The Best Planners That Work for my ADHD Brain
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- Опубліковано 14 лют 2022
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Planners can be hit or miss for a lot of ADHD brains, so I thought I'd share the best planners that work for my brain! Hopefully this helps you find some inspiration for a planner of your own!
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Things I used in "The Best Planners That Work for my ADHD Brain":
Lechtturm Notebook:
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FWR...
iBayam Journal Planner Pens:
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0772X...
Journal Stencil Set:
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09LYQ...
Aesthetic Monthly Stickers:
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07X27...
![Reacting to the Official Anti-Planner [ft. Dani Donovan]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/uzd_ENUNDjU/mqdefault.jpg)
![Reacting to the Official Anti-Planner [ft. Dani Donovan]](/img/tr.png)
![[柴犬ASMR]曼玉Manyu&小白Bai 毛发护理Spa asmr](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0TsXQ7z2Dh4/mqdefault.jpg)
Oh yes, I was just thinking of getting one of these! Unlabeled Weekly Journals (where you can write the day of the week at the top yourself, so you won't have to skip a page and get stressed out and discouraged if you miss a day) seem like they could be good too, for something more small and casual. Maybe I'll get both, and keep them for different things! Who knows? I too write a lot of things down since I don't have the best memory, but it's very hard to keep anything organized. I'm excited to try to plan my days out on paper, even if it'll be really difficult because I've never done it before. Good luck to anyone who's trying, too! You're doing great, keep going!
You should read my comment about Travelers Journals since you're a list maker too.
Recommend the Smart Planner Pro. Currently have the weekly undated, and it has really helped me stay on top of things.
I just use a regular journal, but I don't write dates down; they're mostly for keeping up with tasks and objectives, tbh.
I'm still using my 2019 journal with dates🤭😂. I use a plain white sticker to white out the old date and insert the new one. I have decided it is not worth it to throw away such good quality paper stock and binding. 🤣
@@politereminder6284 Ah, that's interesting.
Paper journals and planners… or as I call them “the stack of things in the corner of the closet that I was positive that I was going to use but never did but I kept on buying new ones because they were pretty and the prettier they are the more I was convinced that I’d use them but I never did because that’s how I roll”.
You've got yours in one place? Wow! I've got hundreds, dated and undated scattered in different places within piles all over my house, car, garage...
This is also me
Have you tried CGP Greys system?
Okay. This have just spoken my truth. I feel so seen. 🥺💚
@@RubenKelevra CGP, what is that? I am interested to hear all about it 😁
What always trips me up is that I'll start a system, use it regularly, and it makes life easier. Then my brain goes "Oh look, it solved the issue!" Then I stop, because I think it's "fixed/cured it" and I forget it's a tool that needs to be used consistently to keep working!
Same. I am getting back to carrying mine around again, but it’s hard to reastart from scratch.
or when you achieve some goals and complete some tasks and receive positive feedback, and then you panic, and start to make up for excuses and stop doing the tasks... like having fear for the success of sorts...
Good observation. I never thought about that but it might help me the next time I abandon my latest planner!
I love that my 8yr brother who has ADHD is the one who told me to come to your channel bc it rlly helps him and now it's our sibling thing we do at least once a week we will sit down and watch your videos.
This is so sweet!!! Omg 😭❤️
ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
This is the most wholesome thing ever 😭My brother and I are in our mid 20s, 800km apart and still hang out online to watch Avatar and Legend of Kora. Sibling things be such special things 💞
This is beyond sweet I can't 🤗❤
The fact that bullet journaling actually worked for me, after a lifetime of organization failure, actually contributed to realizing I have ADHD. Journals and planning have become essential supports for being functional with ADHD.
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I love how a video on planners in the middle of February instead of the begging of January makes perfect sense for us 😅
Haha
Nothing magical about January 1. Make today the day you start something new.
TOTAL SENSE!
right lmao i just ordered my 2022 planner yesterday!
Haha yes the times I forgot to buy a new calender in time😭😂
Perfection tip: binders make great planners.
If I use a bound journal I have this issue where if I mess one page up the whole thing is ruined. Using a binder has relieved that stress. Knowing I can take pages out and move things around has actually made it a lot easier for me to leave imperfect pages in.
Any kind of binder works, obviously, but if you want a planner sized one look for an A5.
I love my ring binder journal too! It's the best and takes so much pressure off x
While I have nothing against binders, shouldn't the goal be to reduce perfectionism rather than reinforcing it?
Jessica briefly talked about this in her video about why bujo is great and suggests intentionally screwing something up to remove the pressure. I found the intentional choice to do this (rather than it being a mistake) to be quite effective and now I love the imperfection of my bujo.
I will not go back to regular motebooks for my bullet journal. Binder is the only thing that works for me.
Yep! I do not even like using white out.
I prefer the discbound system to binders. I can move pages around or remove them but I can fold it around and flat like a spiral notebook. I don't personally like that I can't do that with a binder. 😊
My eyes got sweaty when you talked about having a reminder that your past self is real and that these are things you actually did🥲 that's exactly how I feel but didn't know how to put it in words. My memory is so bad got it sometimes like I don't even really know or remember the events that have helped make me me. Thanks for making that connection for me ☺️
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
Sweaty eyes 😂 I'm going to steal that one
Sweaty eyes lol, that is a great expression. I'm going to add that to my repertoire (and likely promptly forget it. Oh well, it's the thought that counts)
@@BinaryBlueBull exactly 😂 I actually forgot already until I saw your response! I'll hurry up and use it today before I forget again 🙃
The stencil idea is genius, an awesome way to bypass my perfectionism paralysis!
Have you gotten any journaling stencils somewhere?
@@brookssnozek4153 I recently found some nice ones on Etsy.
same here!!
Digital journals help me with perfectionism paralysis a lot too! Anything can be "fixed"
I really like it too! I love the stickers so much, I get so much anxiety about using them! 😅
One thing that really helped me in school was having a "semester on a page" calendar. Month s are so arbitrary and really mess up my sense of time. If it's March 28th, April 2nd still feels like a month away, even though it's only a few days. But if it's on a calendar that has January through May on one page I can SEE how soon it is.
@mandrake how do you fit everything on a page? Do you only add the most important dates (quizzes/exams/ projects’ due dates)? Thank you for the tip! I’d love to try that but having a hard time visualizing it as a valuable resource ;)
I use a bullet journal for day-to-day things, but I bought the digital version of the Hero's Journal last week because I have a specific goal I want to achieve.
The fact that the folks at Hero's Journal are making the digital version available to brains who might not be able to afford it otherwise makes my heart so happy that I'm sitting here crying on a Tuesday afternoon while looking at my phone.
The loneliness and guilt neurodiverse people can feel when tools that are "supposed" to work don't is something that I believe we as a community need to acknowledge and discuss more. But in the meantime, offering a lifeline that is literally about changing your narrative means everything.
ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
Personally I hated the bullet journal. I tried it because it seemed amazing being able to personally tailor it for me, but I quickly found out that having to design and then continually redraw the template I made was a HUGE barrier for me. I now use a combo of a planner with a monthly and weekly layout and sticky notes. Sticky notes have been such a huge help with reminding me. I seriously keep them everywhere (even in my car because if I don’t put a sticky note on my steering wheel that says “gas” then the next time I get in I will run out and end up on the side of the road)
So many things I never understood why I struggled so bad with, even after an official diagnosis... you really helped me realize I'm not just a lazy, unorganized person who has their priorities messed up and that there's a reason why I struggle every second of every day, with every single task and every aspect of my life. I didn't know sleep problems was an ADHD thing so thank you for that also. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you and these videos.
Welcome to the boat :) The best thing is realizing it; cliche' or not! Just you saying it, I'm sure is helpful. Myself, I am a school teacher, and you'd think I would have figured it out after so many years; I didn't.
I completely feel ya~ 🥺
ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
"my feelings are inconvenient so let me try not to have them"
this hit so hard right now. I've been really hiding from my feelings and avoiding journalling and letting myself think. I've been worried about if people are going to see or if I write things down or let myself think, that'll make things I don't want to be true, true.
what I write down is for me. what I write down is for me to see later. to give grace to my past self. to process things I wasn't able to fully comprehend at the time. to check in with myself and be fully honest with myself.
thanks for this 💚🧡 so much of what you said resonated with me and I needed a reminder that my feelings and boundaries are important and my space is just for me 🌻
I know you hear this a lot, but I want you to know that you and the community you’ve built here gave me the courage to discuss ADHD with my doctor and finally start treatment. I always appreciate your tips and insights and your support. That goes for everyone here.
(Edit because I seemingly cant spell)
Yay welcome fellow brain 🧠🙂❤️ Same. I was diagnosed as an adult just a few months ago after learning so much here. This channel and the online brain community have been lifesavers.
ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
LOL, because of 2 things. 1.) it is likely your ADHD brain that caused you to feel the need to edit. And 2.) because there's a typo in your edit, lol. In your disclaimer for your edit, you misspelled the word can't without the apostrophe, but everybody here understands that and is still loving and accepting! (And now I'm wondering if I misspelled the word "misspelled", haha.)
I used to be discouraged in doing journals because I could not always follow through with them, or I just like designing the pages until I get to May or June when I lose interest. Let alone write on them afterwards. But after your first video abt Bullet Journals, I have adapted that to fit what I want to see and it actually worked! Some days I still forget to write on it, but I've learned not to put myself down when that happens. I made Weekly plans instead of Daily, so even if I skipped a day w/o writing anything, I don't feel that bad. Also looking back on previous days is so rewarding and somehow motivates me to keep on working more productively. So, thank you. This channel has helped me tremendously.
Weekly plans also work so much better for me, than daily. Sometimes, if I already know I want/need to do certain tasks on certain days, I'll write the corresponding day-letter in front of the bullet (that also helps, keeps me accountable, especially with tasks I tend to put off).
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I have to admit that I was getting put off by the idea of making a journal by hand to physically draw out a routine *shivers*. “That could never be interesting to me, it sounds painful,” I thought.
Then you took out those templates and I remembered I have a 3D printer.
It doesn’t feel like a long-term thing, as usual, but damn do I wanna try making one of those journals with some home-made custom templates. God knows I have the stockpile of notebooks lying around for it.
The best journal/planner I've found is called "intentions and reflections" and only has 3 lines for your goals for that day. At first I thought that was crazy because I normally have at least 10 things on my to do list, however I normally only do half of them so being forced to choose the 3 most important and only do those has been so helpful, also I prefer the word 'goals' to 'do to'. Sometimes my goal is to relax and not to 'do' anything. It has a space to write "How will I make today enjoyable" so I'll either think of something fun to do or if I have a task that's urgent I'll think about how I can get motivated for it like listening to music or playing youtube in the background, maybe I'll make an extra tasty lunch. It has a space to record your mood in the morning and your mood in the evening, a box to write what you did well and 3 lines to write what you're grateful for that day.
Focusing on just 3 tasks a day, planning how to make them enjoyable, and then focusing on what went well has been amazing for me. It's also interesting to see how my mood changes throughout the day and to write 3 things I'm grateful for everyday.
It sounds like 5 minutes journal, isn't it?
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I have 3. Ah, yes, the ADHD overachiever... But seriously, one is a standard lined journal that I use sporadically when I start to notice extremes in my headspace (anxiety, depression, working through a specific problem by "talking" myself through it). The second is the 5 Minute Journal by Mel Robbins. It is one page that I fill out most days. It has a picture of a gas gage that you mark in regards to how you feel, then has specific questions for priorities for the day and why those are priorities for me. The other side of the page is blank space for schedule, brain dump, etc. I have 6 goals for 2022, and I write them on this side each day to remind me of what I am aiming for. I then break these annual goals into monthly goals and write February's goals under the 2022 goals. Finally I write down what I can do today in each goal category to move me forward. Takes me about 10 min to complete this entire page. Finally, I have my planner (or day timer as I call it) It has the month followed by weekly pages. I can look at the month or the current week at one time. I use this to plot my daily appointments, 4 main tasks for the day, self care habit tracker, and at the bottom, I leave space for success and challenge. Takes me another 5 min or so to fill out in the morning, and I cross things off during the day. At the end of the week I look back at my successes and challenges to see if there are any patterns that are consistently working or not in order to make adjustments. Yeah, I also have OCD, but this method has worked best for me to keep things (including myself) from falling through the cracks.
Great job finding a system that works for you! And thank you so much for sharing!! 😄🧡
Seconding The 5 Minute Journal. I use an app based version since I prefer digital notekeeping, and it's a great concept.
Thank you for sharing your system, I'm still trying to find systems that work for me but get stuck on what systems are out there haha
What are you using for your planner (day timer)? I find myself constantly fighting for one where my dislike for the layout doesn’t distract me into not using it.
Potential for confusion, these two things have similar names:
"The 5 Second Journal" is by Mel Robbins.
"The Five Minute Journal" is by Intelligent Change.
Recognizing how important the tactile aspect of journalling is to my sense of wellbeing was such a huge step for me. A social worker told me that she would write out a prescription for an agenda. Her way of telling me that my attempts to go paperless were sabotaging my health and my family life. I will always always have a paper agenda and journal. The journal can go days without anything being written. But it's my security blanket and ready when I need it.
When I listen to you talk, I feel like crying a little because you’re so kind to me and I have wanted this for so long. It’s like a thirst I didn’t know I had because I was just “surviving” and getting through my day/week, etc.
I LOVE the idea of having a “parts” check in daily! Totally borrowing that! Thank you for sharing!
