Episode 188: Bullet Journaling

Janine and Shannon have talked quite a bit about electronic task management, but in this episode, we delve into bullet journaling, a hand-written task management system. Shannon's been using this system for years and Janine is a starry-eyed novice.

Discussion topics include:

• How Bullet Journaling is one of a number of things that Janine has embraced after Shannon did it for a long time

• Shannon's assertion that she benefits because Janine then tells her stuff she didn't know about

• Janine's shift from electronic to paper for task management

• What is a Bullet Journal? A bound, indexed journal in which you capture information quickly

• The Bullet Journal's special sauce: Its index, which is brilliant in its simplicity

• The value of handwriting the weekly schedule and tasks for Shannon (even though she also captures them electronically)

• Shannon's weekly approach to her Bullet Journal vs Janine's monthly/daily approach

• Shannon's notebook recommendation: hard cover, dot grid with pre-printed page numbers

• Pen recommendations: Shannon loves the Pilot Frixion pens and Janine loves the Pigma Micron 01 + Zebra Mildliner markers

• Fast-writing vs slow-writing pens

• The perils of watching Bullet Journal YouTube videos

• Our agreement that the fancy spreads shown off on YouTube don't really represent what Bullet Journaling is all about

• Shannon's advice to new Bullet Journalers: Read Ryder Carroll's explanation and avoid YouTube

• Keeping Bullet Journals simple and sustainable

• The Bullet Journal Companion App

• How the ever-changing content of a Bullet Journal helps keep the system fresh

• How a good-enough attitude helps when you Bullet Journal

• Shannon's weekly spread that she based on the Planner Pad

• Bullet Journal Collections + the Future Log

• Starting small with the Bullet Journal