I’m not sure if this will make sense to anyone else but I wanted to document something I’ve been trying lately with regards to planning/bujo/journaling type things. Even if only so I can go back and see what I did lol. 

So I have been bullet journaling in some form on and off since 2014. So it’s been a minute. And while I like it on the whole, it’s just not been working out for me lately. I tried a Hobonichi weeks mega and while I really like some aspects it’s just not enough room for me. My handwriting is not that small. 

I ran across a simplified GTD-like system called Ugmonk Analog and I liked the principles (even if I didn’t like the price tag) so I adapted it to my new journal. 

Ugmonk’s Analog system has three cards - Today, Next, and Someday. I’m just using notecards I have for this. I put the Today card on my cover with washi tape so I can see it without opening my notebook and easily write things down (my pen is in the loop to the side there). 

The Next and the Someday cards - along with some others are in the inside. I made the pocket by taping one of the notecards horizontally and taping the two outside sides. 

The long bit of text on the inside cover is the Heart Sutra. I like to write it on notebooks I’ll be using regularly so I pause and reflect on it more regularly. 

In addition to Next and Someday cards, I have a blank one for scratch paper and one with my ideal timelines for doing home and personal tasks. The personal side is lacking, I’m kind of in a state of transition on that so I’m unclear what I want to do regularly. The house stuff never happens all the way but I like knowing what I’d like to do when I’m adding tasks to my Today card. 

I think my favorite part of this system is the memory keeping part. It’s not super elegant or pretty but on the pack of each today card, I record any notable things about the day on the top (period, mood, fights, symptoms) with a hashtag, the weather, and then I fill the card with what I did that day. It’s been very helpful so far for jogging my memory throughout the week. I like that I can pull them out and see as many as I’d like throughout the week. I plan on digitizing them at the end of the year and keeping the last year as a hard copy. 

I keep the card in this little green box. Might decorate it soon. 

I don’t really feel like sharing my finished cards so hopefully this gives you an idea. I like that I can see what happened in a day and what I got done on one card. 

So yeah, I’m really liking it so far. I still do long form journaling (Morning Pages type things) in the notebook itself. I actually turn it so the short side is on the top and it’s kind of like writing on an A4 sheet of paper. I do that so I don’t start auto rereading old journal entries when I’m flipping through for other stuff. I index and thread anything that isn’t journal entries like I would a normal bullet journal. Right now I have some random notes for subject I’m studying, some pen and paper games I’m playing, and writing notes. 

I’m also going to add either an A6 monthly calendar or print my own calendar set up to add to the back pocket for scheduling things in advance. I know everyone uses Google Calendar but I never check mine much. So people can schedule things with me on my Google Cal but my source of truth will be the hard copy. 

Some resources I took inspiration from in setting all this up: 

- OG Bullet Journal - I’m surprised by how many people I’ve met who don’t know that bullet journaling isn’t just making your own pretty planner but an actual system (no shade to the art journaling folks, I’m just not one of them). When I say I use bullet journaling, this is what I’m using. Check for some of his more recent videos if you like it, he’s updated it. 

- Ugmonk Analog - slightly expanded to-do list system on paper; the product seems nice but they’ve actually been very supportive of people making their own knockoff versions for personal use which is cool to see

- Everbook - I think if I had more to juggle, I’d upgrade to something like this system. This guy has so many neat ideas sprinkled throughout the channel. He also really supports people making their own version. Love a good open source ethos. 

Happy lunar new year!

During the past month, more or less, I have been working on a few posts on the subject of journaling. At the moment this small series of posts counts of three posts, plus a bonus fourth, that will come out in the next few days (and will be linked below as they are posted). This is meant to be a very small and basic guide to journaling, that might continue in the future if I find out that someone might be interested in other journaling topics. The posts that I have will be posted now are:

On different types of journals. This is meant to be both a guide to different types of journal you might have heard about, and a place to get inspired with what you could do in the notebooks you have collected in time.