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I've used a lot of planners over the years and, even though my priorities have shifted from daily listed/lined planners to more structured/reflective bullet journal style planners (good for designing and sketch note-taking), I think it helps to always keep the planner OPEN on a prominent place on your desk and table so you can fill in little details and update plans/tasks throughout the day.
You can get the best, most expensive planner out there but if you're not designing your area for it (and even the area around it with pencil, pens, markers for use) out in the open as a *constant* reminder, then you're just planning for your planner to collect dust and not ideas...
Great idea!💡 I know for me "out of sight, out of mind"😅 I'm going to implement that now. Thank you 💕
YUP this is exactly why planners never work for me, because I never remember to open them & read them 😂🤦🏻
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
100%. As an out of sight out of mind person (or in sight but stop seeing it after a while if it’s not being used), this is so true!
It's not a planner, but the Finch app has been keeping me engaged. There's a little pet you name who gives you encouragement. You do different writing exercise, soundscapes or breathing exercises to give the pet energy to explore, and it comes back to you with an item to chat about. Your choices shape its personality. Nice little therapeutic app with a lot of positivity!
Late comment-- I second Finch so much. Mine has changed my life (thank you, my little Birdy buddy Shuffle)
I'm so glad you did this video! I actually design and sell journals, planners, and spreadsheets, but I can never find anything that actually works for me. It's kind of embarrassing actually because I design them for others but struggle with it personally. Seeing the comments from the rest of the community saying the same thing makes me want to work harder at designing things that work with our brains instead of having to adjust to a particular system :). Thanks for being so open about your journaling - I need to do more as well!
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I’m currently searching for a planner that will work for me. If you’re comfortable, would you mind sharing your website (if you have one) with your planner stuff?
I'm also interested in trying your planners!
yes I'd love to know also!
Alisha, I have planner ideas for you! In the past year or two I've purchased probably 10 to 15 different productivity journals and planners and none of them seem to be right. So I put together a folder of ideas to create a planner that works for entrepreneurs and Marketers. And I also do digital marketing and copywriting, so we might possibly be able to collaborate/brainstorm together Island planner ideas and creations for people in our space professionally. I'll try to find your channel and message you. As my comment here is now five months after yours and I don't know if you are going to see it
"Making space for me "and "giving myself permission" resonates with me.
I really liked the bullet journal system bc it forced me to actively confront my perfectionism. I'm able to tolerate my mistakes now, and I don't feel bad about skipping some weeks, even if they're weeks I set up before. I used mine as a tool to actively combat the exact reasons why journaling is hard for me.
Oh wow! I love the idea of choosing someone to check in with everyday as part of my daily planning. I get hyper-focused on my own life and forget to check in with others. Thanks for sharing this!
I have journaled for over 20 years. There are gaps of a year here and there, but my journal doesn't get upset at me if I forget it for awhile... it waits and welcomes me whenever I have strong emotions or things to work out. It is only for me so it makes me free. I don't have to filter or edit, if I miss punctuation, or go on a separate diatribe on the edges, or write sloppy, or mis-spell... my journal is my friend that I never have to worry about the feelings or thoughts of!
Planners on the other hand.... make me feel judged😆
I’ve started bullet journaling several times. I know it’s the best version for me but I’ll do it every day for a week then I won’t remember I forgot about it for 4 months…working in that.
Honestly that's so relatable 🧡
Then, I take a page to write a note to myself. A little reminder that I can reset as many times as I need. Gently encouraging myself to never give up, and some seasons are hard. Sometimes half a year has gone by, but I was there and can reflect on it all in a page or two of basic updates.
I started using mine as a to-do list and let it just evolve on its own lol. Using it as a daily to-do list in the beginning really helped develop the habit of using it everyday.
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I'm a French teacher. I keep track of everything in a little notebook. The first pages are: my school schedule, my list of students with dyslexia and monthly calenders till June, where I can note birthdays and events. And after that, I work per day. I note all my lesson plans and colour-code them per grade. I also add after-school plans. Once per few weeks I make a longer-term to-do-list, just for an overview. When my notebook is full, I take a new one and start over. It isn't super efficient, but it's the system that I've used for more than 5 years. When the company stopped selling those specific notebooks, I bought all overstocks in the country so now I still have to use it for a decade or so 😉. Thanks for the video! I love bullet journals, but they only work for tracking my reading, not for my task management.
What? this is amazing! I am an elementary teacher and I feel like my planning is a mess! Therefore, my life is a mess. Do you have this in a regular notebook? How about home life? Any further insight would be appreciated! Thank you!! 😊💓
Last summer I decided to start journaling every day. I wanted to write something I would be able to look back at.
I started on a sailing trip, which was a good decision, because I had a lot to write about and was not in the old bad routines. I managed to continue, now I write for at least half an hour every day.
I sometimes describe a situation from today, a memory, a story or a poem. This freedom is important, because I always find something I want to write about.
Even when I was going through a very hard time, I managed to mostly keep going.
Updating my bullet journal every morning is something that I've had to keep in my morning routine because it doesn't take much to send me entirely off the rails. Also I need those stencils.
Right? Stencils are such a life saver. The link to the stencils is in the description if you'd like to order them or get an idea of what they look like up close! 😀But I'll drop the link to them here as well! www.amazon.com/dp/B09LYQCZP5/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
@@HowtoADHD trying the free version of the hero journal. looking foward to getting the actually one next month
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I still use a bare-bones bullet journal format I templated on your bullet journal video from who knows how many years ago. Daily tasks go on the right pages, weekly plan and any miscellaneous stuff goes on the left pages. I use whatever pen will fit into the spiral binding of an 80-sheet college-rule 1-subject 8x5" notebook. And that's it--anything more complex or pretty would probably put me off doing it at all.
I journal/diary using the Daylio app (mostly using speech-to-text) and then condense the entry into my five-year journal, which has a page for each day of the year (5 lines/day, so not a ton of space, which is good). I've been doing the five-year journal for probably ~25 years--nothing fancy, just composition books--and that was how I discovered seasonal variation in my ADHD.
I have used possibly every planner ever made from a Franklin Covey to a Bullet Journal. I have landed on the Hobonichi Cousin as my favorite and the one that is most useful for my ADHD brain. It has a monthly, weekly, and daily layout without being cumbersome in size. The layout is minimal and clean specifically in the daily layouts.
I am able to plan my weekly layout to have a visual layout so I can track time and appointments. Then on individual days, I can add appointments and to-do items, but this is what makes it amazing, I also journal on that daily page. Some people draw and even do watercolors in their Hobonichis. It's truly the only planner that for me is structured and functional AND allows me to work the way my brain needs me to.
Sorry for the book, I know I sound like an infomercial, but after a lifetime of feeling scattered and lost I finally feel like I have a planner that can be my anchor. There are a ton of videos about them on youtube if you have any interest in checking them out.
