My Bullet Journal Workflow  ## Metadata - Author: [[Greg Higgins]] - Full Title: My Bullet Journal Workflow - Category: #articles - Document Note: ## Summarize: This article discusses the author's journey to improve their productivity workflow and task management system. Initially, they used various apps for task management, but after a challenge, they decided to go a month without using a task manager at all. During this period, they realized that they didn't necessarily need constant reminders to complete tasks; they would remember important tasks without relying on notifications. Embracing the idea of carrying a pocket-sized notebook (Field Notes), they found it useful for jotting down notes and ideas. However, they still needed a method to manage their multiple responsibilities effectively. The author then discovered the Bullet Journal system, created by Ryder Carroll, which intrigued them but was initially overwhelming due to its complexity. Eventually, they learned about a simplified approach where they used one notebook per month as a Bullet Journal, containing future logs, monthly tasks, and daily logs. This method allowed them to be more intentional with their time and reduce their reliance on digital devices. ## Bullet Points: - The author sought to improve their productivity workflow and task management. - They experimented with various apps for task management but later challenged themselves to go a month without a task manager. - During the challenge, they discovered that they could remember important tasks without constant reminders. - They began carrying a pocket-sized notebook (Field Notes) to jot down notes and ideas. - The Bullet Journal system intrigued them, but they found the traditional method overwhelming. - They learned about a simplified approach where one notebook was used per month for Bullet Journaling. - The monthly Bullet Journal included future logs, month at a glance, bills due, monthly tasks, and daily logs. - This approach helped them be more intentional with their time and reduced their dependence on digital devices. - They considered scanning the pages at the end of the day to preserve the notebooks' content. ## Paraphrase: 1. **Original Paragraph**: "I’ve mentioned before that I’m always looking at ways to fix my productivity workflow. I’ve used a bunch of different apps over the years for task management and calendar items. This was until about a year ago. I was challenged by someone on micro.blog to not use a task manager at all. At the times I was using Apple’s reminders for keeping up with items." **Paraphrased**: In the quest to improve my productivity, I have continuously explored various apps for task management and calendar organization. However, about a year ago, I encountered a challenge on micro.blog, urging me to abandon the use of task managers altogether, even though I relied on Apple's reminders at that time. 2. **Original Paragraph**: "I decided I liked the idea of not using Reminders by this time, but I also realized I needed a little something to keep up with all the hats I was wearing (Day job, radio broadcasting, ESPN+ announcer, PA Announcing, United Way board meetings, church responsibilities and so on)." **Paraphrased**: Eventually, I embraced the idea of foregoing Reminders, but I recognized the necessity of having a system to manage my numerous roles and responsibilities, ranging from my day job to various broadcasting duties, board meetings, and church responsibilities. ### Conclusion: The author's journey towards improving productivity and task management involved a transition from using different apps for task organization to trying a task manager-free approach. They discovered that they could remember important tasks without constant reminders and notifications. Carrying a pocket-sized notebook (Field Notes) became a useful practice for jotting down notes and ideas. The article then introduced the Bullet Journal system as a potential solution, but the traditional method seemed overwhelming. However, the author adopted a simplified approach, using one notebook per month for Bullet Journaling. This monthly Bullet Journal included various logs and tasks, offering a more intentional use of time while reducing digital device dependency. ### Questions: 1. How did the author's challenge of going without a task manager impact their productivity and task completion? 2. In what ways did the pocket-sized notebook (Field Notes) prove beneficial compared to digital note-taking methods? 3. What is the Bullet Journal system, and how does it aim to improve productivity and focus? 4. Why did the author find the traditional Bullet Journal method overwhelming, and how did they simplify the process? 5. How can the use of a monthly Bullet Journal help individuals manage their responsibilities and tasks effectively? ### Auto-tagging: task management, productivity workflow, apps, reminders, challenge, micro.blog, Field Notes, Bullet Journal, simplified approach, logs, digital devices. ### Index Creation: 1. Task management apps 2. Challenge to go without a task manager 3. Relying on Apple's reminders 4. Embracing the idea of using Field Notes 5. Discovering the Bullet Journal system 6. Overwhelming nature of traditional Bullet Journaling 7. Simplified approach: One notebook per month 8. Components of the monthly Bullet Journal 9. Benefits of intentional time management 10. Reducing reliance on digital devices ### Table of Contents: 1. Introduction - Seeking productivity workflow improvements - Exploring task management apps - The challenge to abandon task managers 2. Discovering a New Approach - The realization of task remembrance without reminders - Embracing pocket-sized notebook usage (Field Notes) - The appeal of a non-digital note-taking method 3. Introducing the Bullet Journal - Understanding the Bullet Journal system - Initial reservations due to complexity - A simplified approach with one notebook per month 4. Implementing the Monthly Bullet Journal - Components of the monthly Bullet Journal - Benefits of intentional time management - Reducing dependency on digital devices 5. Preserving the Journal's Contents - Considering options for long-term storage - Potential benefits of scanning pages ### References: The article itself does not provide specific references or citations. ### Future Research: 1. Investigate the long-term impact of using a task manager-free approach on productivity and task completion rates. 2. Conduct a comparative study on the effectiveness of digital note-taking versus pocket-sized notebook (Field Notes) usage in enhancing creativity and idea generation. 