bul — Blog — Gwennan Rees

The demise of my 2018 bullet journal & where I am taking my 2019 version

Yes that’s right my friends, we are nearly 2 months into 2019 and I finally have new bullet journal content. It’s been a long time coming but it took me a good month to get my journal up and running let alone in a fit state to snap some photos of. And then came the bad weather and the grey days and I encountered the perils of working until it was dark every day.

But now, now we have had some sunshine, I have left work when it is still light and it feels like spring it on it’s way - and with that, a glossy pure white brand new bullet journal. But before we can crack on with that, I guess we better talk about the demise of my 2018 journal first.

Using Your Bullet Journal For Work

This weekend marks four whole months of being employed and self employed and it’s taken me about that long to remove all the confidential information out of the photos of my bullet journal so you guys can see it.

It took me about three weeks to commit to a work bullet journal and I haven’t looked back. I went for navy because I am a young professional now and it’s probably got enough space to last me until January and then I’ll be into another one already I think.

Of course, everyone’s work is different so the techniques I use in my bullet journal might not work for you but hopefully it’ll give you some inspiration anyway.

Job Hunting In Your Bullet Journal

I was job hunting for four slow months until I secured the interview that landed me this job and 84 applications later here we are. I tracked all of it in my bullet journal under the instruction of Mel and it definitely helped keep me sane when applications became monotonous.

Here’s what I tracked and why I tracked it and how it helped me job hunt…..

2018 Bullet Journal #2 | July - December Flip Through

I have used two bullet journals per year for two years now and July saw me switch into my berry coloured beauty for the rest of the year. July also saw me start my job so my new bullet journal turned into a slow burner and actually, there are still elements that I have yet to finish.

Travelling With Your Bullet Journal | Handy Tips & Pinnable Ideas

I have already expressed my love for bullet journaling when it comes to travelling but I really truly believe it’s where it comes into it’s own. I use my bullet journal extensively when I am travelling and it is the key to remaining organised and therefore remaining calm. We all know that whilst holidays are hopefully relaxing, actually getting there might be quite the opposite but your bujo should go some way to helping you out.

Why I'm As Bullet Journal Obsessed As Ever.

Bullet journaling has not only contributed to making my blog a success, but it's also contributed a heck of a lot to my personal life too. I've written a lot about how discovering the world of bujo has impacted my life and my general productivity and also, most recently, about how I think it reflects my personality.

I've also written about whether or not the bullet journal trend will stick and I concluded that whilst the hype over it might die out, people like me who genuinely love it will probably never be able to use a conventional journal again. But if you are like me then you're likely as bullet journal obsessed as when you first started out - maybe even more so.

How My Bullet Journal Reflects My Personality.

In 2018 I think it’s plain to see I’m just as bullet journal obsessed as ever and I know I’m not the only one. If anything, I am using it more and more and for a wider variety of things and it’s really got me thinking about what it says about me.

It’s like a journal as well as an organizer these days full of snippets of my day, my mood as well as my plans and chores. It’s fuller than ever, I’m working through it quicker than ever and it’s a home for all my scribbles and doodles. I work out my blog there, I plan my day there, I pack for my holidays there and I remember my pals birthday’s there.

I have come to realise that my bullet journal is a true reflection of me, my personality and my character and now I’ve started noticing it I can’t unsee it.

3 Free Bullet Journal Printables For Christmas.

For us bullet journal fanatics organising only comes in one form and that my friends is a festive bullet journal spread. There are a million and one bujo Christmas spreads on Pinterest, all to help you organise for the big day.

From cards to presents to food to guests - Christmas can be a minefield and stress inducing to say the least. Last year I shared some festive doodles, borders and typography with you and this year I decided to go bigger and better and create a few printable spreads you can add to your journal.

How To Future Plan With Your Bullet Journal.

The bullet journal can be used for a multitude of sins, from to do lists to calendars to shopping to future planning - and it's the latter I'm focusing on today.

In my 2016 bullet journal I used future planning as one of the biggest elements of my system, but actually I found it wasn't really working for me. I was future planning my month's ahead of time, drawing out my calendar and my 4 weekly spreads and it came to the point where it was unorganised and wasn't helping me plan at all. I found that it left no room for change, no room for master to do lists and it meant things like packing lists or shopping lists were weeks after the event and I never knew where I was.

In my 2017 journal I decided against pre planning, against future planning in that way and it's worked much better for me. But now we're coming toward the tail end of the year and I'm already thinking about what to do for 2018 so I thought I'd share my top tips (and fav spreads) for future planning with your bullet journal.

How To Draw Easy Banners For Your Bullet Journal (& Free Worksheet)

In my 'ways I make my bullet journal pretty' blog post I mentioned that I get a lot of messages from people asking how I draw my layouts, how I make my pages Instagrammable and how I make it so cute.

I'm a trained illustrator and drawing comes second nature for me - in fact when I was designing these worksheets Hannah asked me how on earth I could possibly do it freehand on the computer. For those of you who don't have a particularly artistic hand, I've created a FREE step by step guide on how to draw simple banners for your bullet journal that can be used for decorations or headers for your pages.

Ways I Make The Bullet Journal System Work For Me.

The bullet journal system as devised by Ryder Carroll is set to make note taking and list making simple in an increasingly busy world. It's basically a way of 'rapid logging' which is devised into a series of steps which includes things like titling each page, numbering them, bulleting, noting, logging and prioritising.

The point of the system is to make it simple to organise and plan in a very personalised manner - but what if the system doesn't work for you? You need to make it suit, something I have just about mastered.

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