Thanks for the community!
Thank *you* for sharing! What works will be different for each individual and so it's always great to have other options that can be looked at and tried! 😊🧡
@@shelbycook1126 It's the best kept Japanese secret! I hope you love it!
I also love the Hobonichi Cousin, it’s perfection!
AmandaRachLee’s doodle planner!!! What keeps me consistent is the dopamine I get from pretty journals and tracking habits, but putting a lot of time and effort into making my own bullet journal that was aesthetically pleasing was not sustainable- the doodle planner is the perfect solution because it is basically a coloring book that leaves blank pages to make your own and if you don’t get around to actually color it, it is still functional unlike the bullet journal I was doing before, which I couldn’t use if I didn’t have the time to make the calendar for that month.
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I’ve never found a planner that has everything I needed, even bullet journaling bc I don’t have it in me to always have the energy to set it up every week or month. So I started designing my own inserts for a disc bound journal. It changes all the time, but that’s what I love about it. The inserts evolves with me
This is what I do too! "Frankenplan" discbound planners, combining pages of multiple and adding custom inserts so the planner works for me
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
Just stumbling upon some of the How to ADD videos, do you have examples or have your discbound inserts anywhere to see? Always looking to help my brain!
1:40 This is so much issue. Thank you for suggesting a great work around. Set up in high energy excitement but the daily maintenance needs to be simple. Genius. Of a different point I made myself a chore wheel - it's a wheel of fortune with all house duties. It sits on my door and helps with finding ways to chunk jobs.
That's a fun idea, the chore wheel! I am gonna try!
That’s such a fun and helpful idea! 🙌
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
My Journaling in high-school was poetry. I lost the passion when I lost my baby girl. Thank you for helping me remember how important my poetry really important.
I’ve tried journals and planners in the past. They always haven’t worked due to the fact that I couldn’t sustain the daily maintenance, as often I would start them at the beginning of a school year/semester, put in due dates and forget after 2 weeks. I never even considered that I was hyperfocusing on them and putting aside time to do what I need to do
I got one called "The Best Journal Ever" from Amazon which is pretty basic and works well for the few things that I like to reflect on each day and has a simple habit tracker. Simple is VERY important for me. I can't have a bunch of junk I need to fill out every day. I love the stencil idea though--I might try that next. Instead of a bullet journal, I might try it just in a simple unlined sketchbook.
As much as I love paper journals and handwriting, the perfectionist in me just can’t. When I tried to bullet journal, setting up my weekly spread the way I wanted it to be (drawing boxes, not fancy decorating) took so long that I wouldn’t end up doing it, and therefore had no system. Also, The fact that things move around means that a digital system works much better for me that a physical one. I use Notion, because I’m able to customize it to me. I can set up almost anything I can think of, and add or drop parts as I feel like it. It has been so helpful! Almost every other system I tried to set up failed because I was butting my head against things that didn’t work the way I wanted them to.
I had the same issue, except that I didn't want digital either. I discovered (thanks to a ADHD group, actually, which was recommending a specific website often) that, first off, there are UNDATED!!! planners/calendars! And then I realized that there are also binders/organizers which makes it even better. So now I have a binder with three types of printed pages (weekly pages, daily pages, and dotted lines like in a bullet journal), and I just use the one that I need that day or for that purpose. Since it's printed out, I don't spend ages drawing the boxes/basic structure, but I have most of the flexbility bullet journal allows for.
I use the Big Happy Planner and have for a few years now! I've always used similar planners since college and it always helps! I also use Google calendar with my fellow ADHD husband and we link ours so we know when the other has appointments and such. My happy planner serves as a reminder system and a reward system with stickers and colors and fun doodles!
I've just started using an undated planner with a monthly/weekly spread, and so far it's really nice. I've been pretty low-energy lately, so setting up a journal or planner is kinda hard, and I forget it, especially since I've just started a traineeship, and I'm not entirely used to the amount of time and energy I need for work. So, having something, where I can just quickly add a date, then write down what I need to, is the only way I can keep up.
I also have another journal for diary entries and creative dumps, basically, which I use sporadically, not regularly. That's actually one of my "rules" for that journal - to be allowed to use it, whenever I want/need to. It really helps me relieve some of the pressure.
I do keep both of them in my bag, though, so I won't forget about them.
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I like this. I use a bullet journal to layout what I need to do and want to do and to track what I actually do, as well. I have a separate journal for dream work/ thoughts on my emotions and sensations. I actually think it works better for me to separate the two but have them both available. The bullet journal isn't just for productivity, it helps me see what I do when I'm not being"productive": what I've learned, who I've helped, what I've done for self- care, etc. The dream journal is like the good friend who has come over to hang out with me and listen to my thoughts and things.
I've been using Google Callender and it's widgets. So all I care about for the day regarding schedule is looking at what I have to do for the day. And for things I have to do, like hw, I'll write it down in a more traditional weekly planner,and use the bullet journal key system for moving things around.
For me journaling in the sense of writing all the work down I had to do and color code it by due date helped a lot during homeschooling but since then it hasn’t helped that much and instead I came up with a NEW METHOD that works really well for me:
I have a few POST ITS on my door that serve as categories (for example: homework, school, try, to-do, what I wanna do (so I can keep a work/life balance and do something that will bring me joy when in a slump) small tasks, #stressful, friends) whenever something comes up that I need to remember or get done I write it on a new post it and stick it to my door underneath a fitting category and whenever I get something done I can take it down (I know it’s not the most environmentally friendly thing to do but it helps sooo much and is probably equivalent to the amount of paper I’d use with a journal) Just thought I’d share this for whoever might be in desperate need of something new to try when all else has failed :))
I do the post its as well. It's much more satisfactory to just toss them away and have a clean space after. I saw somewhere a girl who instead of tossing the post ins, she made origami stars out of each and put it in a BIG jar. So You not only are freeing space on your surface but also can see your accomplishments - aka stars.
@@KajaKlaudiaDusia Omg that’s such a nice idea! Wow! I’ll try that!
I really like digital planners because you can add/remove pages, add in digital stickers over and over again, erase any messy handwriting etc. like you can just set it up exactly how you need, which might change from day to day
Hello! ADHD brain & trauma survivor here. Personally I find that I have a tendency towards overthinking, especially wrt my own internal life and identity, and traditional journaling encourages a kind of over-intellectualizing that isn’t healthy for me. Reading old journal entries is kind of emotionally painful because it’s basically watching my past self spin on a mental hamster wheel. Getting into visual art has really been helping me engage with my own internal life in a way that is more intuitive and process-based, rather than the “sitting there and intellectually picking myself apart” approach that words-only journaling encourages. I’ll end up writing little journal entries about my creative process and what I’m learning about myself through art - in my sketchbook right alongside my drawings. And I get to learn something new and build my confidence in my abilities. :)
You should look up the comics artist/writer Lynda Barry’s journal-making tutorials here on UA-cam. They involve drawing and they’re a really cool way to help get perspective on the events happening in your life.
