. I usually use a schoolbag/backpack but if I do use just a handbag, it's about A5 size so it has to fit in that. I would definitely have it with me when travelling though, as that is prime thinking time, which also means prime note-making time.
If I don't have a bag with me, I generally do have my phone and can make notes in that if I need to.

The thing with the bullet journal is that one notebook doesn't have to last for a full year. You fill it month by month. If you have no space left in September, you start a new one.

[merula]

My bullet journal is generally around A5 (though not usually exact because I'm in the US and A paper sizes are practically unknown here), but I don't carry it on vacation, more because I don't need everything rather than a size issue.

What I do have is a much smaller notebook (A7) that I fill with trip-specific info before I go. Itinerary, phone numbers, notes about travel plans, etc. I also set up a page for tracking my habits (which I would normally do in the big journal), and pages for tracking trip-related stuff (usually cash spending). When I get home, some of that stuff gets transferred back to the big journal (habits, mostly), but most stays in the travel one.

[Jim Fiction]

Wow, what a great thread. I am really enjoying reading everyone's unique approaches.

Personally, I messed around with bullet journaling several years back, using a cheap graphing notebook. I really like the concept but I found myself struggling to incorporate both work and personal into one journal, so I wound up ditching it. In hindsight perhaps it would have been better to keep two separate ones.

Right now I have a google excel file that I started earlier in the year which I effectively use as a planner. It is titled "Life Notes" and is strictly for personal use. In it I have a variety of tabs. The first is "Current Year Financial Goals". Pretty self explanatory - I set some goals for the year, and I routinely update the progress. Measurable goals that are on track are in black font, goals behind are in red, while completed goals are struckthrough and in green font.

The next tab is my to do list tab. The first column is dedicated to the current week followed by a series of columns for different categories. Anytime something comes up or I think of a task I add it to the appropriate category. At the beginning of each week I identify tasks I would like to complete during the week and pull them from their respective categories and link them into the current week column. Throughout the week I will add or move items. Also, as I complete an task, I strike them and at the beginning of the following week I remove them from the list and start the process over. Anything that wasn't completed in the week typically rolls over, unless I decide to de-prioritize it.

Those are the two most important tabs, what follows are an assortment of tabs of varying function, i.e. one dedicated to books or articles I would like to read, one dedicated to receipes, one misc where I write down random musings/ideas/lyrics/whatever, one dedicated to health & fitness, etc...

It's a constant work in progress and still pretty rudimentary and kinda messy, but its working relatively well for now. The original idea was to make it like a pseudo-bullet journal, but I haven't gone too far with the concept. I may revisit incorporating more of those elements as year end approaches and I begin working on my 2020 files. Part of me wants to go back to a physical journal, but with this as long as I have my phone  I always have it with me.

I also use google calendars pretty extensively as well. My wife and I have a synced calendar, which we can each update from our respective accounts. It works well for keeping track of appointments for DD, or when one or both of us have an event. We can access it from our phones or from any computer (so long as we log into our accounts). Originally we used a physical calendar that is on our fridge, but we found a digital calendar works far better for us, particularly after DD was born.

I still need to find something to use at work as I feel quite disorganized. I've fiddled with Microsoft OneNote sporadically over the past few years and I do like a lot of the functionality of it, but something still feels missing for me. Same thing with digital Sticky Notes. I might try something excel based.

[iris lily]

I use Calendar  on IPAD to record deadlines, events, and serious To Do tasks.

I use a piece of paoer and pen to make lists of things to complete in 1 or 2 days.

I love crossing things off list. So to feed that mindset, I will put small things on the to do list, do them and then cross them off. That only takes a second and it’s Enormously satistying.

 

[Jim Fiction]

I use Calendar  on IPAD to record deadlines, events, and serious To Do tasks.

I use a piece of paoer and pen to make lists of things to complete in 1 or 2 days.

