Bullet Journal Fail

At the end of September I wrote about how I was going to give Bullet Journaling a try, and in October I did. I bought a notebook, some washi tape, markers, and some pens and created some pages to keep track of things like blog posts, miles ran, expenditures, and just some other assorted goals. It wasn't beautiful, but I made an effort to write neatly and slap some color on the pages. In theory, bullet journaling was right up my organized, control-freak, goal-oriented, journaling alley.

Alas, I failed. There are a few reasons why:

1. Time: My plate is overflowing and this, while enjoyable, was something I simply didn't have time add. 

2. Heft: Bullet journaling requires supplies that take up space. I already feel like a bag lady going in and out of work between all the crap I have to transport, and I had planned on using a few minutes at lunch each day to update it. There's not much availbable time at hom

3. Other systems: I already regularly write notes on my phone, I am a dedicated paper-planner user, and I have my own personal journal for all of those "dear diary" moments. I also keep track of things like the books I've read or own here on the blog. Pinterest and saved Bloglovin' posts also manage things like recipes I've tried and things I want to make. I just don't need another system.

4. Expense: I can see this becoming sort of a pricy hobby if you're always picking up more pens or tape or stencils or whatever. I rather spent my money on makeup, coffee, and books.

5. Completionist Syndrom: I found myself getting behind and forgetting what I did or didn't do (like how many miles I ran, for example), and it bothered me the record of my month wasn't complete. 

So, for me, bullet journaling is a no-go, at least for where I am at right now. Maybe it's something that I would be more successful at during the summer when I have more flexibility and time to play around with more creative sorts of projects. I am still glad I tried it, and I do still think the whole concept is really awesome and can see how it's a lifesaver for a lot of people. I am also glad that I've officially decided to quit and don't have the self-induced obligation persisting. 

Bullet Journaling

I really, really like lists. And notebooks. And goals. And stationary supplies. And having hobbies. 

So, obviously, bullet journaling is probably for me. Well, at least... maybe? I think?

So, you ask, what is bullet journaling? Or maybe you know and I'm the last person around to figure it out. It's quite possible. 

I'm not really sure, actually. But from what I can gather, it's for people that like lists, notebooks, making goals, buying stationary supplies, and subjecting themselves to new hobbies. 

I also gather that is requires some creativity and possible artistic talent, which might be a problem, because I don't have a lot of that going on when it comes to visuals. I'm ignoring that project-terminating threat for now. 

I first heard of bullet journaling months ago and sort of added it my list if "figure out what this is later" list, but didn't get around to it in a timely fashion. The video I watched of it on the actual website confused me and I left it at that. But, then more and more bloggers I read started singing the praises of this mysterious bullet journaling, so I did what any other thirty-something-year-old woman would do: I searched it on Pinterest. 

So, from what I can gather, bullet journaling is basically the pretty way to get your shit together, whatever you consider your shit to be. Some people make it their end-all-be-all one-stop-shop organizational hub. It's every appointment, every grocery list, every fitness goal, and every last sock they plan on packing for their trip to Montreal. For some, it's more about inspiration and self-improvement. 

For me, I have no plans of abandoning my physical daily planner that I live and die by, nor my personal journal that I say mean things about people in or my to-do list pads. But instead I want to stop leaving this horribly unorganized trail of iPhone notes, piles of Post-Its, and brain clutter in my wake. I want a centralized location to plan projects, better map out blog posts, work on ideas for novels I may get around to writing one day, and whatever else my little heart desires. 

What I don't want this to be is something that takes up more time, frustrates me, or becomes a chore. I don't want to become a glorified doodle-pad or for the look of the bullet journal to become more important than the content, which I think some of the examples I've seen have had trouble with. 

I plan to organize it by month right now, which is perfect, since October is near. So, armed with the notebook itself, some fancy pens, and washi tape, I will go forth and bullet journal. We'll see how it goes!