What a great idea! I have the same thing when free journaling.
Problem is: I can‘t draw and don‘t line collages. 🤔
I have the same expirence with you when it comes to free journaling, but just something that has helped me Is guided journaling. There are like daily check in ones and ones for trauma healing/processing, mindfulness, and introspection to kind of break it down in easily digestible chunks
I have autism so similar issues. Bought the Powersheets planner one year and it didn't matter that I didn't keep up with it because the first section I hyperfocused through and learned a lot about myself, the goals I actually want to tackle, and how to break those goals down into manageable chunks.
Their website is out of actual planners for this year but has downlaodable goal guides that probably do the same thing and also other items that could be useful like a deck of cards with ideas/small actions that can help you focus on your wellness and notepads that are designed to help you break big tasks into smaller tasks.
Ajdkakskjsk I'm so sorry you got targeted lmao but that's really cool!!! Thanks for sharing
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
This resonates on a lot of levels because I just quit a job that I couldn’t keep from bleeding into and taking over the whole rest of my life. The journal method I used for work was based on the lab notebooks I kept in school (I miss being a science major)-a cheap, small ruled notebook that consecutively records everything I need to think about day-to-day, chronologically. So hours on a project, important meeting outcomes, things I need to take to so-and-so about, hit lists for upcoming meetings… It worked reasonably well for the “story of work.” Priorities and things that needed to be in RAM not ROM I did on a running digital sticky note on my desktop. Writing my way out of depression and anger and whatever I do in a second, larger-format notebook. Now that I’ve got the chance to have a personal life, though, I want to expand the headspace notebook into an actual tracker for other personal things like habits and plans, so maybe a bujo, but I’d need something less artistic. Maybe with a stamp set.
I bullet journal and mine is the least artistic thing ever (despite or maybe because I'm actually quite artistically inclined). I love the pretty ones and I'm totally digging the stencils from the vid, but the only thing I use on mine other than a pen is sometimes a ruler (can't wait to run out of notebooks and get a dot grid one). I just use the basic principles of bujo and totally skip the artsy stuff and even a lot of the layouts that other people seem to view as "essential" - like the 6-month/year/whatever future layout, other than things that never change like birthdays I never know that far in advance that something is going to happen so I skip it. For me the only thing that really makes up a bujo is the index at the front and the flexibility everywhere else! Hope you find something you love, even if it's just for a while (because...adhd)
@@lavendargooms2056 thanks! I’ll look for a dotty notebook next. My mom, incidentally, was a commercial artist. She told me early on, “whatever you want to be in life is fine, just don’t be an artist.” So, I wasn’t an artist. (She tiger-mommied hard later, so “fine” got redefined somewhat more narrowly.) I find the goal-setting wearing, although I would like to track a couple of things, like exercise. Mostly I need a back-up brain, ‘cause the one in front is inclined to overheating.
It literally never occurred to me to have goals tied to my well being. I have always tried to form them around something more external, doing outward (job, etc.). Thank you for that moment of vulnerability. I need to do some reflection now.
I like making a sketch book a journal and planner as well. Kind of chaotic, but since there's a lot going on I find it fun. The more purpose it has, the more I'll remember to use it.
Unexpected muting. I am so glad I saw you write this. I am my journey to diagnosis of Adhd, and the more I watch your videos the more I understand and the more things make sense.
I didn't know selective mutism can be linked to Adhd. When I am my most overwhelmed, and others are around me, looking at me for an explanation - I freeze up and it feels like the longest 20+ seconds before me voice is free.
You are so right... The diagnosis for those with adhd isn't right. You have already help me understand so much that wasn't common knowledge... Rejection sensitive dysphoria, rushing a relation to continue the dopamine train, poor sleep, the repeative feeling of dispare from being constantly busy and feeling I haven't archived, why I never felt the same, why I am sensitive, why I could never work fast enough in previous jobs, always late no matter how much I tried, poor priority skills.
Because of you I am looking at myself with new eyes! I am excited to carry on this journey of embracing me and the way my brain is ACTUALLY wired, rather than only trying to conform.
Thank you........... Forever thank you!
Alaina x
I got myself a blank bullet journal 2 years ago. I still use it. I always make my monthly calendar and write important appointments, plans with friends, exams and so on. I love taking the time to make each months calendar. I also use lots of washi tape and markers. Sometimes I draw or stick cool pictures and cut outs on a double page and decorate it however I want.
I think I'll start writing down feelings and thoughts that I can then talk in therapy about.
My kind of journal is my sketchbook. Sometimes I write my grocery list in it or my to-do list, but mostly ideas and memories (thankfulness)
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I admire all who can keep a bullet journal but find them SO overwhelming! I use a Passion Planner and make it my own by drawing in habit trackers and lists. I like the large size as small journals drive me crazy especially since I have such messy writing!
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I use two unlined A5 Leuchtturm 1917 journals. One is my modified day to day life bullet journal and the other I use to dump my brain into at an emotional level. on the second one I have started doing wet wash watercolor paintings as backgrounds for my writing and write with fountain pens, dip pens or whatever I feel like writing with that day and it really holds up.
Hi Jessica 😊 I don't know if you're gonna see this but I just wanted to thank you for everything you do. I feel so relieved and safe watching your videos and it brightens my day. I don't have an ADHD diagnosis, but you talk about things I struggle with and I get great advice from your videos. Thank you so much, you're the best ❤
I don't have a diagnosis yet either, but I've struggled for so long. These videos are so amazing and helpful!
Hi brains! Happy you're here, diagnosis or not. ☺️🧠❤️
Thank you, this community is amazing💕
I humbly suggest you go to a Dr. I waited too long. Was afraid to get denied. Liberated in my diagnosis; it's changing my life.
I feel the same Michael, I'm scared that I'm not gonna be understood. But yeah maybe I should go to a doctor or something. I'm responsible for creating the life I want for myself, and since I struggle then I probably should get some help. Thanks for sharing:)
Planners - ugh! I always feel like I have too much to do, so I can’t prioritize. So it ends up being a record of what I have done (after the fact..) and not a way to plan. Still open to it tho - I agree that writing things down helps more than keeping track of things electronically
That's super relatable. Prioritising is *hard*. We've got a video on that if you're interested! Maybe it can help with that list of to-do's! ua-cam.com/video/jxiCV0vwVT8/v-deo.html
I did a daily "got done" list for several years and found it super helpful for me to see just how much I actually was getting done, as opposed to the never ending to do list. 💖
I started a bullet journal two years ago when I was diagnosed and binged watched all your episodes (it was the first lockdown). I'm so glad that I started doing that for my mental health. Every evening I write down three positive things about the day and I check off my mini habits (among others if I took a walk, drank enough water, ate fruit). It's just also really nice to have a notebook to put al my random drawings and ideas in :)
I must say I love the format of this video. The feeling of just hanging out and talking while Jessica fills in her journal is really nice.
