You're Going to Quit Bullet Journaling (and I'm going to tell you why)
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- Опубліковано 13 сер 2021
- You're probably going to quit bullet journaling... and I'm going to tell you why. I watched many "Why I Quit Bullet Journaling" videos and polled my Instagram followers to find the 5 most common reasons for giving up on the bullet journal method. Do any of these reasons resonate with you? Have you ever considered quitting the bujo method? I want to hear your experiences in the comments!
VIDEOS MENTIONED:
How To Bullet Journal (Official Bullet Journal Channel): • How to Bullet Journal
BuJo 101: The Rolling Weekly: • BuJo 101: The Rolling ...
How To Start a Bullet Journal for Beginners: • How To Start a Bullet ...
VIDEO CLIPS USED (Intro):
• what i learned from 5 ...
• Why I don't like bulle...
• Why you should NOT sta...
• why i hate bullet jour...
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Do any of these reasons resonate with you? Have you quit bullet journaling (even temporarily)? I'd love to hear about your experiences!
This was such a great video!! After a while of bullet journalling I felt overwhelmed with the need to have elaborate themes every month which take time and when I fell behind, I took a step back and reset!
I quit bc i did not have fun anymore. Also i dont use it a lot. As i have 3 apointments or less a week, i only used a monthly spread. So i bought a moleskine pocket weekly, week on 1 page and notes on the other. Bigger things to do lists go in a simple paper pad. I loved the idea and the creativity i can put in to a bj, but i just wasnt feeling it anymore.
My, brief first attempt failed because I was doing it in a notebook that was too big to take everywhere with me.
I used the same bullet journal since 2017 because I quit a couple of times and started again just as many times.
One of my main struggles were the future log and key. I now mostly use it as a weekly to do list with a habit tracker.
I did quit for a few months back in 2019 but I realized it was just the system and effort of trying to make it look good. Because even tho I quit back then, I still keep a journal that serves as my diary/ planner. So I slowly got back and fixed what was putting pressure on me and let it go :) Now my bujo serves as my diary, where I can be plain or artsy. And I keep a separate planner for work, that I can customize like a bujo too! As u said its ur bujo, you make the rules. Yeah, I did make my own and Im loving it.
Bullet journaling was also developed to help ppl with ADHD feel organized and have structure. The core concept of bujo is to do what works for you and allow it to change whenever and however you need it to. You're supposed to build your own structure, your own format that is fluid, changing and dynamic to your own life.
This is one of the reasons why I like your channel so much because I see that come through a lot in your bullet journaling, you keep what works for you and remove what doesn't and changes month to month. That is the core concept to bujo
Yes, exactly! I think people forget/don’t know the whole point is customization and try to exactly emulate what others are doing, to their own detriment.
I watched a couple of videos by Jessica @ How to ADHD and found them really helpful too.
💯 Make it your own! Change it without apology and as often as you feel called. I've been BuJoing for almost a year and my style, spreads and needs keep changing as I get clearer on what's working for me and what's missing. And I've also learned that when I really struggle... with Winter (I'm solar powered 😁) and those times when anxiety kicks in, I work out how my BuJo can keep going and support me through that. I even made a spread during our Aussie floods early this year about how to get myself through the lack of sunshine and dry days. I used to watch a lot of BuJo videos for inspiration and rarely followed through in my own BuJo so now I'll watch one every now and then for entertainment value and keep a doodle notebook instead of feeling I have to "pretty up" my BuJo. #MyBuJoMyRules 🌺💕
This is what I keep saying. Out of ALL of the tools I’ve tried since I started looking for ways to help me cope with my ADHD, the BuJo is the ONLY one that’s worked for me consistently, for almost two years now! It’s my favorite tool, and I can’t stop saying this. I cannot begin to describe how much it’s improved my life.
I’m so grateful for the BuJo, so whenever I see people quit because they think the BuJo is too hard to maintain, I get SO frustrated, because that’s completely the opposite of what it’s designed to be! Imagine how many people with executive function challenges have (or will$ missed out on its benefits because of these misconceptions!
@@DragonflyNinja I can do this with my work bullet journal but I just don't know what I want to track, use it for , or what I could use it for. Looking at other peoples ideas is the only way I can get over the fear of the blank page! My work journal works really well and has changed and adapted but my personal one has gone through 3 or 4 different styles and sizes of notebook and I still don't know what and/or how to use it to improve my life
You're telling the sad but realistic truth! For me it didn't worked when my mental health wasn't at a good point and the bullet journaling was so much stress to me because I made myself so much pressure to get it beautiful and flawless because I couldn't handle any more mistakes haha
Yes, mental health can have a huge impact as well. I feel like, for me anyway, when my mental health isn't great I'm more susceptible to the 5 reasons in this video and find it harder to logic my way out of feeling overwhelmed/falling in perfectionism and comparison, etc!
I started bullet journaling to help improve my mental health. I keep my spreads simple, and more about daily mental health practices and hygiene than anything else.
My best advice is to create spreads that you think you will actually use every day. Simple things that will actually help you. Daily to do’s- even if it’s “I brushed my teeth and ate today” or how much water you are drinking.
That seems more like a function of your personal standards and mental health than about bullet journaling itself.
@@raksh9 I mean it’s all done in a bullet journal.
Honestly why use any methods that aren’t working for you. Like the reason why mine is so simple is because I don’t have the mental abilities right now to do a whole lot every day. So why not make the journal revolving around things I NEED to do, than things Other people think I should be doing?
You tubers add a UA-cam planning page, I added mental health pages. The functionality is still the same, even though they look a little different.
Mine tracks personal hygiene and my meds, if I went out - those are dailies
I have daily to do’s because my brain deletes things like crazy and I’ll forget
I have a yoga page with goals for the month to reach
Food and water tracker to make sure I’m taking care of this body
Weekly to do’s like keeping up with family and cleaning
Budget trackers
And also I wrote down all the birthdays in my life at the beginning of the year so I can add them to the month.. and it’s helped so much
Even though all of these things are simple, it’s still using the method. Still using the book. Just in more basic ways. And to most people you wouldn’t need a lot of those things because you can just do it and not be in a fog. But to others the bullet journal really does help.