I love crossing things off list. So to feed that mindset, I will put small things on the to do list, do them and then cross them off. That only takes a second and it’s Enormously satistying.

I'm with you on the crossing off. Super satisfying. Strikethroughs in excel isn't quite the same as the sound and feeling of the drag of the pen across the paper. :(

[use2betrix]

I had been debating between a SurfacePro and an iPad for a long time. This past spring our company changed our computers to OneNote, which allowed me to sync my entire desktop to my iPhone, for access to all information at any time. With that, I also bit the bullet on an iPad Pro (which work actually reimbursed me for).

For this longest time, I could never really understand the point of an iPad since it’s OS is basically the same as a phone.

Since getting the iPad, it has changed my work productivity to an entirely different level. I have actually been meaning to start a thread on that.

1. I can access my entire desktop through the OneDrive. I can make changes from my iPad that update to my desk top in real time.
2. I have data plan with it (unlimited data) so I have full connectivity anywhere, without needing to hotspot from a phone or Wi-Fi.

3. The biggest one, hands down, has been the use of Evernote. Every single week I have an action item list and also a meeting minutes list. I have checkboxes in my action item, and each new week i copy and past the action item list for the following week, removing items that are checked off. This makes me an absolute beast in terms of productivity in the workplace. The meeting minutes have saved my ass at later times and have paid for this iPad a million times over.

I also create master lists for other work items on projects. My project managers have been astounded by these things and how well it works. Not only that, but since I also have Evernote on my phone, if I think of something at any random time when I wouldn’t typically have a notebook, I do always have my phone and can immediately add things to the list.

[Cadman]

I've got a totally different approach for personal tasks. I've got an excel sheet that gets updated while I'm at work with the day's to-do's. At the end of the business day I write out the day's tasks on an index card and stick it in my pocket to do that night or weekend. Things I might need to grab on my way home (hardware store run or grocery list) end up on the back.

If I think of something after hours, I send it to myself from my phone and add it the spreadsheet the next day.

Items in the queue can be juggled or bumped depending on if I got them done the day before, if bigger plans come up, if weather prevents it, etc. Columns to the right have longer term goals (by month, and then by year) so they're always visible.

Tabs at the bottom can incorporate bigger project ideas that have lots of smaller components. Lists. Contacts. Etc.

Best of both worlds.

[Linea_Norway]

I use Calendar  on IPAD to record deadlines, events, and serious To Do tasks.

I use a piece of paoer and pen to make lists of things to complete in 1 or 2 days.

I love crossing things off list. So to feed that mindset, I will put small things on the to do list, do them and then cross them off. That only takes a second and it’s Enormously satistying.

I'm with you on the crossing off. Super satisfying. Strikethroughs in excel isn't quite the same as the sound and feeling of the drag of the pen across the paper. :(

I also love crossing off on paper or checking off in an app.

Most of the systems mentioned in this thread have these things in common:
- registering all sorts of tasks
- systemizing them
- crossing tasks off or moving them to another list
- reviewing remaining tasks to see if they have become irrelevant.

Some of the systems open for making lasting notes as well, which is something most todo lists don't support.

[Philociraptor]

Contacts app for birthdays and notes about people (if you add a person's birthday to their contact info then it'll show up on your calendar)
Calendar app for appointments
Google Drive for historical spending tracking, resumes, etc.
Wunderlist for to-do/tasks and ideas

[dang1]

my personal stuff: To Do List/Schedule/Reminders are on Google Calendar; I keep a Daily Log/Diary on Google Docs. Easily accessible on my Android phone, Chromebook, and work Windows desktop.

Work stuff are on Office365, also very accessible on my devices.

