c/bullet-journaling

Rapid logging vs full sentences, which side are you on?

I was at a coffee shop downtown last week and saw two people bullet journaling at different tables. One was doing straight rapid logging, dashes and bullets, no fluff. The other was writing full journal entries in their notebook. It got me thinking about how I started with rapid logging but slowly drifted into writing more and more words. Do you stick to the original bullet system or have you evolved into something more like a diary?

Found out my habit trackers were totally useless after 4 months

I had this detailed habit tracker in my bullet journal for tracking water intake, reading, and exercise. Every day I'd color in the little boxes and feel good about it. Then I looked back at 4 months of data and realized I was just using the same 3 colors over and over without actually checking if I was doing the habits. The tracker looked pretty but it didn't actually help me drink more water or read more books. I found a post on a bujo blog that explained the difference between tracking and actually changing behavior. Now I'm trying a simpler weekly checklist instead. Has anyone else caught themselves decorating more than actually using their trackers?

Was never convinced by habit trackers until my third year of journaling

For almost two years I thought habit trackers were just decorative filler that took up space in my bullet journal. But after I started tracking how many days I actually watered my houseplants, I realized I was forgetting almost half the time. Has anyone else had a bullet journal feature they dismissed early on that later became essential?

Spent $75 on a fancy journal that didn't even lay flat

I picked up this leather-bound bullet journal from an Etsy shop back in April for $75 because it looked so nice in the photos, but the spine is so stiff it won't stay open on my desk without me holding it down. Now I'm stuck using a cheap $8 dotted notebook from Target that works way better for my daily spreads and habit trackers. Anyone else bought a pricey journal that just ended up collecting dust?

Vent: My whole weekly spread fell apart after I tried the Alastair method

I was all in on that rapid logging system where you use different dots and dashes for tasks, events, and notes. But last Tuesday I realized I spent 20 minutes just decoding my own symbols from Monday morning, and by Thursday I had completely stopped using the whole thing. I'm back to my old Ryder Carroll basics now, just bullets and crosses. Has anyone else tried a fancy migration system that totally backfired?

Digital bujo vs paper. Paper won after 3 months.

Hit 365 days of daily habit tracking last week

I started a tiny box for drinking water in my bullet journal last year, just to see if I could stick with it for a month. Somehow I kept going and last Thursday I colored in box number 365, which is a full year of not missing a single day. Has anyone else hit a random streak like that and found it really changed how you approach your whole journal setup?

Overheard a YouTuber say layouts don't matter and I have mixed feelings

Was watching this girl do a spread in a coffee shop last week and she was like 'just dump your tasks wherever, the layout is fake'. Been using the same monthly calendar from Ryder Carroll for like 2 years and it works. But now I'm wondering if I'm overthinking my collections and trackers. Anyone else stick to one format because it feels safe?

Finally filled a whole monthly spread without missing a single day

I started bullet journaling back in January just to track my water intake and sleep. Stuck with it for about 3 weeks then gave up like always. This month I decided to try something different. I put my bujo on the kitchen counter instead of my nightstand. Turns out seeing it while I make coffee every morning actually worked. I filled every single day for July without skipping. That's 31 days straight which is a record for me by a long shot. The weird thing is I only used 3 colors the whole month and kept it super plain. No fancy banners or washi tape. I think the simpler layout helped me stick with it. Has anyone else found that putting your journal in a random new spot made a difference?

Met someone at a craft fair who showed me her 10 year old journal

I was at a local craft fair last Saturday and saw this older lady selling handmade bookmarks. She pulled out her bullet journal from 2014 and it was so worn the spine was held together with tape. She said she still uses the original index system from the book, never changed a thing.

Bought a $30 Leuchtturm notebook and it totally let me down

After hearing everyone rave about them, I spent $30 on a Leuchtturm1917 for my bullet journal last month. But the pages ghost so bad that my weekly spreads look like a mess, and the ink bleeds through on anything wetter than a fine point. Anyone else find a cheaper notebook that actually holds up better for daily use?

Took me 2 years to realize my habit trackers were making me miserable

I was sitting there last Sunday staring at my habit tracker and realized I had marked like 5 things from 3 weeks ago just to not break the streak. Then I saw someone on instagram say they only track stuff they actually do daily without forcing it and it clicked. Why was I tracking water intake when I drink fine without it? Or reading 30 minutes when I hate being timed? The whole point was supposed to help me not stress me out. Has anyone else ditched trackers that just don't fit your real life?