I have so many journals. And honestly the bullet journal has been the best for actually making me DO something. All the others are very reflection based but the bullet journal is action based. I think it can be adapted for pretty much anyone to use
@@visszhang27 Sorry, I was replying to the original poster in this comment thread, not you. Your method sounds very thorough and yet minimal at the same time. The original comment talked about how it was really stressful to keep perfect, which is a reflection of their standards and mental health. I like the sounds of your system, though.
Yesterday I learned from the creator of the bullet journal method who has ADD like me that you actually don't plan a bullet journal. It's literally a diary in bullets instead of paragraphs. If you make mistakes, cross them out.
It's to manage and keep track of the runaway thoughts so you can look back on them.
Don't always rely on youtubers who do this for a living and gets sponsored by this and that.
Yeah, my bullet journal was always ugly. It had many mistakes and was ever-changing,but it worked. I just stopped because I went digital.
Well said. To me the list is a reminder of things I need to remember, to do, and just wandering thoughts.
🌸Here are some “rules” I made for myself for my new BUJO:
1. Don’t have a lot of spreads. I’m a uni student and all I need is: the timetable for the semester; a simple calendar; monthly events (like tests, presentations b-days…) and a mood tracker
2. Don’t stress about everything. Make some small drawings/doodles on some pages and some minimalistic things on other pages
3. Plan beforehand. Have a separate cheap notebook for “planning” and “practicing
4. Decide on an “easy-to-follow/execute” theme. Don’t overdo it
5. Relax and don’t stress about it. Yes, you’ll make mistakes, but it’s part of the learning process
✨Hope this helped someone🌸
For me, having a separate notebook for "practicing" means that the main notebook should be flawless. I did that, and I just used the practice notebook more. So I just make ugly notes and practice in the main notebook now. It made me use it more and have less stress about it
making bujo minimal is the best way for you to organise all your schedule. :)
Great tips. I'm taking bullet journaling for a test run, so I started in the back of an old notebook with the last 8 days of the month. Then took those ideas to start my first monthly spread in another old notebook. I like what I've come up up so far, but already see changes I need to make. I've decided not to purchase a brand new journal for this use until I'm A) sure I like doing it and B) feel I have a solid idea of what I want to track & how I want to lay it out.
That's exacly how a bujo should be actually - not stressing you and make things easy to write and find ~ which i feel around here people didn't really understood what a bujo should be.
A journal is really personal.. I do compare myself what my ideas are and inspire myself more than comparing actually but it shouldn't stress us like "they did better" really not 👀
I will start a journal for the first time and I think be watching others making theirs it's a good idea to know what you could like in yours. And like someone else said in another comment : if you don't use a page then just decorate it later or whenever you want 😊
Minimalism was always a modern designing type, so it's completely okay if you like doing it this way and no one should compare themself ☺️🌸
Myself I was wondering if I should make one on Adobe by designing it and just print it, but I think I want to kind of challenge myself and try a journal by expressing my creativity into it ☺️
I agree with everything except the Plan Beforehand. I think (at least for just starting out) that you should just go for it. If you try to make it absolutely perfect.. than you will quit.
People quit because they make it about trying to be like other people then feeling inadequate in comparison. You're 100% right about starting it minimalistic. Finding function and your own style is what makes it work. 👌
Exactly. 💯 I started a Bujo and my first thoughts were what is practical for me. I wasn't doing it to show people or make it beautiful. The only colour I use is a highlighter! It's a productivity tool helping me move in the right directions. Once I decided that, making spreads that worked was easy and I stick to what works. I have a streamlined simple set up and it helps me stay organised.
The alternate point of view: if you are a perfectionist, and you know it, and you've always been a perfectionist, it's OK to accept that and move on to another type of journal/planner because a bullet journal isn't for you. I have some layouts that I print out and stick in a disc bound agenda as needed, and keep my artwork in a sketchbook. That works for me.
Hahahahaha I do the same thing for the same reasons!
I am def a perfectionist and I don't know how to do those awesome and cute calligraphy letters. My letters look ugly to me and not perfect haha. Same with my handwriting :") I only did bujo for like a month and I couldn't keep up with it. I planned my spreads and took ideas off of Pinterest or even UA-cam, but I just didn't use some of the spreads. It felt like a chore and nothing that I enjoyed doing. I bought a jibun techo recently and I used it for a few months. Love the system and set up but been too lazy to sit down and write in it. I guess I'm just not a planner type of person xD. Although maybe I'll get another jibun techo which is bigger because I bought a small one so it's hard to really journal in it. Plus I don't have many plans haha.
THISSSSS!
Printing out layouts and sticking them in a disk bound agenda is such a good solution!! I have ADHD so i want to use the BuJo to help me with that, but because I'm also a perfectionist every time I start a bullet journal it drives me insane that the writing doesn't look nice, I keep having to scribble things out, you have to write so small to fix in the little boxes and then sometimes things get smudged etc etc and it just makes me want to tear out every page and not bother. What type of layouts do you use or can I ask do you still use the 'system' of bullet journaling with the key and migrating things?
I bujo as perfectionist and it's helped me cope with my mistakes. (that and aesthetic note taking)
Definitely wasn’t expecting to see myself in the intro! 😅 I agree with all of your points - a lot of my issues came from the pressure to post each page on social media, which was the main reason I stopped making BuJo videos. I’m glad I tried it out though, because I learned some planning “basics” that I still use, just in a digital format!
Hi! Didn't expect to see you here
As a recovering perfectionist, bullet journaling actually taught me that it doesn’t have to be perfect. I’m 4 years in now, and actually love seeing the progress I made as a person and artist as well
i feel this!! bullet journaling taught me i need to be ok with making ugly things
You are not an artist
Personnaly, i've noticed that i naturally quit bullet journaling like 2 months a year, and then, i go back. And i needed to tell to myself "it's okay, i don't have to feel guilty", because it's what allow me to use it the rest of the year with all my motivation !
