I have a mile-high stack of blank journals, culled from warehouse sales of big-name planner companies, stationery sites, and bookstores. When I get brave enough to fill the pages of one, it's almost always for penning gratitude lists, morning pages, or some sort of diary.
I've never tried bullet journaling, though. I've attended mini-workshops about it, even bought the book (that I haven't read yet). I already use a pre-printed, customized planner from a favorite website, so why recreate the wheel? The dot-grid notebooks in my stash call out to be filled...but with what?
Two things happened in the last two weeks to get me to dip my toes into "bujo"--my friend gifted me with a beautiful dot-grid journal, and I went to my first appointment with a new general practitioner. I walked out of the latter with two pages of tasks to complete--appointments to make and stats to track.
Bingo.
I made a list of what I would put in the journal, starting with a table of contents for easy reference--the first four pages. I numbered the next dozen or so, and dove in. On page one are my notes and to-do list from the doctor's appointment. Page two is a weight tracker with Sunday dates filled in. Page three is a general list of doctor and lab appointments, with date and reason, for quick reference.
That's as far as I've gotten, but I've got other trackers to enter (blood pressure for one--the doc wants me to keep a diary of that for the next annual visit). It will all go in there: exercise, dental and eye appointments, lab and imaging results. My own little medical record, embellished with stickers and paint pens and maybe even watercolors and fancy lettering, when I get brave enough to attempt those.
As I was perusing the internet for health-related trackers, I discovered that pre-printed journals for such already exist. But where's the fun in that?
I love your idea here! Thanks for sharing it. I think we must be a lot alike - - whenever I see a stack of Moleskine journals at Marshall's, marked down to 15.00 for 6 of them, I can't resist. My journal buying habit is out of control. I need a lot of bujo in my life.
ReplyDeleteChris, you sent me down the rabbit hole with the mention of a bujo. How did I never hear about this phenomenon that takes me back to diary days? I researched and found that a bullet journal not only holds important pieces organized nicely but allows the artist inside to fill the bullet notebook. What fun to stop by and read your slice.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to get the bullet journal! I need a profound change in my organizational life! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI like how you moved from "I don't know what to to with a bullet journal" to "I know exactly what to do."
ReplyDeleteSomehow you make keeping a year of medical data and appointments sound fun! The power of journaling, I guess. I am sure it will be useful and helpful, you make me consider it myself. Though I’m sorry I have enough health stuff going on that it is even a consideration…
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