If I need to look up where I've been previously, I check it on my timeline in Google Maps

[zee dot]

I don't travel w my journal.
I email myself a note if needed.
I ditched the index after a few months.
Flipping through the book is a good way to revisit how I want to spend future efforts.
I do keep monthly sections but that's mostly for a daily gratitude log,  things I want to focus on that month and the daily habit tracker.  Once a month had passed I do not go back and look at the front sections (remember you are working through time from the front and through goals from the back). The one exception is that I'll pull over specific reminders if I didn't get to them that month.
I keep my bullet journal for personal goals and tasks only.  It's basically a physical manifestation of the some of the XLs outlined above.

It helps me focus on my goals so I can work on what matters, see reminders of something I wanted to work on. Photos below show a few of my pages tracking weight, grocery spending, and self care activities. The book one is for my goal of reading 52 books this year (there is a spine for 52 books). The bar cart page tracks bottles I've used and on the side how much I spent on booze/in bars by month. Another tracks use of my Instant Pot (reason being I had it for six months without using it).  One is for new recipes I've tried.  The sinking funds one is probably mislabeled since some items aren't really in that category but it helped me figure out how to save per month based on goal date.

[OtherJen]

I use a combo of basic bullet journaling (no sketches/designs) and Google Calendar.

For the journaling, I initially used an inexpensive small notebook. However, my mom recently bought me a Leuchtturm 1917 notebook as a gift, and I really like the paper quality, page size, and built-in index (and the fun bright-yellow cover). I started that notebook in August and expect to get at least a year out of it. At $20 per book, it's an easy Christmas or birthday gift idea when mom (or someone else) asks.

For me, the journal is great because I tend to retain info better when I write it down. Also, I'm a visual person so being able to check off a to-do list is really satisfying. Plus, I can use the same notebook to record notes from various meetings and list all of these in the index. The ability to find my notes easily has saved my ass on a few occasions.

I don't take the journal on vacation or on daily errands. That's the purpose of Google Calendar. If I need to input a reminder when I'm out, I can do that in the app on my phone. I can also record events that will appear on all my devices, give me alerts, and create an electronic record that I can use when updating the paper journal lists. I've also shared my personal calendar with husband and created another calendar of rehearsals and concerts that is shared among all of my fellow choir members.

I implemented this system last fall and have really seen improvements in productivity and organization.

[Linea_Norway]

I don't travel w my journal.
I email myself a note if needed.
I ditched the index after a few months.
Flipping through the book is a good way to revisit how I want to spend future efforts.
I do keep monthly sections but that's mostly for a daily gratitude log,  things I want to focus on that month and the daily habit tracker.  Once a month had passed I do not go back and look at the front sections (remember you are working through time from the front and through goals from the back). The one exception is that I'll pull over specific reminders if I didn't get to them that month.
I keep my bullet journal for personal goals and tasks only.  It's basically a physical manifestation of the some of the XLs outlined above.

It helps me focus on my goals so I can work on what matters, see reminders of something I wanted to work on. Photos below show a few of my pages tracking weight, grocery spending, and self care activities. The book one is for my goal of reading 52 books this year (there is a spine for 52 books). The bar cart page tracks bottles I've used and on the side how much I spent on booze/in bars by month. Another tracks use of my Instant Pot (reason being I had it for six months without using it).  One is for new recipes I've tried.  The sinking funds one is probably mislabeled since some items aren't really in that category but it helped me figure out how to save per month based on goal date.

Thanks so much for your pictures. I thought only bloggers made them look like that. But I see that it can be inspiring to make it look like that for everyone.
What I have prepared for January so far, are just normal lists with text (a bit like your wish list, but not as neat).
I might follow your idea about drawing a book shelf for my books to read. And an additional one, for my hobby: more mushroom species to learn.
I see now that the notebook I picked at work has very thin pages, where a marker goes right through. So I either need to switch notebook or just draw with a pen/pencil.

[zee dot]

99% of my pages are inspired by/stolen from bloggers.

Also, you can see I'm using a cheap notebook that the ink bleeds through so I'm only able to use one half of the spread.

If I keep this up I will buy a nice notebook for the next go-round.