Definitely no guilt required! It seems like you have a natural rhythm going where you allow yourself to take breaks ❤️
I do this too, and I've come to love it because it means I'm making the most of my journals. Unlike typical planners, where I end up with tons of blank pages, I can actually use a full notebook and not recycle a mostly-empty planner just because I've hit the new year.
Me too. I do it when I feel the need (when I'm overwhelmed and have a lot going on). And if I take a break, I take a break. Some months/ days are overfilled with everything and some weeks on stretch are empty. That's just the way it is.
Sometimes I quite for six months. A year. And then get back into it with renewed excitement. Hobbies aren't meant to chain you down. :)
@@sharonm6580 .
Awesome tip for people who don’t feel particularly “artistically inclined” or you don’t have time - use stickers! They add so much personality and color to a spread with literally no effort or time. On months where I feel like I need that little boost but I’m not really wanting to take the time to do something fancy, adding a couple cute stickers can make a huge difference.
Also, I tend to use my BuJo very seasonally right now as a student. I love the flexibility of not feeling like I “have” to use it in the summer just because those pages exist in my planner. I hate the feeling that I’ve wasted space in a planner when I don’t use it so having the flexibility to pick up my BuJo when I need it and set it aside when I don’t has helped alleviate a lot of guilt for me associated with feeling the obligation to use a planner.
This is such a honest video and i need to say thank you for being so kind..
Just to hear a pro say it's all okay is the best help and advice someone can get! ❤❤🙏
I wish stickers weren’t so expensive :’(
Yeah. Currently I'm just having the first two pages of the month somewhat pretty. The rest is just lists of tasks. I also habe sometimes months missing or a month being only one page. Just noticed that since moving I'm much better in using it and putting the months in but I'm also less stressed do it makes sense.
I was thinking about trying the passion notebooks but in the end I didn't even order one so it shows that I probaly wouldn't have used it at all.
I'm going to have the excitment of changing my system because I got a B5 Notebook for my next. Technically I could stay with A5 but I miss the B5 which I used as my second. My current A5 has 3 almost 4 years in it which is something I didn't expect whne I started it.
@@AG-bq2zd that's true.. that's why I often print them even on normal paper and then glue them, they are still cute
@@AG-bq2zd Here are some budget-friendly options: Get a couple of neutral washi tapes (they cost less than $1 each with 10 meters on AliExpress or Shopee). Fill one or two pages with cute titles and quotes (or search for some printables on Pinterest), then print them and use them as stickers. If you can spend a little more, buy a couple of stamps (I just ordered two for $2 each). Get one or two pastel makers and highlight your titles and important events.
Another bujo quitter here :D
My story: I'm autistic (with no ADHD) and love external rules, structure and systems. The amount of possibilities in a bullet journal absolutely terrifies me. "Do whatever you want!" is a real nightmare. When I have to make a choice myself, I'll spend time questioning it all the time. While it's there already printed, it's not going to happen as much.
That's why I'm switching to a pre made planner. Still, bullet journaling has taught me a little spontaneity, so I won't be using all pages of my planner, and I'm adding some collections bullet journal style on the empty pages at the back. It wasn't a useless experience after all.
You summed up exactly one of the many reasons i stopped bullet journaling. I am a perfectionist with a brain that never shuts off and other mental health issues. I just need something simple for appointments
ink
knn
knn
nnn
I’m quite a perfectionist and for a time I was so strict with my journal and it was always “perfect” but after I told myself to let loose and not be too particular, I found journaling therapeutic! And helped me break my perfectionism a little bit! My favourite spread was actually the one where I just throw whatever paper and stickers I had together without care at all!
I hope everyone who tries bullet journaling let’s loose and allow their journal to be what it needs to be for them!
Great comment!! Thank you for sharing!
Yess!! It has also helped me with mine.
I went minimalist because I got overwhelmed.
So relatable! And a great strategy to stick with it ❤
same :D
It's the other way around for me. I'm color-coding bec my mind drowns everything out if they're all in b&w. Apparently some areas in my life need bells & whistles for my brain to compartmentalize before giving them the time of day. It's still in keeping with minimalism, but in a colorful way lol. That's where a retractable pen with multi-ink barrel comes in handy :)
My main problem with the bujo system was rewriting. I couldn't stand starting a new notebook because the thought of transferring all those reference collections was exhausting, and I didn't want to introduce errors into my collections with regular recopying. So my solution was twofold--I switched to a traveler's notebook so I could have a long term permanent collections insert, and I switched to what I call the PBB rolling weekly. I've been using the same permanent collections insert for about three years now, and I'm about to add a premade yearly calendar insert into my system so I can literally just use the daily log and rolling weekly portion of the bujo system and can stop rewriting calendars every 3-4 months. Combining bujo with what I took from GTD has been great for me and I like tweaking my system to make it work.
Even the rewriting/transferring has a purpose, though. Ryder Carroll has explained it on several videos and articles, but basically, the rewriting is supposed to help you consider whether you really need this thing that you keep migrating or transferring. If there’s a task you keep rewriting, maybe it’s not as important. Or maybe it’s not the right time, so you put it back on the future log, for example. I have a “Someday Maybe” task list for some of these.
As for redoing entire spreads on every notebook, you don’t always have to. Indexing and threading are there to help you find collections in your current and previous notebooks, and even link content among them. You can also always make the collection on a separate piece of paper and stick it to your journal with washi tape rather than glue, then replace it when you’re ready to migrate. You could also make a printable you can reuse. OR you could make a permanent collections insert! (As you commented.) I’ve tried this one but I prefer to keep my BuJo light. It already gets pretty bulky. But I may give it another try later.
@@jessatlife My decisions about what goes in my permanent collections insert are very deliberate. Birthdays, anniversaries, people's clothing sizes, what I need to refill various items, etc. I gain no value in rewriting the same month's appointments 4 times a year. The only rewriting I do as part of bujo is moving todo list items, which is where I make the type of decisions about tasks that you talk about. Accidentally rewriting my cardiology appointment on the wrong day (which I have done more than once) is not an acceptable risk to me and seems useless in terms of the bujo philosophy.
