Any other bullet journal fans out there?
I usually prep my annual bullet journal in December, but the holiday season was unusually hectic for me and I ended up working through most of it.
The page layout above is the one I’ve settled on after a lot of experimenting with different layouts. It’s not my original design, but an amalgation of various layouts I’ve tried over the years. I regret not writing down the name of the person whose layout inspired this design the most, so if any of you recognize it, please do let me know!
I don’t use a lot of the classic bullet journal features like index pages, etc. because I almost always abandon updating them early in the year. The layout above is the one that works for me.
Q: Don’t you use a digital calendar and to-do list?
Yes! I use BusyCal for my calendar, ToDoist for my “to do” lists, and keep more detailed notes via Obsidian. Obsidian, by the way, is my go-to organization notes app. I keep meaning to write up a blog post about how I use it, and will aim to do that later this year.
Q. If you already use digital tools, then why the paper bullet journal?
Two main reasons:
- I find the morning ritual calming: opening up my bullet journal, reviewing the week, writing by hand.
- It’s an excuse to use my fountain pens (I have a longtime obsession). That’s another topic I should write about sometime. Writing with my fountain pens brings me joy, and is also calming.
However, I only use the bullet journal when I’m at home. On the road, I rely on digital tools because I try to always travel with carry-on only, so try to minimize luggage bulk.
Q. Why aren’t you adding any art or visual extras to your pages?
Because I don’t want to. 🙂
I know many bullet journal owners out there DO add stickers and art and other visual enhancements. I don’t.
Q. Do you add any index pages at all?
Sometimes, yes. This year, though, I think I’m going to hold off adding any until I am motivated. And this time, I’ll add index pages to the end of my bullet journal. Sounds counter-intuitive, but this gives me the flexibility of only adding them when I know I’ll start using them. One I might add again: “Books I’ve Read In 2026,” for example. But I’m thinking it probably make more sense to do this in Obsidian instead; that way I can easily search for a book I’ve read in the past, makes notes, etc.
There is no ONE right way to use a bullet journal, and I’m sure I will tweak more next year!
Right now, though, I’m going to get back to setting up this one.