I cannot tell you how often I’ve been told to ‘just get a planner’. It’s one of those endlessly annoying rites of passage everyone with ADHD experiences at some stage. We get it; we forget things. 🤭
The problem is, like basically every other ADHDer out there, I’ve tried my fair share of planners. Sometimes, when dopamine was easily accessible, those planners even worked for me. I kept appointments, smashed deadlines, and even remembered to note important to-do’s.
Of course, ADHD brains don’t keep up dopamine production as they are supposed to, so the supply inevitably runs out. As does the usefulness of a planner.
Whenever that happened (which was far too often, if I’m honest), the planner’s strict structure became intimidating, and my organisational skills flew out the window. And that led to waves of shame and anxiety whenever I failed to complete tasks. Hello, undiagnosed ADHD. I see you now.
Bullet journals are supposed to be different. Designed for ADHD brains by an ADHD brain, bullet journals (or bujo’s) offer neurodivergents the opportunity to plan according to their needs.
The idea is to design everything, even the page layout, and still have space to scribble or doodle as our little hearts desire. Because the truth is, our brains just don’t fit in with the pre-ruled layouts that aid neurotypicals.
Many of my neurodivergent friends swear by bujo’s and have recommended I try it, but I was afraid it would be just another failed project littering my house.
But, as my little business grows, so does the importance of keeping on top of things. (And now a shameless plug for Foxie and the Moon. 🤣 Check out my Instagram, and DM me for deets about polymer clay jewellery!) So, after many years of dodging, I finally decided to give bullet journaling a chance.
Aaand became instantly overwhelmed by the millions of options and methods out there.
Thankfully, I had enough dopamine to work through the overwhelm and brainstorm an answer.
- I finally understand that I am different. Back then, I didn’t consider I could have ADHD, but my recent diagnosis taught me I’m not lazy or stupid; I just have different strengths and weaknesses.
- The daily structure of a typical planner doesn’t work for me. The minute I miss a deadline, forget an appointment, or fail to check something off my to-do list, I’ll discard the planner for months because I’ll feel so guilty.
- I need fluidity in my planner. I’m more effective if I can choose tasks according to the motivation and energy available on any given day. For this reason, a weekly overview works better for me. A list of to-do’s, chores, and other things I need to remember, from which I can pick the tasks I’ll complete. The ‘daily’ layout should be smaller, with enough space to write only appointments and their time slots or time-specific tasks.
- BUT if there is too much information on a page, I’ll be overwhelmed and walk away anyway, so it’s important to break tasks into smaller sections.
- Other ADHDers report greater success when they can check off tasks and decorate their journal, so I definitely wanted to try that, too. During the past few years, I created a bunch of sticker designs for my Patreon, and I was super excited to print them for my own use.
With that information in mind, I returned to my search and decided on a binder-type journal instead of a bound book.
I found this cute binder bundle on Amazon, including a clear PVC binder, six gorgeous index pages, 80 cream pages (20 of each dotted, lined, square grid, and blank), a clear ruler, and a sealable bag for accessories.
Despite good reviews, I never imagined this level of quality for the price. The paper is thick and creamy, and pens or markers don’t bleed through. Some reviewers complained about the lack of page numbers, but I don’t miss them.
Additionally, the variety of page markings works perfectly for me. The square grid accommodates stock tracking and business analytics, notes make more sense on lined pages, and the dotted grid allows me total freedom in my planner. The blank pages are a bonus, granting me a space for drawing at the back.
But my favourite part about this bundle has to be the index pages. I had planned to make my own, but these watercolour plant-inspired designs stole my heart. I created six sections in my binder: Daily planner, Blog, Foxie and the Moon, Writing, Brain Dump, and the drawing section.
My planner layout is simple. One side of the spread shows a weekly grid where I can write down appointments, birthdays, etc. The other side is split into two sections, one for my weekly tasks, self care, and important notes, and the other for chores.
During the months I’ve been journaling, the planning layout has continuously changed. I’ve switched and renamed segments, added or removed parts that don’t work, and have purchased pens and highlighters for my journal. Something about a designated pen for a specific task lights up my brain. 🤣
The point is, my spreads no longer look exactly like the ones pictured below. The overall layout is still the same, but I now put ‘Self Care’ at the top of my week, there’s an ‘Optional’ segment beneath all the important stuff, and I use cuter pens.🤭 Also, because I have a Brain Dump section for notes, the ‘Notes’ block has evolved into ‘Meal Ideas’.
Just in case you’re interested, these are the pens:
- Stabilo highlighters in Pastel Turquoise (70/113), Hint of Mint (70/116), and Lilac Haze (70/155)
- Gelly Roll Sakura in Black
- Paper Mate Ink Joy gel 0.7 in Teal, Berry, and Purple
- Bic Round Stick in Black
I’ve blanked out information I’d like to keep private, but you’ll still get the idea.
I had no idea how satisfying it would be to colour a block each time I completed a task! Honestly, sometimes not having a blank block at the end of a week is the only thing that motivates me to get stuff done. It’s also a great visual tool that helps me remember basic things like taking medication. Highly recommended!
To keep the overwhelm to a minimum, I’ve added to-do, notes, or idea pages to the other sections of the journal, too. This way, I just write ‘Blog’ in my weekly to-do’s, and then reference whatever I’d listed there.
Each section contains all the relevant information. I can keep track of stock and my social media marketing campaigns in the ‘Foxie’ section, reference SEO practises in my ‘Blog’ section, and find a quick list of social media prompts and hashtags in my ‘Writing’ section. (Read the full post containing social media prompts and hashtags for writers here.) I also plan to create a word count tracker in my writing section, but that will have to wait until I write more often.
The Brain Dump is my favourite. Whether someone expresses a desire for something that would make a great gift, I hear a good song and want to remember the title, or I need to keep notes of my crochet row counts, the Brain Dump is the perfect place to keep it. And since the binder is small enough to fit in my bag, I’ve always got it with me.
Again, some of the information is blanked out. 😉
I’ve learned so much during these last few months of journaling. My methods will certainly continue to evolve until they’re perfect for my needs, but even this early trial-and-error stage has been life-changing. I was always busy before, but I feel like I have more purpose now. Busyness with a plan.
Will you try bullet journaling? Let’s chat in the comments!
Yolandie