@pearlwhite21 Plant Based Bride's rolling weekly. She has a couple of videos on it.
@Scarlet Baxter wait so what does he use the bullet journal for then?
I too lost interest in bujo after about 2 years and moved into a conventional planner. I quickly felt stifled, limited and bored. I moved back into bujo and I am enjoying it again. I keep things simple when I need it to be and I get expressive and creative when I want to do that too. I really appreciate having total control based on my needs that month.
I started bullet journaling two years ago at age 71 to remember things as well as plan things. I did the basics the first year. The second year I added some habit trackers. That was so illuminating to me and very helpful. I also added a monthly review page. Also helpful to me. This year I added a monthly art page as a way to experiment with watercolors. It is a simple inked line drawing with watercolor washes. September is the first month that I did not get one ready before the first of the month. Still isn't done. That's because I am knee deep in preparing a new flower bed for fall bulbs. If I miss it all together that will be ok. Thanks for this helpful video. What book are you using that allows the paint and does not buckle? I have been doing my art pages on a water color block and then pasting it in my journal. That is with the heaviest paper I could find in a journal online. Are you using acrylic paints? The spreads you showed were so vivid.
What a good idea! I agree, if something doesn’t get done in a bujo, it’s OK! Especially when it’s because of something else in your life that makes you happy like a garden.
awesome!!! :)
If I had to guess, she was using gouache (could have also just been watercolor paint). The best paper to ensure good performance for wet medium without buckling is heavy mixed media paper. Watercolor paper is best for watercolor paints, but if you plan to bullet journal, mixed media paper with a higher GSM will perform best for your purposes. You can find a lot of good quality sketchbooks to use for bullet journaling, even some with graph/grid patterns to easily balance your writing and designs.
I too am a "late bloomer" and Bujo enthusiast. As an Expressive Arts Therapist, I tried to do too much too soon. But I followed Elizabeth early on and saw that she tried lots of ideas out. so I started to just do what worked for me. And that's why I stuck with it.
I have been using the bujo system for years, and you touched on everything I used to notice when these videos would pop up in my feed. I have been using it for so long that I actually don’t change my spreads that often aside from the little artistic touches. It’s all about finding what works for you, not living up to someone else’s aesthetic
I couldn’t agree more! I used to worry my spreads were too boring because I did the same thing every month (while switching up the theme) but I realized it’s just what works for me and that’s not worth compromising on for others’ entertainment!
Love these tips. Been bullet journaling since 2015 and going strong. I like my bujo to be pretty but it is too much pressure on me to be artistic everyday, so my monthly spreads I spend more time decking them out and daily and weekly spreads are super simple. My bullet journal is mine and only mine and I don’t feel pressured to make it perfect.
Yes 🙌 The artistic spreads are so much fun but you won’t catch me painting in my journal every single day LOL sometimes I just have to get shit done and have a basic list!
I have been journalling sinve I was 12. Now, I am 45 and still going. Also recently doing midori travel. Love it!😍
That last sentence keeps me going
I just picked up my bujo again after about a year and a half, and I like how I can just dive back into it and do whatever I need with it. No rules, no demands, just asking it to be there for me when I need it.
By the way, I love your look and make-up in this video. Such warm colours that match your gorgeous hair perfectly!
Bullet journaling for six years now and still in love!
I'm an art director and my calendar is a place where my design doesn't have to be perfect or judged, that's very relaxing
A lot of these points really resonated with me. I don’t do a lot of bullet journaling, but I do craft a lot of art, and it’s really hard to get out out my own head sometimes. Thank you for the reminder to take my easy on myself.
Oof so relatable ❤ I'm glad this video resonated with you and I hope you can keep enjoying your art without getting too caught up in the sh*t that doesn't matter!
I was definitely a "burn bright, burn out" type. I absolutely loved the aesthetics I saw on UA-cam and other social media and for a few months I would spend a lot of time doing up spreads (and even occasionally filling them in throughout the month lol) but I didn't take the time to start by creating the habit. I've been tempted lately to try again and was putting it off due to fear of failure once again. Your suggestion to start with the basics is an excellent one and how I think I will try again. I do think I could benefit from the structure and organisation that a bullet journal can offer and I haven't given up on the idea altogether.
Thank you for your video today, as well as all your others. I really love watching your monthly spreads and find them so relaxing and inspiring and your message today has given me hope that all is not lost. XXX
Good luck! I hope starting with the basic system allows you to find what works for you and develop that habit ❤️
One of my friends recently expressed interest in keeping a planner for the first time, and funnily enough, felt all of these pressures. She hadn't even started bullet journalling, but was already feeling bad about her planner's titling being off and the lack of doodles and colour in it. And I completely get it. I felt those pressures when I started too. But when I realised that the productive benefits were so much more important than my aesthetic missteps, that's when it truly became a part of my life.
I have a bullet journal now because I'm a masters student with 2 side gigs and I desperately need to stay organised. But I'm also aware that once I start working full time, I might just buy a daily planner and call it a day! At the end of the day, it's all about productivity.
I’m so glad that I watched this video! The part where you stated that “bullet journaling is a marathon” really resonates with me. I’ll be sure to take all this advice and start applying it to my bullet journaling mindset! Thank you~
I did bullet journaling for over 2 years and most of these reasons hit on here made me stop. It started out as helpful then I decided I wanted to share on Instagram/UA-cam and two months in it drained every ounce of enjoyment/productivity.
The performance aspect really drains the joy! I always tell people (and have to constantly remind myself) not to share everything they love online if they want to keep loving it 😅
00:13 Not me seeing my face in your video 😂😂😂
Haha I had to include your thumbnail! I remember seeing your video in my timeline and gasping LOL 😂
Yes
YES THANK YOU! I love getting ideas from others and seeing their creative side but I always try to remember to tailor it to my own needs above anything. I'm not a "weekly" page setup person at all, instead I love having a monthly setup that I can look at with monthly goals to make sure I'm keeping on track. I love bullet journaling its helped my mental health so much and I'm so glad that you made this video to remind/inform people that it's not important what other people think it's about what's helpful to each individual!