3. Explore user experiences and preferences regarding the traditional Bullet Journal method and the simplified monthly approach to identify factors contributing to adoption and adherence. 4. Analyze the relationship between intentional time management and stress reduction, as well as its potential benefits for overall well-being and work-life balance. 5. Investigate the extent to which reducing reliance on digital devices affects attention span, focus, and productivity in various professional and personal contexts. ### Hypotheses: 1. Individuals who adopt a task manager-free approach will experience an increase in task completion rates and a sense of task ownership. 2. Users who utilize pocket-sized notebooks (Field Notes) for note-taking will demonstrate higher levels of creativity and spontaneous idea generation compared to those relying solely on digital methods. 3. The simplified monthly Bullet Journal approach will result in higher rates of Bullet Journal adoption and adherence compared to the traditional method. 4. Intentional time management through Bullet Journaling will positively correlate with reduced stress levels and improved work-life balance. 5. Reducing dependence on digital devices will lead to improved focus, attention, and productivity in both professional and personal activities. ### Methodology: 1. For the study on task manager usage, conduct a longitudinal survey and track task completion rates before, during, and after a task manager-free period for participants in different professions. 2. To compare digital and pocket-sized notebook note-taking, conduct a control - Document Tags: [[BulletJournal]] [[gtd]] - Summary: I’ve mentioned before that I’m always looking at … - URL: https://www.greghiggins.co/2023/07/26/my-bullet-journal.html I’ve mentioned before that I’m always looking at ways to fix my productivity workflow. I’ve used a bunch of different apps over the years for task management and calendar items. This was until about a year ago. I was challenged by someone on [micro.blog](https://micro.blog) to not use a task manager at all. At the times I was using Apple’s reminders for keeping up with items. I noticed something happened, though. I using reminders but I wasn’t using reminders. What I realized was happening was this: I would put items inside reminders. I would get the notification and would ignore it. I wouldn’t do any of those items at that moment. I wound up doing it later and most of the time it wasn’t because of the reminder. It was just something I knew I needed to do. So I took this challenge and went a month without using a task manager at all. It worked fine actually. There were a few items I wrote down at work but it was only because I knew I needed to get certain things done on a project in a certain order. I didn’t put any times or dates with them. After the month I realized I didn’t need a huge task management system. So for the first time in years, I removed reminders (or whatever task manager it was before that) from the dock on my Home Screen. I also killed notifications for reminders. It was actually nice to not constantly see a notification from reminders on my Lock Screen and/or Notification Center. Around this same time I was starting to get into the idea of carrying a notebook with me in my pocket. I had some [Field Notes](https://fieldnotesbrand.com) laying around the house. I put it in my pocket and carried it around. It took a while for me to remember I had it in my pocket and that I could use it to jot down notes, ideas, or anything else for that matter. I still had a tendency to use my phone. I decided I liked the idea of not using Reminders by this time, but I also realized I needed a little something to keep up with all the hats I was wearing (Day job, radio broadcasting, ESPN+ announcer, PA Announcing, United Way board meetings, church responsibilities and so on). I had always been a fan of the [Bullet Journal](https://bulletjournal.com). I loved the method and had tried it multiple times over the years. it never quite stuck with me though. The reason for this, I think, is that I didn’t like carrying that big notebook with me all the time. Plus the layouts could be quite overwhelming at times. What is a Bullet Journal you ask? It’s a system that was created by Ryder Carroll, who was diagnosed with a learning disability early in life. He was forced to figure out how to be productive and focus using different methods. It took trial and error but he finally developed the Bullet Journal method. It’s become quite the phenomenon in productivity too. Do a quick Google Search for Bullet Journal and you’ll get approximately 213 million results. Click on images and you’ll get all kinds of images of journals and their designs. This, as I said earlier, can be overwhelming and make it hard to figure out where to start. So, this was in my mind during this whole time. I had read the Bullet Journal book and knew how to set it up but it still didn’t click with me for some reason. Fast forward to earlier this year. I saw a post on Mastadon that mentioned using Field Notes for a bullet journal. This both confused and intrigued me. First of all, how could you put everything from a Bullet Journal in a Field Notes book? They only have 48 pages. Thus the confusion. Second, How do you make this work because I’m already carrying a Field Notes book with me. So I reached out to the person who posted this. What I found out was they were using one notebook per month as a Bullet Journal. They had all the normal aspects of the Bullet Journal but only on a monthly basis. This fascinated me. So I decided to try it. This started in March and I’ve been doing it ever since. At the end of the month or the beginning of the next month, I get my new notebook out and start filling it out. I do the future log, month at a glance, bills due, monthly tasks, and daily log. It’s super simple and it keeps what I need. More importantly though, it gives me another reason to put the phone down. I have recently been thinking about scanning the pages at the end of the day to save them either in iCloud Drive or in Day One. This will allow me to have access without keeping the notebooks. One per month means these notebooks can accumulate quickly. So there it is, my Bullet Journal workflow using a Field Notes book. I’m not saying this would work for everyone but it is working for me and that’s what I need. I want something to help me be a little more intentional with my time and that also allows me to not be locked in to a computer (or phone/tablet) all the time., My Bullet Journal Workflow, Greg Higgins, 01h6bw0eh9vh4mb0cm28p6p5tx.