It also took a while to build out the goal pages.  Some are easier than others--like you see something on instagram and immediately want to do it.  Shocking no one, there was no real template for a "sinking funds" bujo spread. ;)

[Linea_Norway]

As I mentioned earlier, I am currently using an app, called Doit.im. This morning however, I cannot open it on the iPAD or in a browser at work, because a certificate has expired and therefore the site is unsafe to open (and to send data to). WTF!!! At work, I cannot open it at all. I hope it will solve itself or I can still open it in read only at home. Because there is a LOT of stuff in there. Maybe even too much. Just everything I want to do. Luckily, I put the most important things for next year into the bullet journal already.

Therefore I am really seeing the point in converting to a paper tool. Just to get rid of this electronic shit. It works fine when it works. But if there are technical problems, like not launching on my phone, or not having a certificate, it is causing stress and annoyance and prevents me from using it.

I started my bullet journal for January over again, and this time in an A5 size booklet with thick paper quality. Also some old note book from work. Only, because of the thick paper, I am very sure it won't last a whole year. I have now entered my various lists in it, but that takes up almost half the booklet. Well, we'll see. At least, now it fits easily into my shoulder bag.

DH wondered yesterday how I was going to share tasks with him, like we do today in Wunderlist on our phones. But we can of course still use Wunderlist for shopping lists, packing lists and home task lists like we do now. We also have a paper calender at home in the kitchen, where I write down our private appointments. That system works very well too, so we can keep that.

[Imma]

I'm a big fan of bullet journaling too but my pages definitely don't look that fancy! Mine is A5 size and my spread for a regular week is two pages; on the left hand side I'll write down the days of the week and any appointments I have like in a regular planner, on the right hand side I divide the page in 4 boxes - a personal to do list, a work to do list and an educational to do list. I can cross them when I've finished and the ones I haven't finished transfer to the next week. Then there are long lists with financial goals, lists of books I want to read etc.

I also put small reminders in my work Outlook calendar - I work with sensitive personal data that I don't want to write down in something that I'll take out of the building. So my bullet journal may contain tasks like 'prepare for meeting X' or 'plan business trip to Y' while my work calendar contains things I only need to remember while actually at my desk.

I don't follow the bullet journaling 'method' completely - at the front there's a yearly calendar with plenty of blank space to write stuff down, and then there's the weekly spread. I really don't have time to make monthly logs and future logs. And for the long lists I started at the back.

My journal is in my work bag and I take it with me when I know I have to make an appointment (like the dentist or something). I don't take it with me on holidays as I don't need to plan stuff then and I have no to-do list. I'll just skip those weeks in my journal.

[Philociraptor]

For all your bullet journalers out there, what do you put in it? I tried it for the first half of the year, most months were just a single page with the dates and upcoming events, with a habit tracker running down the right hand side. So for the year so far I only used about 10 pages. I migrated my to-dos until I didn't have any left. Wasn't really getting anything out of it so I stopped using it last month. Never really journaled before though, so that may be part of it.

[Linea_Norway]

For all your bullet journalers out there, what do you put in it? I tried it for the first half of the year, most months were just a single page with the dates and upcoming events, with a habit tracker running down the right hand side. So for the year so far I only used about 10 pages. I migrated my to-dos until I didn't have any left. Wasn't really getting anything out of it so I stopped using it last month. Never really journaled before though, so that may be part of it.

As I am planning to use it from January, I am already starting the preparation. So far I have included:
- Index
- Future log with a category for every month, after 2020 and unplanned.
- Trips I want to make
- Other stuff I want to do
- Dishes I want to make, referring to evernote
- TED talks I want to watch
- A drawn bookshelf with books without title (like the example above), to be filled with read books
- New mushrooms I am identifying next year (empty pages), I plan to draw and name them.
- Where shall we live? With a small map of Norway where I can draw in possible places.
- Who to notify our new address?
- January monthly log.
- Three daily habit trackers for January: Meditate/yoga, cc skiing or some other sport, eating vegetarian dinner. Maybe I should add "alcohol free day".