I've been consistently Bullet Journaling since 2018 because my Bullet Journal is bare bones, messy, and totally focused on the method. You nailed it: straying from the method and making it about aesthetic, too many trackers, and too much "should" is the common factor for quitting.
Bullet Journaling is the best thing that happened to my creative and productive life. I always encourage new journalers to watch Ryder's OG How-To AND NOTHING ELSE. A Bullet Journal is actually a tool for overcoming perfectionism if people follow your advice of NOT sharing their journal.
Great video that I whole heartedly agree with! Yay, for messy journals but productive lives!
I may not have done the exhaustive research of watching every "why I'm quitting bujo" videos, but I've seen a few and these observations are spot-on. It boils down to people making it more time consuming than they can handle and putting too much pressure on themselves to make it beautiful. Luckily, I have no delusions of artistic ability so I've never been tempted to make mine pretty or perfect. I started by watching the official "How to Bullet Journal" video and was instantly drawn to how flexible yet simple the system is. I keep my own journal as simple as possible, and have never been overwhelmed by my own bujo.
I was definitely getting overwhelmed so I took a little break from the design aspect and printed off a planner-type page that fitted with how my weeklies normally go. It's helped as I still need the organizational part of the bujo system. And now enough time as past, I'm excited to switch it up with some more creative. Sometimes, we just need a little reset.
That sounds like a great method to reframe your mindset!
That’s what I’ve been considering! I don’t really get the point of drawing out the same tracker grids and calendar spreads every month when I could just print them and glue them to my page.
@@Whoknows-mf1cv I'm thinking of printing the calendars and habit trackers too. I hate drawing squares, even with rulers, I'm very impatient and make many mistakes. But I love collage and cutting things, so that will be artistic enough for me I guess.
Thank you for your video! 😊 I appreciate the clarity and grace with which you express your thoughts using well-chosen language. 🙌
This is really great, well put together, & insightful for more than bullet journaling ! 🍀
I tend to err on the side of minimalistic when bullet journaling. My title page usually has the most artistry in it and as someone who has a creative job, I don't need it as a creative outlet. The only time I stopped bullet journaling was because i was having an entire planning crisis and kept going through different planners and styles lol
That’s a great compromise! ❤️
Great video and so true. 🧡 I have a very minimalistic bujo for work, but I never needed a private one. Here I switched to a reading journal. It's the perfect solution for me 😊
Thank you so much! That’s a great solution 🤎 I’m also a big fan of splitting into multiple notebooks if that works for your brain/allows you to avoid recreating spreads too often!
Super helpful video. I love using a bullet journal but found I had lost my way a bit and was looking to figure out why. This has helped me see what is important and why I started journaling in the first place. Thank you SO much.
Excellent primer. I was apprehensive, but this helped me immensely. Thank you!
I started in January 2020 and it took me until April to figure out how to use it. I've never really used a Future Log, though I continue to include them in my set ups, but my biggest issue was weeklies. I was setting up boxes for each day of the week and I'd occasionally add stuff into them, but my work often doesn't have hard and fast deadlines, so having something so structured hindered me. I eventually discovered dailies which got me into actual journalling and made the task portion easier and then I found your rolling weekly setup. I use it all the time as it allows me to write out all my tasks for a week and check off when they're worked on or done- I still include regular weeklies, but they're much smaller and only have room for a few tasks.
I’m so happy to hear that the rolling weekly is working for you! It really is a game changer ❤️
i am so glad to have found your channel! you bring such a level of realism back to the social media realm, and I just adore you!! thank you so much for the content that you make, it always feels as though I'm hanging out with a friend who is always teaching me something new
Aw thank you! That’s so kind ❤️❤️ and I’m so glad you found a method that works for you!
I so appreciate this video 🥰 I want a multi purpose journal for 2022 and am super interested in bullet journaling, but was really worried about keeping up with the artistic aspect. Seeing your first journal gives me inspiration that the artistic aspect is something I can grow into slowly
Love this video!! I went through phases with my bullet journals, skipping months when I didn’t need it and jumping right back in when I know I have a busy month. It does take quite the mindset change to realize that I’m writing my bullet journal for me and thus I should only do spreads that are right for me!
Wow, shocked 🤩 I saw my thumbnail on your (as in the OG, plant based bride) video! Ahhhhhhh! I said I Quit …. But I have a itch to start again…. And already ordered a PBB B5 olive branch Green Leather bundle which might be here in a week or two…🤷♀️😜. I feel as though, I have a Ross and Racheal thing going on with my BUJOs 🤣
Thank you for sharing with us! I follow the chapters of a book I love for a whole year as theme, so I don't need to spend time worrying about what to draw, what to write and what if I happen to lack creativity that month!
This was a great video Elizabeth. I found that the A&O planner with my bullet journal notations has been working for me now and I love my bullet planner.
This was a great life advice video. That thing about social media is a gem. Thanks for sharing.
I love to watch all of the BuJo videos. My creative imagination follows a different path. So I use stickers, stamps, and washi tape. I also use my journal as a brain dump. I have all of my appointments on my phone and on a monthly spiral-bound calendar. Thank you for sharing your talent.
Stickers, stamps, washi, Printables, stencils… there’s so many awesome options to add a little more colour and detail to spreads without having to draw or paint them yourself! And thank you 🥰
The time reason is exactly why I started making my own stickers for each month. I still get to change up the theme but monthly spreads take me only 30 minutes as opposed to hours!!
Brilliant and well researched, answered all my questions. Thank you.
Thank you so much! This was so informative!
This is a wonderful video, explaining why we call it quits tells us that you’re listening to us, you’re framing yourself as the expert that you are and engaging your audience in a way that supports them when they feel vulnerable. It’s so refreshing to know that I support a savvy but authentic bullet journalist!
Oh thank you! That is so kind of you to say ❤️ that was certainly my intention and I’m very glad it translated through the screen 🥰
You comments are right on point! When I first started, I felt so much pressure to make all the beautiful spreads and track everything! Over the past couple of years I have worked through it and landed on spreads that work for me. There are times when I don't plan in it or set up a month, but the beautiful thing is - it doesn't matter. I can pick it up and start right again - right where I am. I always use my bullet journal for travel plans, party planning, and the holidays! Thank you for sharing your research. Thoroughly enjoy watching your channel.
