BulletJournal Updates

Gordon Tillman

I have been using Ryder Carroll’s BulletJournal techniques for organizing my analog journal for about 6 months now. There are several things I really like about this system.

  • It is easy to maintain
  • It lets you carry around just one paper journal that you can use for everything; e.g., to-do lists, project notes, work and activity tracking, study notes, etc.
  • It is very easy to customize to fit your needs.

Regarding that last point, I would like to share my current setup.

Pages

Main Index (one full spread)

  • Page Title: Index <from-date>-<to-date>
  • Entries for
    • Monthly calendars
    • Collections
  • Page numbers recorded on right side

Recurring Tasks (one full spread)

  • Page Title: Recurring Tasks

Future Tasks (one full spread)

  • Page Title: Future Tasks

Monthly Calendar/Tasks (two spreads, if necessary)

  • Page Title: yyyy-mm (month)
  • Left two columns for every other row (two rows per day. if necessary carry-over to second spread)
    • day (1-31)
    • two letters of weekday; e.g., ‘Mo’ for Monday, etc.
  • Right side of first row for each day
    • Page number for the start of the Daily Calendar for that day
  • Entries
    • enter significant events on that day
    • appointments
    • task references
  • Monthly tasks are listed following last day of month
    • Enter TODO items for the month (see Bullets below)
    • Include day numbers or weekday names in square brackets
    • Examples:
      • @E ☐ TODO [WE] Flowers For Mikie
      • @H ☐ TODO [1, 15] Vacuum the cats

Daily Calendar

  • Title: yyyy-mm-dd (day)
  • Entries: See Bullets below

Collections

  • Title: Whatever is appropriate for the collection
  • Entries: See Bullets below

Continuation Markers

  • Used if Index, Calendar, or Collection fills up page and has to carry to another page
  • Add --> <new-page-number> at top of original page (by title)
  • Add <-- <old-page-number> at top of new page (by title)

Bullets

  • These are used to mark the type of entry that follows

    • ◯ event entry

    • ☐ TODO entry

      • Leave two grids on left of marker for GTD contexts:
        • @A - Anywhere
        • @C - Computer
        • @E - Errand
        • @H - Home
        • @M - Meeting (Agenda)
        • @O - Office
        • @P - Phone
        • @S - Someday/Maybe
        • @W - Waiting-For
      • Include optional due date by including [DD=mm/dd]

    • · General Note entry

    • >> Journal entry

    • ↓ Check-In (at a location)

    • ↑ Check-Out (from a location)

    • Other entries:

      • (A) Audio entry (music, podcast, audiobook)
      • (B) Book Notes
      • (C) C3 - Caring, Connecting, Committing
      • (D) Drink entry (water, coffee, wine, etc)
      • (E) Exercise entry (cardio, resistance, stretching, etc.)
      • (F) Food log entry (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack)
      • (I) Idea for project
      • (L) Learning (language, math, etc)
      • (M) Measurement entry (weight, blood pressure, resting heart

      rate, sleep, etc.)

      • (N) News
      • (P) Pen/Ink/Paper related note
      • (S) Supplements/Medicine
      • (R) Relaxation (meditation)
      • (W) Weather entry

Procedures

Starting New Month

  • Initialize full-spread monthly calendar and full-spread monthly tasks.
  • Carry over unfinished tasks from previous month
  • Scan recurring tasks and write them in on new monthly calendar or monthly tasks
  • Scan future tasks and write them in on new monthly calendar or monthly tasks.

Starting New Day

  • Initialize daily calendar
  • Carry over unfinished tasks from previous day
  • Write in any appropriate tasks or appointments from monthly calendar and monthly tasks