That friend who told me to skip the index key was so wrong

A guy from my local bullet journal meetup in Austin said I didn't need an index key, that it just slows you down. I went 3 months without one and my notebook became a total mess, I couldn't find anything I wrote down about my workouts or my budget tracking. Had to flip through 40 pages just to find my doctor appointment from July, what a waste of time. Has anyone else had a bad habit they picked up from someone's advice that just didn't work for them?

Got told my collections were too busy, made a huge change

A friend said my weekly spreads looked like a yard sale had exploded. I cut down to just 3 highlighters and one tiny doodle per page and suddenly I actually stick with it. Has anyone else had to simplify after someone called them out?

Last week I finally figured out my monthly spread problem

I've been bullet journaling for about 3 years now, but my monthly spreads always felt cluttered and useless. Last month in Austin I tried something different - I split my tasks into three tiny columns instead of one big list. It took me maybe 10 minutes to set up, but I actually used it every day last week. Has anyone else tried a different layout that just clicked for them?

Spent $45 on a "minimalist" journal and the binding split in 2 weeks

I saw this fancy leather bullet journal all over Instagram and figured it would be my forever book... paid $45 for it and everything. The paper was nice at first, really smooth and no ghosting. But after like 2 weeks of normal use the spine just cracked and pages started falling out. I was only like halfway through the thing and now I can't even open it flat without chunks of paper coming loose. Honestly my $8 dotted notebook from Target has held up way better over the last 6 months. Has anyone else fallen for one of those overpriced journals that just fall apart?

Why does every beginner bullet journal spread have to be a full watercolor masterpiece?

I spent 2 hours on a simple weekly layout last week while my coworker bragged about her 10-minute minimalist setup, and it made me realize people are missing the whole point of using the system for productivity instead of art.

Bought a $45 dotted journal from a fancy brand and now I miss my old $8 one

Last month I splurged on this leather-bound bullet journal with 140gsm paper and a pen loop (huge selling point for me). The paper is nice but the pre-printed index pages actually get in my way since I spread my collections out weird. My old cheap notebook had no structure and I could just roll with whatever setup I wanted. Has anyone else tried a fancier journal and gone back to something simpler for their bujo?

That friend who told me to just use a plain notebook instead of a fancy dotted one

Tbh I was super annoyed when my buddy Mike told me to grab a $3 composition notebook instead of the $25 Leuchtturm I had my eye on. I thought he was just being cheap and didn't get the whole bullet journal thing. Well after 6 months I gotta admit he was right. The cheap paper handles my fountain pen ink way better and I don't feel bad messing up pages. Has anyone else had someone talk you out of spending more money and it actually worked out?

My cousin swore using a ruler for spreads would 'kill the vibe', but my freehand calendar looked like a toddler drew it.

I tried her advice for a month and my weekly logs were so messy I couldn't read my own tasks. Anyone have a good middle-ground method that isn't super rigid?

My friend told me to skip the fancy spreads and just write stuff down

She said my bullet journal looked too neat to actually use. I ignored her for months, trying to make perfect weekly layouts. Last week I was so busy I just started scribbling tasks on a blank page. It worked way better and I got everything done. Has anyone else ditched the pretty stuff for messy but useful?

PSA: A friend said my bullet journal looked like a chore list and it made me rethink everything

My best friend looked at my weekly spread last month and said, 'This looks so stressful, like a work report.' I had been packing every inch with tasks, trackers, and color codes. I realized I was spending more time decorating and logging than actually doing things. I switched to a simple two-page spread with just three daily priorities and one habit tracker. Now I actually enjoy opening my journal. Has anyone else simplified their setup after a comment like that?

Vent: I spent $45 on a fancy pen set and it's been a total waste

I saw a set of four brush pens online last month and thought they'd make my weekly spreads look amazing. I tried to use them for my habit tracker, but the ink bled through the pages of my journal. Now they just sit in a cup on my desk because they're too messy for my daily notes. Has anyone found a good pen that doesn't bleed on regular dotted paper?

Heads up, I was at the big craft store in Portland and saw they're selling bullet journal kits with pre-printed monthly layouts, which seems to miss the whole point of making your own system.

Has anyone else run into this and found a good way to explain the core bujo idea to new people who might buy those?

Hot take: My $5 notebook from the drugstore works better than the fancy $30 dotted journal I bought online.

Honestly, I used the expensive one for a whole week and the paper was so thick my pens feathered. Ngl, the cheap one has smoother paper and lies flat. I think the simpler binding on the basic book just works better for daily flipping. Has anyone else had a budget tool totally beat out a 'premium' one for bullet journaling?