Yes exactly! It doesn’t matter. We have to learn to let that stuff go ❤️ no one is marking our bujos to make sure we completed each spread or used it each and every day! Thank you so much 🥰
This is high quality work, thanks for doing this
This is such a good video; this is an issue I’ve been seeing all over Instagram, and I even see myself being bummed over the numbers on certain spreads. But realistically my bullet journal is for me and only me, and if I choose to share my spreads online that’s just an added bonus.
I’ve definitely fallen prey to the idea that you have to do the themes and spreads that are popular. But yes I think all the points you made are super important and they all come back to comparison!
Great advice! I've been bullet journaling since 2012 and found using collage in mine instead of doodling or drawing every time helps a lot with keeping it a creative outlet, but saving time that I don't have. I love drawing but just didn't have the time. Now I print pictures of shows, actors, music, books, etc that I'm interested in at the time which also turns it sort of into a collection journal without any extra steps. Pictures, stickers, and a single paper pad from a craft store for some colorful details and backgrounds and it makes it so much quicker without losing that artistic element.
I love the collage/scrapbook style! I’ve been doing it in my reading journal and it’s so fun ❤️
All this video is so true and necessary. I started getting overwhelm by the artistic layouts I already found online, but them I remember the purpose and after reading the ryder carroll's book, it helps me a lot to keep things simple and useful for me.
I’m so glad you were able to refocus on what matters to you! ❤️
Enjoyed your video. I am new to journaling. I have had the urge to rip out pages, but now that I am in for a few weeks I enjoy seeing my progress. As I go on I am starting to feel more comfortable in letting my creativity be what it is. I remind myself there are no rules or correct way. The whole point is to have it work for me, that is why I quit buying planners and guided journals to begin with. Thank you for the encouragement!
I am glad you brought up that you DO NOT have to be an artist and create art to use a bullet journal. I've been using a BuJo since the first year it was put out by Carroll. I used to sketch and paint in mine for all the monthly and weekly spreads. At a certain point, I realized that I simply do not have the time for all that art and still keep up with my day. I'd rather put the time into art that I can sell in my ETSY shop or at art shows. I almost quit the BuJo and considered returning to pre-printed planners even though they did not always serve my purpose. That is when I gave mysel permission to have a bare basic Bujo. Simple Black Pen, White Page. No sketching. My one return to "art" was to purchase a variety of BuJo stencils to create a number of popular spreads. Wow. What a different that made. I now create clean, simple tables, calendars, charts with the stencils in record time and the rest is simple handwriting. I've been on this new system for two years and plan to continue this way. I love the Bullet Journal method. It keeps me on track in my own way.
I'm not artistic - if I can make a semi-3D-looking box around some text I'm like "Woo! I did an art!" so it's really intimidating to see all of these extremely artistic, beautiful journals. There's no way I'd even get close to that. Thanks for emphasizing getting back to basics and that just doing the bare bones is enough. I haven't even started bullet journaling and was just looking for videos that explained how it's done and have very suddenly found myself inside a competitive artist rabbit hole from hell! It gets so complex, it's extremely hard for beginners to understand how it works. So thanks for this video, it helps shed light on why I'm experiencing this. 😅
This is so accurate ❤️ i started journaling to stay productive with the bare bone just notes zero doodles and drawings... Over time I started decorative opening pages and that's the only thing I still do ❤️🙏
I really needed this video!!! Thank you!!
Thanks for sharing your point of view ❤️
All I want to say is thank you.
I'm one of those quitters and yes I did start a new journal again this month.
But now I made it simple, took some of your ideas even made some mistakes.
And you know what, I don't care because I can make mistakes.
Thank you for showing me the way, now it's down to me to fill up this month and continue to follow this concept for a few months.
A big thank you, keep up the good work. 👍🏻
THANK YOU
as always, you articulate everything so well!
i'm a high school teacher and planners already done don't work for me so bullet journal is like : i can do whatever i want. i can be a lot influenced by the artistic side of the bujo. i love it. but my main reason is to be productive and get my tasks done.
i decided to take a break for the summer and just don't bullet journaling. i realized that i didn't have to be over the top and i decided to take it easy this year for the bullet journaling.
Aw thank you! I’m so glad taking a step back helped you clear up your priorities and come back with a new perspective ❤️
I love this Elizabeth, thank you for sharing 💛 you really hit it on the points on your explanation! For me, I use my bullet journal as an outlet to organize my thoughts and my days, to be productive and self reflect as well. I was also able to use it as a creatvive outlet and that’s the additional fun part. Though I have to agree, I experienced most of the stuff you mentioned why some people quit. It’s really pressuring but I’m learning to take it slow and work on my bujo for me because that’s how it should be 🥰💕 Thank you again for the lovely reminders! All the best! ☺️
Ah I love so much of what you said in this video! The trial and error of figuring out what works best for me in my journal is my favourite part!
I love everything about this video. :) I had been doing some sort of bullet journaling for the last five ish years, albeit never quite the original method. Early this year, I checked out Ryder Carroll’s book from the library and it helped me a LOT. Now I have a an aesthetic but utilitarian future log, a pretty monthly spread, and daily logs where I highlight the date using a color from that month’s theme. I feel less crazy and more put together, my bullet journal is still cute but infinitely more functional, and I still get the joy of making a beautiful thing once a month. Thank you thank you thank you for advocating this kind of balance. 🖤
That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m glad you’ve found a way to fit the system into your life in a way that serves you ❤️
I apreciate the research! It's so helpful! I listened to you carefully. But frankly speaking, the hard candy aroma and bright sun rays from you distracted me sometimes, in a good way. Thank you so much for sharing the atmosphere and good mood as well 😊. You inspired me to create with bullet journal and now I know how to do it right. Thank to you 😘
So many of the issues you talk about and the tips and insights you bring apply to so many aspects in life! A useful video not only to avoid quitting bullet journalling but to keep in mind for trying to live a good life ❤️
This video made me feel soooo good. About the way I do my bujo, thank you so much.
