Journal Jam Fall 2022 Day 7

[lunabee34]

Day 7 Question:

How does your practice/style change according to your circumstances? For example, do you switch to a smaller volume when you're travelling? Use a less elaborate layout when you're particularly busy? Anything else?


(If you answer elsewhere, drop us a link in the comments.)

Comments

[finch]

I'm a one-book guy pretty much all the time, though I've experimented with having something larger that I can leave open at my work desk. How much I record and how detailed I get definitely varies depending on my levels of business and spoons, and in fact sometimes looking over the last week or two is how I realize I'm not doing the best at the moment.

[lunabee34]

*nods nods*

It's weird how it does take that retrospective sometimes to realize that there's something going on. That happens to me too.

[mothereader]

I'll stick to the book (planner or notebook) i picked for the year throughout the whole year. Since i travel a lot between my home town and the city where i study, i've set up my system to be as low-maintenance as possible. (Which is also why i prefer my book to be A5 in size.) In the Bullet Journal, i use a black pen to write everything and then another in a different colour to add comments and accents as needed. In my hourly planner, i use a black pen and a highlighter. I'll usually pick one to use during one week and then switch the colour for the next week. These are all the things that don't really change after i've set them up.

I think the only difference is in the method i'll use to plan my day. I usually plan my day in the morning, just after waking up, but if there's some uncertainty about how the day is going to go, or i'm in a particular kind of mood, i'll add things as i'm about to do them, or after i've already done them (and then proudly highlight them as done immediately after writing them).

[lunabee34]

*nods nods*

I think that's a really sensible and practical way to approach it.

[thistleingrey]

Forget to use it when I'm busiest? :/

I've noticed that some types of scribbly braindump notes end up in the journal, whereas others don't. Something feels soothing about putting words and ink to certain topics, versus typing private notes, emailing a close friend, etc.

[lunabee34]

*nods*

I definitely post different things on DW than I do in my paper journal.

[annofowlshire]

In theory I have a smaller "passport" sized TN that I bought for when I was out and about, but in practice I just take my regular notebook because I can't be arsed to migrate the information and my bags are usually big enough for my regular TN. The exception was when my son was younger because I was carrying him plus his gear and I pretty much only had my keys/wallet and a couple of notecards/pen to scribble on for me XD I also used my phone a lot more for notes in that period. Then there was (is) a pandemic and and by the time we could somewhat safely be out and about again he was no longer a baby but a little boy who needs a lot less gear and carries his own stuff!

I experiment with other systems and multiple notebooks as circumstances change in my life (motherhood, starting work again, etc.) but in the end I always seem to end up going back to my TN. I just can't beat that "separated but all in one place" feeling it gives me.

[lunabee34]

I struggle with the all in one placeness of the bullet journal, so I bet I would like the separate but all in one placeness of the TN.

[annofowlshire]

It's a useful and versatile system! And you can have the home insert and the work insert, and then take out the work insert when you're on holiday ^_^ (And put in a holiday insert!)

[lunabee34]

That is a really useful system. I've watched many a video about how to insert notebooks into your traveler's notebook cover and read many blog posts about how people use theirs. Some of the covers are really, really nice.

[octahedrite]

If I'm busy my lists tend to be more barebones; when I'm not busy I get ambitious and give myself really long to-do lists xD

[lunabee34]

That is very familiar. I may resemble that remark. LOL

[lunabee34]

I don't take my journal or planner when I travel because I can't bear the thought of losing them. I just take a random notebook with me.

[annofowlshire]

I travel with mine, but it's always with me - in my carry on, in my purse, etc.

[lassarina]

If I'm very migraine-y or busy at the end of the month (oh fuck it's almost September) then my layout quality goes down quite a bit.

[lunabee34]

*commiserates*

[kalloway]

Forget entirely when I'm busy, aside from a running list of bills to pay each month.

When I have time, I like to make nice, organized to-do lists and then actually do the stuff...

I tend to drag too many notebooks/etc. along when I travel. What if I suddenly need to write an entire novel or something? This has never happened, it never will. But y'know.

[lunabee34]

Hope springs eternal! LOL

[seleneheart]

My bullet journal is the A5 size, which I find pretty convenient for travel, if I'm doing that. I carry a pencil case with the bare minimum of pens and markers to complete my trackers and spreads. I usually set up the weekly spread in advance if I'm traveling so I don't have to mess with while I'm there. I would be upset if I lost it, but that's never stopped me from bringing it.

My work planner is also small enough to go in my tote/briefcase, so it goes with me.

[lunabee34]

Setting it up in advance is such a great idea.