I have been consistently using my bullet journal for over three years now. It's biggest appeal to me is that I can change my layouts and journal spreads to match my needs.
There are some spreads that I include every month, that I know will provide the planning and functionality that I need.
Bullet Journal Calendar
My bullet journal calendar is the place where I record all meetings, events and deadlines for the coming month. I also include a section where I can record some key tasks or goals for the month, along with a social media tracker.
I use a Rhodia Goalbook for my bullet journal, as I love the added benefit of it having an undated calendar at the front of the notebook, along with great paper quality. The undated calendar works perfectly for a future log, allowing me to plan in dates for the year ahead.
Bullet Journal Gratitude Log and Habit Tracker
Every evening I take a few moments to record the things that I am grateful for. It's a lovely evening routine and really helps me to have a positive outlook.
My habit tracker is very helpful in guiding me to see where I am doing well and also any areas that need more attention. The habits I track are those that I think will be most helpful in assisting me to meet my goals. I don't ever beat myself up for gaps in my tracker. I just view them as part of my journey and acknowledge that I need to make some small changes.
Master Task List
My master task list is one of my most useful spreads in my bullet journal. This is where I record all tasks that don't yet have a place in my plans. As emails come in or new thoughts pop into my head, I write them down here, under the right category heading.
This stops me from getting distracted by new tasks, but ensures that they won't be forgotten either. I also use this space to plan out my photos and videos for social media.
Reasons to be Proud
These are two pages that I wouldn't want to be without. It can feel a bit "braggy" to write down things you are proud of yourself for, but I think it's a really useful habit to maintain. Writing a few lines on this page is another part of my evening routine.
Days don't always go to plan and there are times when I can feel a little defeated. However, taking some time to offer myself a little praise really helps to shift my mindset into a more positive space. It also works as an added boost when I read back through these pages. It's so easy to be hard on ourselves and yet frustratingly difficult to recognise all of the good things we do every day. This page in my bullet journal has enabled me to be much kinder to myself.
Bullet Journal Weekly Spread
I set up my bullet journal weekly spread every Sunday, so that I am prepared for week ahead. I find it really useful to have an overview of the meetings, deadlines and tasks that I have coming up.
I also find it helpful to plan my meals in advance when I can, and I also include a mini healthy habits tracker. I track the following habits:
e: minutes spent exercising
w: sufficient water intake
m: meditation
h: healthy eating
Bullet Journal Daily Log
These are the pages that keep me on track on a daily basis. I write out my plans in the evening, so that I can start the next day with a clear picture in my mind of what I want to achieve.
I do add tasks throughout the day where I need to, but I'm always mindful that this will probably mean that something else won't get done. When I reflect in the evenings I either migrate unfinished tasks to the next day, or reschedule them for another date.
I hope you've enjoyed seeing my planning process and how I use my bullet journal. I genuinely have made more progress towards my goals since using this system, than at any other point in my life. It has helped me to focus on productivity, but also healthy habits, mindset and creative projects.
I love adding the creative elements too and I think this helps brings me back to my journal on a daily basis.
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