[OtherJen]

For all your bullet journalers out there, what do you put in it? I tried it for the first half of the year, most months were just a single page with the dates and upcoming events, with a habit tracker running down the right hand side. So for the year so far I only used about 10 pages. I migrated my to-dos until I didn't have any left. Wasn't really getting anything out of it so I stopped using it last month. Never really journaled before though, so that may be part of it.

From this page (scroll down), I use the future log, monthly log, and daily log. I also create separate pages as needed for volunteer meeting notes and record these in the index so that I can find them later.

My future log is helpful because I can list out important dates and events a year in advance. This is helpful for things like dentist appointments which happen every 6 months, choir concerts scheduled several months in advance, or important birthdays. I leave plenty of room for each month and update the lists as needed.

The monthly log is great because it's an easy way to see all of my meetings/appointments in a list and ensure that I'm not overloading myself. I usually use the "Tasks" page for notes on a project that needs to happen during the month.

The daily logs are basic to-do lists. I don't worry about putting a certain number of days on each page or making a list for each day. When I do make a daily list, I put the day's meetings/appointments/birthdays/anniversaries at the top, then the tasks that must be done (usually work or time-sensitive volunteer tasks), and then any other tasks/chores. Anything that I want to remember to do goes on the list (e.g., today's list includes "wash sheets").

I don't make more permanent lists of things in mine because when I tried that, it was not helpful to me. Other people find it really helpful and get very creative with ideas. That's the beauty of the system; take what is useful to you and leave the rest.

[Scortius]

I just started myself and am really enjoying it. I've wanted a way to journal/track my daily activity, so most of my use is with the daily log. I keep a running list of daily todos (that seem to always get migrated), and I place a daily timeline for each workday. I use it to track where I spent my time to see if it lines up with how I charge and what my priorities are. It also lets me see how long I spend idle, which is a good motivation to stay on task. I think the main draw of the bullet journal is the daily task list so it would make sense that your journal would be mostly empty if you're not doing daily logs.

[Imma]

I use yearly and weekly logs - my week log is quite full but I like to see all my plans and todos for the week in one place. I have a chronic health issue and need to pace my activities and when I plan day-by-day I seem to forget the bigger picture. My yearly log has plenty of space to write stuff down so it's basically a yearly/monthly log in one. In my weekly logs I write down appointments and to-dos. For me the most important thing about this method is the ability to have to-do lists and regular planner things in one book - I used to write down to-do lists in a separate little book and I'd lose them or forget about them and it also doesn't work for to-dos that are in the future and not right now. I also track activities that bring me joy (after I started a thread about my life being an endless boring grind) and that has been an eye-opener. My day job is the most fun job I've ever had but I've never ticked the joy box after a day at work, but my side hustle always brings me joy.

I track my monthly net worth and my net worth goals, I track student loan buildup (grad school loan) and pay back (undergrad loan) and I track my side hustle income and expenses. I also start pages to keep track of DIY projects (timeline and costs) and of books I've read and want to read (reading gives me joy but I don't spend enough time doing it)  and pages to keep track of coursework and progress for my degree and work certifications. My next goal is to get my household and mealplanning under control so I'm currently thinking about the best ways to track those.

[mspym]

I have a small (a6?) diary this year that has a week on one side of a spread and lined paper on the other side which has proven to be actually slightly more organisation than I need. It has been good using the slip pocket at the back to hold my credit/debit cards but maybe next year I can improve and not even carry them around at all.

I think at the end of this year I'll go back to the notebook which has a couple of sections marked off by tabs I made from tape for books/movies/purchase lists as it is significantly smaller and doesn't end up with unused blank pages. We have a whole collection of unused tiny notebooks and I am trying to work my way through them.