On the benefits of journaling. This is meant to explain why journaling can be helpful, why you should consider journaling, or simply to explain why so many people have this habit.

On journaling tips. This is a big list of all the tips I could think of, they are mainly linked to a personal journal, but they could also be applied to different types of journals and notebook, so I'd recommend checking it out, because you never know if there's something that might help you.

Some prompts and ideas. This is a bonus post in the series with some random ideas to get you started or to switch things up in your normal journaling routine.

As I said these are some of the first things I thought of on the topic of journals, but I do not exclude that in the future this series could grow with other posts. If you happen to have suggestions, or questions let me know.

A few of you have been asking about ways to revise (that’s not just making notes). Here’s a list of some different techniques you can use to revise/study:

Notes - making notes is the ‘standard’ way of studying - summarising information from textbooks/revision guides into your own words

Mind-maps - making these is a great way to organise ideas and link different ideas

Posters - big and colourful posters are a great way to summarise info as well as a more fun way of working

Teaching - teaching others (anyone who will listen to you will do) is a great way, as it will really show whether you really know the info by how well you can explain it to someone who knows nothing about it

Videos - watching videos can be a nice and easy way to revise, and are useful for visual and/or auditory learners

Podcasts - you can download and listen to podcasts when you are walking to school etc. which is a great way to get extra revision in, and they’re great for auditory learners

Flashcards - these can be useful for making really concise notes, as well as making Q&A or key word and definition cards - they are also really compact so you can take them with you

Group study - working with friends can help bounce ideas off each other, bringing up things you might not have thought about alone - you will all have different strengths that will help each other out

Past questions - doing past papers and looking at mark schemes will help your timings and application of knowledge/exam technique

Write (don’t type) - making notes on tablets/laptops is fine, but when it comes to writing practise essays always write because that’s what you will be doing in the exam (unless you use a laptop for some reason) so it’s best to practise for timings etc.

Further reading - reading articles and books around the subject areas will give you a broader idea of the concepts and a better overall understanding

Accents/voices - some people find using different accents or characters of voices helps them remember things (in the exam you can recall info because you remember you said it in an Australian accent for example)

Key word lists - making lists of words and definitions can be useful, as using key words in context in essays/questions is what gets you the higher marks

Post-it notes - writing key ideas on post-it notes and sticking them in places you go commonly (on the fridge, by the light switch, in your bedroom, on the TV etc) 

Apps - there are loads of great apps that you can download to make notes and flashcards etc. as well as apps for generally increasing your productivity - see my studying apps post here

Songs/mnemonics - making funny little songs to remember processes can be really useful, as they really stick in your head

There are habits that I do during specific days of the week. Here’s my “weekly routine”. Honestly I don’t know what to call it:

Monday:

Mondays are long so I try to keep the afternoons rather free

I do all my daily habits like meditation, healthy eating and stretching

On Mondays I keep my work out very light and easy. Something like a walk is ideal 

I play with my chinchillas

Tuesday:

On Tuesday my school schedule is even longer, therefore I do even less than on Monday

I keep it at daily habits and do nothing else. No workouts and no playtime for my pets.

Wednesday:

Wednesdays are short school days

On Wednesdays I try to complete all of my habits

I write posts

Both chinchillas and degus get their out of cage playtime

I try to do longer and harder workouts

I take mineral baths (health reasons)

Thursday:

Exactly the same as Tuesday

Friday:

Fridays are similar to Mondays

I try to do most of my homework for the weekend

I teach my little brother english

Saturday:

Saturdays are the most productive days I have in a week

I do my weekly cleaning and I study for upcoming tests

I do all of my habits including sea-salt baths and hard workouts

Sunday:

Sunday is my rest day

I don’t work out or study at all

I do only the necessary habits or the fun ones like playing with my pets

daily wrap up ☆ september 28, 2019

☞ 2/100 days of productivity— ☾ now playing: low