Same, it reminds me so much of how chill the bullet journaling sessions were for the first in-person year of my Uni’s Holistic Society. Like, we’d be simply chatting amongst ourselves whilst doing them
I still have "MEDS" written in pen on the wallpaper next to the doorway of my room so that I wouldn't forget taking them in the evening, and I used to put some of the grocery lists right on the fridge so I could see them and take them with me. I saw the kitchen cabinet whiteboard and the hexagons on the wall from the tweets shown here and honestly, I might get myself a big either corkboard or whiteboard for notes or little pieces of paper to be in my field of vision and not closed in the notebook somewhere under the table
I have since searched for a whiteboard instead of sleeping. I should probably stop, sleep, and re-evaluate in the morning.
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I didn't know bullet journal stencils were a thing! I just ordered notebooks. Will try adding stencils and stickers to my journals in the future. :) Right now, it's pretty bare bones, and I divided it into three sections:
1. Work and Business
2. Reflections and Meditations
3. Mental Health and Therapy Notes
These are the three most important areas of my life right now where I want to focus, so that's why I divided my notebook into three sections. Also, I got those notebooks with detachable pages (binder-style) so it can grow with me. If one area of focus expands, I can just add more pages to it, or if there's a new part of my life that I want to focus on, I just add another section. For me, binders work better because I can take a blank sheet, write on it, and then just add it to the binder. It might not work for others, though, so, try for yourself and see what works. :)
@lidette711 your system of organization is brilliant! I also have three sections, or three categories that I want to write in, but have a continual struggle of whether to keep three separate bullet journals or to use one and divide it into sections. But then I wonder what you do when I run out of pages for a certain section. Love you idea
I'm not always consistent with my bullet journal, but one of my favorite things that's been really helpful is packing lists for every trip. It's helped me to not forget things because I can go back through years of packing lists before a trip to make sure I'm not missing anything (I literally forgot to pack shirts one trip as a kid 🙃). It also helps ease my anxious brain because I don't have to keep the list in my head.
I love journalling and planners 💕 I think as adults we forget that development can also be playtime. We look at a child colouring in a book and know that they are doing something that's good for them. We don't try and force consistency, productivity or limits on it. You can be both. You can be imperfect and still do something good for yourself. You can jump around, try new things, put them down for awhile, buy the shiny stickers and still be doing something good for yourself.
"You can be imperfect and still do something good for yourself." I love that. Thanks for the reminder! 😊
im an illustration student, this means i often take notes and to dos in my sketchbook because i always have it on me. recently i have bought a small slim sketchbook which is that perfect place to keep my endless lists so i only have one thing to lose instead of every individual list.
I've used the standard bullet journal for a while, I think since my second year in hight school...but for some time now it hasn't been working, cause I forget to look at it and sometimes to even use it. So now i'm trying a notebook with clear cover and detachable pages so that I can put the spread forward and keep it closed. It's working so far, takes less space, so it's less bothersome. I make my spreads at the end of the month (for the one ahead) and the weeklies/daylies are done accordingly to what I have to do, sometimes I only have a couple of things and just use a to do list :)
Love the different elements of you (Fish, 12, etc) and doing a little check in with them daily. I also have taken that approach in the past and want to refocus on it. Thanks!
Lately I've stuck with a quick daily notes taking habit: Rose, bud, thorn. A rose is a positive from the day, a bud is something you're looking forward to, a thorn is a challenge you experienced that day. It includes some gratitude but feels more genuine since it balances it with acknowledging the challenges too.
It's a concept from the book ADHD and Us. I do what the author recommends which is a check in with your partner. But I had to adapt it to journaling first before the verbal check in. This helps me gauge how I'm feeling by putting it on paper. Otherwise if we just chat without the notes first, I'll get lost and can't articulate my thoughts or feelings well. This daily journal habit has really helped me develop my ability to identify and communicate how I'm feeling and doing.
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
Look forward to watching this video. Great topic. But I think nothing could ever work because with ADHD I lose interest so quick even when I don't want to.
I would look into the bullet journal. She has a lot of videos about it and why it works with adhd
The thing which works for me well is create loops by pushing stuff on a "stack" if interesting things and dig though them when I get bored. :)
That's why I like discbound planners. I can change things up when I get bored. 😊
This is the first year in over a decade that I’ve tried using a planner, and I went with a bullet journal setup. Because going from 0 to 100 seemed daunting, I’m starting small by using it primarily as a reading journal (the thing I’m most passionate about right now) and peppering in other details and important things that I need to remember. Hopefully, once I get used to using a journal for reading, it will be easier to start tracking/planning other aspects of my life more intentionally.
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I love this. I am constantly trying and abandoning planners because they take so much daily effort. And then I feel guilty about wasting paper in abandoned planners. And the cycle continues. So i may try a bullet journal again but get some stencils
I had the same issue and just bought a binder organizer (looks like a book/planner, but it's a binder inside) with printed out pages (undated, of course!) I can organize and fill out the way I want. Works for now.
Procrastination and overwhelm are my Achilles, I'm looking forward to using my new Clever Fox planner journal using some of your wonderful ideas! I ordered the pens and stencils you suggested. Thanks so much! 🌻 🐞
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I started using a bullet journal after watching your video about it (actually I started while I was still watching it, hyperfocus in action 😂). I've been consistent for 4 months now and it's been a life saver! With every month I change it a bit according to my current needs. Of course I still procrastinate, but I do a lot of to dos out of spite so I don't have to take them into the next week. 😁
I also have a monthly habit tracker in my journal where I fill in a small box per day and item to be able to see progress. I use it to watch my screen time, how much I slept, to track the medication side effects, how good I felt etc etc. It's a form of claiming a bit of control with such a chaotic brain ☺️
Thank you so much for your work!
When i became a career oriented individual back in the 80's i realised quickly that i needed a way too keep trck of my appointments and meetings, as well as my type 6 ADHD.. I fel in love with my Franklin Covey. Yeah sure it was dry and cold, but it gave me a clear and concise way of tracking everything and adjusting my time. I finally replaced that planner with a new one last month. It was another Franklin Covey.
A thought (I’m still trying to incorporate this), gratitude for who you have and gratitude for how things happen, not gratitude for what you have. I heard about this in the book Burnout by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA. I recommend this book highly and would LOVE if you could have them as guests on your channel!❤️❤️❤️❤️
The other thing I’m doing is to use my journal as a record of my accomplishments - big and small - because I’m overwhelmed right now, just surviving. I’ll get back to planning when I have the bandwidth for that. Not now.
