In my post on my WOTY (Limber – in case you were wondering and didn’t have time to click on the link), I posted a photo of the January habit tracker page I created in my 2022 journal. This sparked a few comments as to the process I use when I journal. I use a dotted journal because I can’t stay between the lines my handwriting is abysmal I find it more freeing. I use a very simple method of journalling, based very loosely on a system called Bullet Journalling, created by a designer named Ryder Carroll. So many people love this system and you can go down a YouTube rabbit hole for days watching how people create and personalize their BuJos, not that I would know anything about that. 😉 It is supposed to be a very good system for personal productivity. I am so damn relieved and happy to be able to put personal productivity in the rear-view mirror of my current life so I don’t use my BuJo for that purpose but instead for habit-tracking and as a diary.
Prior to my current way of journalling, I was using a very fancy (to me, anyways) Japanese journal system – called a Hobonichi – that I really loved. But once I retired I found the format and size a bit limiting, and wanted something I could customize.
Some people turn their bullet journals into literal works of art. They are gorgeous but I would never be able to maintain something like that. My journal is so basic, I don’t even use a ruler to create my lines. I freehand it. And I use purchased silicone stamps for the dates because my life span is too short to write out the days of the month over and over again it looks better that way.
It’s almost March 2022 as I write this, so it is time to create my March spread. I create only a month at a time, because I am fickle I am constantly refining my process. Follow along, if you like!
Step 1 – gather the goods.
Step 2 – pick a highlighter pen colour for the month.
Step 3 – Pick a stamp for the month. (Snap-together set ordered from Amazon)
Step 4 – start the spread.
Step 5 – put together the date stamp for the month.
Step 6 – continue to fill in the spread for March with whatever you feel like tracking that month.
The system I am using now is to have the left hand side of the spread for noting things like when I last watered the plants, flipped the mattress, vaccuumed underneath the sofa cushions, etc. In other words, my haus-frauing. I live alone and stuff doesn’t get dirty very fast so I like to keep track of when it was last done because my memory is faulty especially for stuff that doesn’t really interest me like housework. My mom had a rigid daily routine for housekeeping that my rebel heart has just never accepted as the way to do things. I like to work my cleaning schedule around the phases of the moon and when I damn well am in the mood to do so or I can’t stand the dust anymore or it’s raining or company is coming, whatever comes first. Take that, all my Dutch female forebears!
The right hand side of the spread is for the fun stuff I want to keep track of, and good habits I want to keep going or to build on. Under my habit tracker for this month, I am checking off (approximately) how many steps I have logged on my Apple watch, had I eaten at least 3 fruits and vegetables that day (F/V), and did I do my oil-pulling mouth hygiene routine (O/P). I am also including a space to record my occasional blood pressure readings because my nurse practitioner ALWAYS asks for this info. (I haven’t had a mini-stroke since 2016 – hoorah!!!!) On the calendar side, I mark off with highlighter the days that I have achieved those particular activities as I work towards certain goals.
As for birthdays, special events, appointments, etc., I keep those on my electronic calendar (Google) so that they are always in the palm on my hand (i.e. in my phone).
Step 7 – start of daily journal pages.
After I have completed the March spread, I turn the page and line the top and add the words “Daily Journal”. I make a journal entry for each day of the month, noting all the banalities, rants and musings of my day…sometimes it is only a few lines…sometimes it is more than half a page. Sometimes I dress the pages up with stickers, washi tape or To-Do lists, and sometimes not. It is my journal and there are no real rules (rebel heart-approved). Towards the end of the month, I guesstimate how many blank pages are yet required for daily journal entries, and flip the next page over and start to work on the following month’s spread of things I want to keep track of. And so on, and so forth…
That is my journalling method…at least what it looks like for March of 2022. Next month – who knows where my rebel heart will take me… 🙂
Do you journal? Do you track habits? Do tell please, in the comments. I would love to know what others do.
Rock (and record) on,
The WB
Hah, like I have time to journal 🙂 But I love what you do and would like to think that one day it will happen for me to!
I’ve only had the time for regular journaling the last few years of my life so I get where you are at, AJ. I hope you do have more time to yourself in the years to come. Thanks 💕
Deb, your journal sounds very like how I used a Bullet Journal some years ago. I wanted to build habits and their tracking method was perfect for this. I stopped once they felt bedded in, and the habits continued for quite a while – but I can see that they’ve slipped again, mostly those relating to housework – which I loathe. I’ve been pondering starting one up again for a little while and I think your post has persuaded me that there’s a methodology whereby I can track stuff without feeling there’s someone cracking a metaphorical whip (which makes me rebel). I also don’t do the pretty stuff – the drawing or the decorating, but those stamps look like something I’d have fun with and could be a time saver too. Thanks, I shall go browse….
