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?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_parker25d ago

Read an article once that said something about how planning can actually trick your brain into thinking you already did the work... and that's exactly what happened to me. My pretty spreads felt productive but I was just decorating instead of doing. Now I use a single spiral notebook with coffee stains on the cover and write everything in one messy column. Cross things out five times if I need to, rewrite the same task for three days in a row. It's not pretty but it actually works, which is probably what your friend was trying to tell you.

kaiharris1mo ago

Remember when bullet journals first got popular and it felt like you had to be an artist to use one? I spent so much time drawing borders that I never wrote anything down. Now my notebook is just crossed-out lists and quick notes, and it finally does its job. Letting go of making it look perfect was the best thing I ever did for actually getting things done.

owens.cameron1mo ago

My first bullet journal had color coded trackers and a hand drawn calendar. It took three hours and stressed me out more than my actual schedule. The whole point is to clear your head, not make a new project, right? I keep a cheap notebook now where I can write sloppy and cross things out. That messy page is proof I'm actually doing the work instead of just planning it.