Thanks for everything that you do, Jessica! Your channel is awesome and so are you.
Mm yes! That book is on my list thank you for the reminder! I have done a daily "three things I'm proud of" prompt for myself to build confidence in the past. Whether they were small or big actions, it was so helpful. Hope you can shift out of survival mode soon. You got this!
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I find it interesting that you feel you're drowning when things start to be overwhelming. When I was very young I had an accident with a pony and I was beaten and cruched pretty badly by his legs, now when my mental health is getting bad, I feel like I'm going down into the soil, I feel crushed in the earth.
I have a journal that is more about how I am feeling physically and emotionally and fighting ye old seasonal depresso. I have another poster board with stickers representing diff goals and another checklist planner/spiral that I use once a week at most
I have a planner and a journal and a wall schedule. My journal is Diarium, and being able to tag the entries and come back to them or find them by date on a calendar is super helpful. My planner is Ship's Log 2 United Front for people who also have DID, but I've adapted that some for my AuDHD brain as well. It comes with monthly and weekly planners, therapeutic elements, and long-term goals that you check back in with when making monthly and weekly goals. I've adapted it to put what I plan to do in the right column and what I actually do that day in the left column, and I can see that my days are pretty full, even if I didn't always follow the plan, which feels good. And then I have a giant schedule on my fridge that has things like meds and feeding the cat and gets updated with things like doctor's appointments or people coming to my home on the days I remember to do it.
I have used the hero’s journal for several month and I really love the fact that you can skip days or weeks if you forget to use your planner. To follow the little guy on an epic journey makes my ordinary life feel may more ✨dramatic✨ what helps me stay motivated. And to colour in it sometimes to sort out my thoughts makes it definitely worth the money 🥰 Thank you for recommending the planner!
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
For the last year I was using CGP Grey's Theme system journal. It worked well for me this past year, because it was a very busy year (planning & executing a big international move.) I needed to stay organized, but didn't have time to do my usual bullet journal layout-ing. CGP's system is cool, cause it has the flexibility of a bullet journal, but he's provided a little bit of a template structure. I don't have to think about setting up lay outs. I just adapt the layout that's there for my needs.
Right now I'm in a sort of transitional period where I don't need to be super on top of things. I'm using a Kanban board to remind myself to take care of myself and I'm using a regular notepad to do stream of conscious writing. It feels good and right for me now.
I think the biggest lesson I've learned over the years of trying to find the "right system" is that there is no right system. What worked last month, might not work for me this month. Trying to find one thing that works for me always and forever is not realistic. My needs change, so my system should change with it.
I've been doing journals like this and here are some tips I have:
* Use erasable pens, they come in different colors, and erasing makes the journal much neater.
* I break up the journal into categories(divided and marked with tabs), it helps me organize by project or task and doesn't make me feel bad for missing a day.
* The cover page is the daily mantra, the back cover is used for goal setting.
Feel free to reply if you have any questions about what I've been doing.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Hello. Could you possibly give me ideas on categories that you use? My problem is that I lose motivation when I run out of things to write about. I honestly feel like I don’t have much going on in my life (stay at home mom) but my mind races and I can’t seem to organize my thoughts 😅
@Nicole Barthalomew I think the important thing about categories is to only make at most 6. If you do too many it will be difficult to keep track of. If you have too many things you want to write about combine things. For example, instead of having a separate section for diet and another for exercise I put them both in my self-care section.
If you have lots of tiny projects you can put a whole section for projects.
What helps keep me motivated is my journal is a 3-month book, Jan, Feb, March is the one I'm working on now. Once I'm done new book, new goals and it helps me get a fresh start.
My 6 sections are, Problem Solving, Company work stuff, Hobbies, Crafting, Self Care, Reflections and Tracking stats.
@@nicolebart8906 if you also go in with the mentality of filling it in for inspiration instead of obligation it makes it easier to maintain it as you use it only when you have the desire to fill it out.
@@End3rthe3rd wow. Seriously thank you very much ! I will follow what your doing and begin a 3 month book. I feel like I can write and set goals in the 3 moths vs me trying to write out my plans for the whole year. I seriously appreciate your reply. 🙏
I recently found your channel and because of all the work you’ve done, was able to finally understand what I’ve been struggling with my entire life. I received a formal diagnosis just recently and am excited to try meds, knowing what I do now. It took me almost 47 years to get some answers, what you are doing is a tremendous service to society and to all the kids who may find answers sooner than I did and not have to wait for hope as long as I did. Thank you so very much for what you do. I truly appreciate you.
Diagnosis less than a year ago and I am 41.... so much about my life suddenly became understandable!
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I’m a very type A ADHDer (which leads to some interesting internal conflict) so a planner is awesome for me! When it comes to journaling and plannering, I find that I just need to take it day by day, and not worry about getting “caught up” if I miss something. It helps to write daily to-do’s and have a place to write deadlines I’ll otherwise forget.
I've been using the hero's journal. I like it. That said, I stopped using each page daily like I planned at first and instead use it weekly.
I basically just write down all my tasks in the time section and check through them as I go.
I prefer it over my blank journal for bullet journaling (which I know is essentially what I'm doing) because of all the illustrations that I can color. The illustrations take up space that I don't feel bad for not filling out.
I might go back to using the pages daily, but right now this is what's working for me.
I love that journal! And same I only use it once or a few times a week--which is why it has you write in the date!
I was doing so well with my bullet journal after your video about it and then I got covid, then long covid and it turned everything upside down. Thank you for doing this video. It has inspired me to get back to how good i was last November.
Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear what you've been going through! It's understandable why journaling fell to the side for a bit. Glad the video can help inspire. 🧡 And fingers crossed the long COVID will get better over time as well. Sending hugs! Unless you don't do hugs then sending kittens! media2.giphy.com/media/I9XrL9Tc1jpe/200.gif (Kitten
To manage doing anything, I use Google Calendar with several calendars:
- a blue one to plan my work hours, I never stick to them but it helps me visualize what I end up actually doing
- an organge one for personal life tasks that I can freely move around, I just treat them as sticky notes on a calendar, having a dedicated todo list tool never worked for me
- a red one for personal life appointments I can't move and must attend
- a green one to keep track of events I may attend if I feel like it, like shows, concerts, whatever, Twitch streams…
I need to have everything on a single place with time stamps, yet I need to be able to move things around. The advandage of using a digital calendar is that I always have it in my pocket, though computers and phones are a huge source of distraction, and I'm more and more considering switching to tools dedicated to a single task. Maybe a paper calendar with sticky notes could work, but I fear they would fall and I'd never end up doing anything, maybe there's a way to manage it…
I have been bullet journaling for about 7 years. I've found that I have to keep it super simple or I won't use it. I will do a monthly overview on the first two pages and then for the rest of the month, I will write the date either the night before or the morning of with stuff to do that day. If I plan it out a week ahead, I just won't use it. It doesn't look as fancy as most peoples I see online but I don't need fancy - I need to use it.