We sound like kindred spirits in more ways than one, Debs. Loathing housework and un-pretty journals 😁. Thanks 💕
You’re so organized! To be honest most of my habits are bad and don’t requiring tracking…
😉
🤣 Never thought of tracking my bad habits…I think I would need a bigger journal. Thanks, Rivergirl 💕
I like your style!
I don’t journal. I don’t track habits. BUT if I did I could only hope to do so in such a pretty format as your way. Thanks for the glimpse into what makes Deb tick.
Thank you, Ally 💕. My type of journaling is far from pretty – compared to what I’ve seen others do – but thank you for saying so.
So well organised. Fancy knowing when you hoovered under the sofa cushions. I do morning pages in which my brain downloads stuff. I do keep a nature journal which is just a notebook in which I write observations if I have any. I also have a notebook which I write in from time to time updating family and world news, that for any family historian. Then there is my house book for info on purchases, renewal dates, birthdays etc. Scribbling notebooks for the to do lists. And notebooks for recipes, books I fancy reading etc etc.
I have several other journals on the go, same as you. I have an art journal, and after I move I will be starting a garden journal. My Haus Frau journaling shames me into action when I look back and realize how long I’ve let the dusting go…my Dutch ancestors are spinning in their graves 🤣. Thanks 💕
Wow! Very impressive!
Thank you 💕
Love your journal! I like fill in the blanks style of journaling because I’m not at all creative!!
Thank you, LA 💕
I’ve tried journaling. I’m just not focused enough I think. I love yours and it is inspiring for me to see how you go about this. I *might* just try this!
I started journaling as I got more free time in my life because I felt I needed some tool to help me focus on what I wanted to achieve, and to keep me accountable. I feel it has really helped me in that way and I wouldn’t ever give it up now. Thanks, Suz 💕
I’m with Rivergirl – pretty much only have bad habits despite trying to get good habits! This would be a good way to track them. As to journalling – it’s just a notebook and it’s infrequent. Although my councellor and my heart say it should be more often. Moving hey – we never got a second blog about the neighbours so perhaps it was only funny for a while? Going up island? Bernie
No second blog about the neighbours because some good ‘uns moved upstairs and as the for rest…just the usual craziness…nothing new to report. Well, except maybe how I had the RCMP hauling one away the other night…but I am not sure if she was a neighbour or just someone who decided to raise a ruckus on the property. More about my upcoming move in another post…it’s still many months away. Thanks, Bernie 💕
As to dusting I like to let it age to perfection before I disturb it!🤣
Ooooh, I LIKE THIS and may have to steal it! 🤣
Steal away – heck come steal my dust!
I use a day timer that opens to a full month. Dates to remember are recorded, i.e. appts, birthdays, etc. I like seeing the month in full. I track distance walked, exercises, sound therapy, etc. which helps me (or shames me, as you say). So often I think I just did that when the tracking says otherwise. This applies to household chores as well. I record books read, phone numbers, activities. When asked, what have you been up to? I can review the calendar and give a reply other than I don’t know. I try to sum up the month, i.e. January was all about shovel snow/pack wood. February has been a month of reconnecting as I came out of the January slump with more socializing. There’s also a notebook that I record quotes and thoughts in. I have a journal tab on my computer and binders of journaling from years past. The big question: hang on to those old journals or discard? I’m not convinced that anyone who comes after me will be interested and of late, I’m on a purging binge.
When I worked I loved using a Day-Timer type journaling system. Sounds like you love data as much as I do! Yes, so often you think you are doing well in something when the tracking says otherwise 🤣. It helps keep me honest, if only with myself. I also like to review the month and sometimes will sum it up in my journal, as well as list things I want to achieve in the month(s) ahead. Hmmm…hang on to or discard? My heirs might find some funny shit in my journals…I’ll leave it up to them. Thanks 💕
I love all of this! You’ve inspired me to be more creative in my journaling.
Some people are so darned creative in their journals! The sky is the limit. Have fun, Kari 😁 Thanks 💕
You’re far more organized than I am Deb.
Leslie xoxo
Thank you, Leslie 💕
Wow, I am very impressed with your organization and creativity. I don’t journal and I’ll probably never take it up, but I love your format. Btw, my housekeeping is much like yours. If we didn’t have guests now and then, we would be up to our necks in dust.