This method of organization should fit myself and not the expectations of somebodyelse
I’m so glad to hear that! ❤️
i dont do bullet journaling (im planning to start) but i do art journaling and i really enjoy it. i think that as long as you dont compare yourselves to others or dont give yourself high expectations, you'll be fine. i like doing journaling because it makes me relaxed and i have a lot of fun with it. i think you should do bullet journaling or art journaling for *you* not anyone else. i hope i don't end up quitting because so far i really enjoy art journaling and am excited to get into bullet journaling. to anyone else wanting to start, remember to do bullet journaling for yourself and not anything else. don't stress out if you miss a day or don't feel like doing a spread. no one will judge you
Always loved your videos! This is not the exception!!! I am completely in this stage and feel so identified with most mistakes you mentioned. At the moment I’m using my Bujo without decoration until I have time to do artsy stuff again 😂
Thanks for the honest video! LOVED IT!
I think the best thing you can do to ensure success is think about what you’ve always been missing in store-bought planners that you’ve tried and put them into your own bullet journal. For example, I’m a remote worker who makes their own schedule (I just have to hit a weekly hour total), so I needed space to track these hours, which I could never find elsewhere. It went in the bullet journal.
And liberally cut what isn’t necessary, even if many others do it. I don’t even have monthly spreads, just weekly and a year overview. I also don’t use the traditional system for migrating tasks between days…I’m not even sure my bullet journal could be called a bullet journal, maybe just a customized planner. But it’s fine, because it keeps me organized and productive!
Something that's made me still love bullet journaling is that during the quarentine last year, I made journals that span up to 2026. Yes, in 2020, I found pictures and inspirations for designs to make 6 notebooks! When I opened my 2021 notebook in January, I was excited because it meant I'd get to use the planner I designed ages ago and fell in love with it again. I don't always use every spread, and I make mistakes, but I embrace them. They make for memories later.
An excellent presentation. I like that you keep coming back to "do what works for you".
Loved this and all the practical solutions. Me and my sister started ours at the same time but she ended up quitting for some of these reasons and went back to a regular planner. My bullet journal is super artsy and I love that it forces me to sit down and do something creative once a week - but I found that when I don't have the time that things like stickers were super helpful. It gave me something pretty and exciting to look at whilst taking no time at all. I also definitely went super hard at the start and within a few months I had cut out half of it that wasn't relevant and despite having all these different styles of weekly spreads - I realized that mmy eyes and brain love repetition and recognizing something visually so just like you my weeklys all look exactly the same (with different colours/stickers)
I was actually dealing with a bunch of these earlier this year! I started simply a few years ago but during quarantine, since I was at home all the time taking online classes, I had enough time and creative energy to make my journal really pretty and fancy with a bunch of extra things. As I got vaccinated and went back to work, I felt like I had to keep up that level of commitment even though I didn't really have time or energy for it anymore, so I got burned out over the summer. I want to come back to making my own journal in the future, but for the meantime I've decided to take a break this year and use Amandarachlee's Doodle Planner instead so I can still have a little big of the classic bujo spreads and flexibility, but all the art and spreads are done for me and I just get to color it in as I go. I've been using mine for a few weeks now and I think this is a good break before I dive back in
This video has come at the perfect time! My work/life schedule is all out of whack and trying to keep a pretty BuJo is just unattainable yet I refuse to admit it 🤣 I used to love it because artistically, it's so relaxing, but it's just a bit unrealistic for me at the minute!! really helpful thankyou! x
It’s ok if you need to simplify for a while! You can always come back to the more artistic spreads when you have time to breathe ❤️❤️
I loved this! Thank you! A good reminder
Thank you for this! I was just on my way to Chapters to buy a planner as I quit my bullet journal. I have absolutely no artistic ability, so was always feeling bad that my journals were ugly. I will go back to the bare basics and try again!!
I started bullet journaling back in 2017, when I needed a way to manage my undergrad schedule, with bills, tasks, events, and assignments. I definitely went too big too fast for the sake of matching others’ in the community.
I look back at my bujos and they’ve changed so much. From more artistic (or what I could manage, given that I have no artistic skills), with weeklies that HAD to be beside each other (leaving a very strict way of doing things) to a minimalist rolling weekly task list and dailies with room for notes throughout the day and that just end up on the next empty page. I got very close to quitting because of some of these reasons, but I’ve found what works for me and I don’t see myself leaving.
I am considering upgrading my system into a traveler’s notebook, though, because of the time it takes to set up the exact same spreads in every new notebook (as someone in academia, my bujos are new every semester) - things like bill pages, and the future log, things that are permanent staples and I need on a regular basis but get tired with having to set up every six months.
I have hit all of those roadblocks. You absolutely nailed it. I had to take quite a few breaks from bullet journaling because of them. I know I'm a happier me when I journal, not to mention my life runs smoother. So, I found a system that worked for me and let go of perfectionism. Then I made bullet journaling part of my self care routine to alleviate the guilt of taking time to do it. Now I take this book everywhere with me lol
I’m so glad you’ve found a way forward! ❤️
Love this! I have been struggling and did exactly what you have suggested. Hoping this helps to stick to it.
This is by far the best advice I‘ve heard, thank you. I‘m looking to get into bullet journaling and this has helped so much! Starting simple with no pressure! Have a great New Year!
I'm so glad it was helpful! Good luck getting started ❤
I started bullet journaling a few years ago. At first my spreads were very artistic. I fell in love with the art, the process. Then my ADHD self started going off map. I found I'd set up a couple months ahead, but then I'd get soo busy that I'd have trouble keeping up. I seem to cycle between actively trying to stay on top of my life (so using the bujo dedicatedly) and losing complete sight of everything, and being mostly in survival mode. Now when I go back through, I see dynamic changes based on what was going on in my life. When I'm depressed, my journal is depressed or ignored. When I am inspired- you see the goals! I think its just really important to take what you need and let the rest go. Simplistic or artistic, this system continues to help me stay focused and accountable. It also shows me that sometimes I have too many habits to track - too many tasks to do - too much 'stuff' on my plate. When I can physically see that I literally cannot manage this much stuff then I know its time to simplify. Happy bujo'ing :D
It’s so freeing to remember that my Bukolt is for me and me alone! That really helps me set it up how ever I want.