I started journaling in 2008. I went through fits and starts and finally got into my current, almost-every-workday journaling routine in late 2019. So for anyone who is struggling to be consistent: don't feel discouraged! You might not find the journaling routine that works for you right away, but if you know journaling is good for you, I believe you'll make it a regular part of your life eventually-no matter how long it takes.
I've developed a structure to my daily journal sessions:
- Date (with day of the week now)
- Time (to help me track how I'm doing with my routine...and how long things take me)
- Check-in (sleep, how I'm doing on goals, physical well-being, mental well-being, any notable work stressors, stuff that happened over the past 24 hours that I know future me will be annoyed if I don't record)
- Bible reading
- Written prayer (often roughly following the Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication framework, so if I weren't religious, I guess I'd do something about what I'm thankful for and what I'm working toward)
- End time
- Miscellaneous things in the margins and in boxes that occurred to me as I wrote: to-do items that need to be put in my planner, distracting thoughts that wouldn't go away until I wrote them down, etc.
At this point, if I start a journal entry, habit compels me to do each step, even if I don't think I want to at first. (Exception: when I'm low on time or doing an extra brainstorming or deal-with-stress journal session.) I use a fountain pen (with cartridges that are easy to switch out), which makes me happy. :D
On the planner note: In high school, I reacted to to-do lists viscerally, as they seemed more like to-fail lists. They now feature heavily in my planners. Do I do everything on my to-do lists when I plan to? No. But I can use them without getting anxious-they're in my tool box.
I can get frustrated with other things I'm not doing well, but then I remember the good habits I've integrated over the past couple years, like journaling regularly and brushing my teeth twice a day. I struggled with both, but by keeping pressure to succeed low and trying various approaches, I managed to work them into my routine. What habits will I integrate next?
I just started bullet journaling and absolutely love my layout. I have the future log, weekly layouts, daily entries to journal to jot feelings during that day. I wish I could show you pics of my journal but it won’t allow me to upload :)
I cling to my bullet journal like a life raft. I rely on having my tasks and accomplishments written down and having a daily ritual to update it. When I drop the habit, it's a warning my brain is starting to go downhill.
I also manage a long-form journal for thoughts and a religious journal reflecting on spiritual themes.
I found an old planner worked for helping me keep track with Christmas gifts for friends and family. The months acted as an index and the days worked as a good holding space for ideas and what I had gotten for someone. Tbh this is a great way to use old unused planners especially the weekly layout :)
Your the best. I have ADHD and Anxiety. I have severe impulsivity, and I am trying to get better. Thank you so much for all the advice
Love the idea of journals and planners but I get really stressed while writing (not sure if it's OCD) because letters have to look a certain way, and I press hard so it's stressful for my hand..
I like To Do lists on my phone because I can also create calendar alerts which help remind me if I've forgotten to do something on the list or I zone out for a day or two.
Do you know about Andrew Huberman's work with ADHD? ua-cam.com/video/hFL6qRIJZ_Y/v-deo.html
I’ve tried so many planners over the years and the one I finally found that works *for me* is the Passion Planner. They have undated and dated ones, plus different size options and time blocked off in half hour increments which helps me a lot with appointments and blocking out time for work and other things. It’s also helpful for setting smaller, achievable goals with monthly questions like “what worked well this month? What could you do better next time?”
I swear I’m not a sponsor lmao, I was just so stoked that I found a planner that won’t collect dust and be a waste of $ at the end of the year. They also have free printable sheets you can put into a binder if you can’t afford one, and they donate a planner for each one you purchase. (Another ADHD tip: invest in Bic white out tape if you like to write in pen and need to adjust things in whatever planner or journal you use.)
I love the idea of checking in with 5 year old self and 12 year old self, or any other self you have!! I want to come up with mine, I think it would be my 15year old newly diagnosed with diabetes, and my inner writer at a young age before I was 10, I want to say 8 before people told me my stories weren't good or kids started teasing me for other reasons. I've always found journals helpful, I've never done a bullet journal cos I could never get past the designing stage it took so long and I got stuck at a blank page and making time to get started. I have a lot of journals and goal setting journals, Nd I'm looking forward to my next one starting in March 😊 have to get past the feeling it didn't start in January but hey, it's ok. Thanks for reading if you get this far 😅
I am ADHD and I use a Bullet journal but the brand of my journal kind of fluctuates rapidly and I use stencils like you do as I find them as the most cost efficient. Buy once and reuse instead of the constant spending money on stickers. My journal is also either dot grid or graph paper type layouts
I recently got a planner and a few notebooks from Happy Planners and omg I love them. The planners are so pretty and nice. They have a few layouts, but I like the dashboard layout: it has sections for notes, to do lists, errands, important messages, and has the whole week layed out in a single page. And I learned that stickers really help me be more organized. I used to be intimidated by bullet journals, but one of my notebooks is a bullet journal and I actually like it. I use it as a craft project/ideas journal and it provides me enough freedom while allowing me to keep my boxes square and neat.
Every time I try this it starts great. I always make a welcome page for myself with my plans for this journal. Yet it always falls flat.
Yes! Bullet Journal! I also LOVE the idea of the Hero Journal, and have been following them since their Kickstarter, but I just don't think it would work for me on a long-term basis. I feel like it's too much for my brain to stick to consistently. On your note about bleeding through the paper, there are other journals that have the same features as Leuchtturm, but have better paper. My favorite is Scribbles That Matter, or STM. I encourage you to check them out! They're a small, customer focused company from the UK that is very supportive of journaling for mental health.
I love the idea of checking in with the different parts of yourself (and others)! that's something I think I often neglect to do
I've been using a bullet journal for a few years now and this past year especially I've really worked on bringing it down to the absolute basics so I stay motivated to keep using it. Now for each month I have a front page and quote, an "overview" (calandar and things I'd like to get done this month), a habit/med tracker (for both making sure I do the things I need to do daily but also just to keep track of the last time I for example watered my plants, so I know if I need to do that soon or not), and a 'weekly log' per week where I have a box for each day and one box for things I'd like to do at some point during the week. I split items into 'tasks' (squares), 'events' (circles), and 'appointments' (triangles) and colour the shape as it gets done. At the start of my journal I also have a small calandar for the whole year and a period tracker, and otherwise that's about it! It sounds like a lot when written out like this but my journal used to be much larger than this, and having used the same system for such a long time means it's really easy and quick for me to set up now.
I also use an app called Daylio for journalling thoughts and feelings, I think it's a brilliant app for that :)
Yeah that's brilliant. My life coach and I are working on thinking about my little 10 year old (I don't have a trauma per se) but we recognize when he is not helping me (and when he is). I also like the checking in on someone else. I love that whole thing actually.