My Organization Team: Bullet Journal & Google Keep

My Bullet Journal

Last week I started the Bullet Journal system. I was finding myself avoiding my day-planner, because it had become an incoherent mess of post-its. Needless to say, that's not an ideal relationship to have with one's day planner. While I was en route to the Actua Conference, I saw an Instagram picture of someone's Bullet Journal. It piqued my interest, so I decided to look into it a little more. I looked at #bulletjournal on Instagram to see the work of some enthusiasts, watched this video which explains the process, and read some blog posts about it, both positive and negative. The latter (negative) blog post says that analog note-taking doesn't work. That may be true for some people, but I think it's a deeply personal decision. Here are some reasons that I am drawn to the Bullet Journal system:

• I am a list-maker and a post-it note fiend. 
• Since elementary school, I have relished trips to school and office supply stores. 
• Also, I love the aesthetic and feel of writing in a book.
• The physical act of writing helps me to remember and feel calm. 
• My bullet journal will not lose charge, no matter how long my day is.
• It helps me to capture the beauty of a work-in-progress.
• I can quickly doodle or sketch ideas.
• With a little bit of washi tape, I have an easy way to keep track of little bits of paper, like the odd receipt.
• This system helps me to leave some ideas behind prioritize.

By no means am I opposed to digital reminders or task management, but right now I am at a place in my life where I need a hard copy of some things. Everyone needs to determine their own ideal process. In addition to my Bullet Journal, I use Google Keep for quickly jotting down notes and reminders on my phone, because:

• It's nice to be able to access these notes whenever I'm signed in to my Google account, 
• The virtual post-its are easier to keep track of than a myriad of paper post-its, and
• I can set an alarm for a reminder based on either time or location.

 What does your personal organization system look like?