Yes!! So important to remember and freeing, too 🙌
Great video. So down to earth. Love that!
I've ordered my first bullet journal and have been watching lots of videos and posts in preparation to start it for 2022. This is by far my favourite video. I think it has an ESSENTIAL message. Thank you.
Wow… I’m super glad I started bullet journaling in 2014, early days. It seems to have morphed into something that likely wouldn’t have changed my life as much as the earlier incarnations. Best wishes to anyone who can make sense of this video. My advice? Thanks for asking 😂… Watch Ryder Carroll’s original videos and get to actual work. You’re worth it, and you can do it. 🖤
Absolutely!!
One tip I have for keeping up bullet journalling while balancing a very busy schedule: I have the exact same layout every time (monthly log, notes page, weekly logs). I’ve been bujo-ing for 2.5 years so I know what works for me. same layouts month, same black pen. Once I have the backbone in, I change up the color scheme and titles and add the drawings etc. I like to draw the “backbone” a few weeks early while watching tv or lecture and then spend a relaxing afternoon later to add the artistic stuff. I also would draw the whole month in advance as to not maintain it every week!
I am just starting out on my bullet journal journey, so I really appreciate this video! Everything you talk about can be applied to other parts of our lives as well. Thank you for the wonderful advice!
Aw thank you! Good luck getting started with a bullet journal ❤️❤️
I appreciate this sooo much. 💕 I've always liked your videos for your productivity spreads. Your rolling weekly was definitely helpful in my busiest weeks.
I have experienced all that you've mentioned in one form or another during my time bullet journaling for the last... 2.5 years. For the last 6 months or so however, I've been experimenting with digital bullet journaling and only working on 1 month at a time. I did this because I wanted to save time and space on my desk. It's been really helpful to be able to (FINALLY!) create aesthetically pleasing spreads and doing so quickly by just having templates I've created and saved that I can simply copy and paste. I'm quite enjoying that I can always have my journal with me even if I forget to pack it and can add pictures on the fly without much set up. I've also been working on making spreads that fit on my phone well (when viewed in sections) or when I'm on my tablet, where I can see my full spread. However, I'm still not sure if I want to keep that format. I miss paper journals as I feel I may be more likely to look back just to reminisce than I would in my digital version.
Seeing this video however made realize that my latest spread was a kind of reset. What spread was an absolute must? The rest I chucked.
I first started journaling similar to how you did. I used a scrap notebook and just started at the back of it just to see how things played out. At that time I was also reading Ryder Carroll's book as I went along. I figured I'll just start with this basic thing and learn what I needed as I went along. It was absolutely the best way I could possibly start and I think having that foundation of "it just has to work for me and help me." Is something I keep coming back to and it keeps me grounded. But when you said "the venn diagram that is bullet journalists and perfectionist is literally just a circle" it had me cracking up. I started all scribbly but I then I realized I need straight lines and clearer penmanship. For you, you need your art work to encourage you to return to it, for me I need my base weekly spreads to have straight lines and well spaced margins. Otherwise it irritates me lol 😆
As for the performance bit, I honestly keep my bujo as more of a journal than just a to do list. Especially now that I'm out of school. I could never truly share my bujo because my private thoughts or the ideas that I'd like to work on are in there. Maybe that can help people who are experiencing the anxiety of feeling like they need to work and perform when they open their bujo. As an artist, I learned that my sketchbooks are for me and me only, I'll share if I feel like it. Same goes for my bujo.
I think because it's meant to act as a place to house my thoughts while I think and do other things it allowed me to just be me in my bujo. If it's a bit messy or has useless spreads that's okay, it's about self discovery in the end. It's unfortunate when people give up on it. But some might just not be ready to be that honest with themselves and their needs yet. Or maybe they have and they realize that bullet journaling isn't what they need and that's okay too.
For those who have contemplated this, have started, are in the midst of it or have given up on bullet journaling, goodluck on whichever path you choose to take. 💕
I love this video. I've been bullet journaling since 2016. I've always felt the silent hum of pressure to use it EVERY SINGLE DAY and make it super aesthetic, but my life doesn't work like that. I work a scattered schedule with no daily routine. But it's why I love the system. I set up a monthly bare bone style page, list my tasks and work days, and decorate any free space. Then the rest of my pages are ~whatever~ my ADHD brain wants - a doodle page, a list of things I need for the one time thing, a grocery list, car maintenance. Some weeks I use it EVERY SINGLE DAY, other months, I just check once a week. My journal breathes and flows with the pace of my life.
Such a great video. All truth!
Thank you so much, Julia! This was such an interesting video to put together 🤎
This is the first video I've watched of yours and I love it. The production is so well done and I love your animations. Beautiful. I am not really looking into bullet journaling for scheduling, at this time. I found your video because I want to make a reading journal to keep track of all of the books, audiobooks, fanfic, and webcomics I read. I searched bullet journal index page ideas. Thank you for such a great video! 🌻🍂🍁🌾
I am so glad I found this video when I was first trying my hand at bullet journaling! I've only been using the system for a few months but I'm pretty sure this is a long-term tool I will keep using for years. I didn't realize until re-watching this video today how relevant this advice has been while I craft my journal into the tool that works best for me! Thank you!
Ironically, it's been watching your videos that's gotten me back into a bujo in the last 2 months... I'm definitely not as artistically inclined, but it gives me a creative and flexible outlet whilst being adaptable to my needs at the time...
I’m so happy to hear that! ❤️
i quit for a couple months when covid started. i picked it back up and fell in love with it all over again! sometimes a break is a good thing
I can't even begin to tell you how much I needed this today, thank you, thank you so much
That's a perfect real talk! I was considering a planner for next year but I didn't see anyone that has everything that I need or the horizontal weekly spread that I used to. This video made me realize that will be more suitable and cheaper to get back to bullet journaling