Ain’t it the truth! Thank heaven for the occasional guest or houseguest 😁. Thanks, Janis 💕
I also use a “BuJo-lite” approach…even lighter than your’s! I do a weekly calendar write up, which is more than my google calendar because I add things in like ‘call a friend’, ‘send a note/text’, ‘plan something’, or ‘write something’ on certain days. I also note when i clean (I’m much less routine on cleaning as it’s something I really don’t like to do), or order something (and when it’s supposed to arrive). I like your way of habit tracking… I tried to add that last summer (slightly different approach – same idea) but it lasted just 2 months. Anyhow – you’ve inspired me to add more color for sure!
Awesome! I love to track the habits I want to encourage. When I am “on a streak”, it is even more incentive not to break it and leave a “hole” or “blank” on the calendar. Thanks, Pat 💕
I pretty much combine my day planner with journaling and habit tracking. I can see I need to step up my game and make it more artsy-fartsy to keep up with you, my friend.
OMG, my journal is pretty far from artsy-fartsy…you should see what some of these folks are doing over on YouTube – watercolour, collage and cutwork masterpieces!!!!! Anyways, thank you very much Jean 💕
Hi, Deb – It is now 6:16 pm and I have been trying to read this post for over 12 hours — despite it being a top priority for me. Seriously, how can I have this many distractions in retirement?! It was very worth the read and very impressive. I only began journalling in 2022. The Mind-Body Peace Journal: 366 Mindful Prompts for Serenity & Clarity). Okay, so I’m not sure that I have achieved ‘serenity and clarity’ yet. But, I have managed to fill in a page a day for the past 59 days!
I love your rubber stamps and may ask to try one or two of them out (on a scrap piece of paper of course)!! 😀
You are welcome to come over and play with the stamps anytime you like, my friend! They are a lot of fun…and yes, they do take a bit of practice (as I found to my chagrin 😫). Congratulations on your journaling streak! Thank you, Donna 💕
I use a spreadsheet to keep track of stuff like this. It’s not nearly as artistic as your approach, but it’s functional. I never thought of it as journaling, but maybe in a sense it is. Now I just need to figure out how to make it artistic so I can have as much fun as you seem to be having.
Coloured markers, stickers, and stamps work for me! Not sure how you can do this digitally but I seem to recall Excel had a lot of colour options, at least. Thanks, TG 💕
I think your journal is beautiful. I mean, wow. I journal sometimes and can’t even read my own writing.
Thank you, Donna 💕 I can usually read my own writing but often can’t understand WTH I was talking about 🤣
You were the one who introduced me to habit trackers. I dutifully bought the little calendar stamps and ink pad (hey! why didn’t I get the little months of the year stamp like yours?!) and created wonderful little calendars in my journal (usually crooked. Why are the perfect stamps ALWAYS on the practice page?)
… and then I forget about them. Maybe I need a habit tracker to keep track of actually using my habit trackers …
The perfect stamps only happen on the practice page. It must be a law or something 🤣. Starting a habit is always the worst, for me. The amount of momentum required seems enormous at times. You got this though, girl! I believe in you. 🙌 Thanks, Joanne 💕
It’s right up there with golf practice swings. I’m convinced that my practice swings are nothing short of perfect … then I step up to the tee 🙄
I can definitely relate to that one too! 😁
There’s probably a whole blog post there … like having perfect hair on the day you go to the hairdresser, after weeks of fighting with it.
How did you know I was just looking at my hair and asking why am I getting it cut on Friday? 🤣
See?! I told you!
😁
I don’t journal (other than online), but I love collecting all the tools for it. Years ago, I started collecting items for scrapbooking. I haven’t even made one page, but I still have all the supplies. I’m thinking of handing everything over to my niece.
I was tempted to get into scrapbooking at one point too. I was still working then, and like with the “fancy” journaling, I just didn’t know where I would find the time. I still love the idea of it though. Thank you 💕
I got halfway through and I’m just exhausted. My blog is as close as I could get to a journal and it’s just bullshit.
🤣 I love your bullshit journal, Kieran. Thanks 💕
I’ve tried to journal so many times I’ve lost count. I can never seem to get it to stick though. Now I just have a massive running to-do list so I don’t forget to do the important things.
I was like you for many years. It’s easier for me now that I have retired from my career. I used (and still use) To-Do and Goal lists. Thanks for commenting, Nicole 💕