Virgo In Pursuit

anjyeah

Hazelnutty said:

I use the Paper Republic journal cover (basically you add whatever you want using a system of coloured elastic bands), the smallest size. I also use dotted paper love it! But the Paper Republic inserts don't take ink that well so I bought some small dotted notebooks from Cultpens (Fabriano I think although lots of different brands fit). I don't really have a system for actually using them though. The personal one has financial plans, quotes from podcasts or books, doodles and random stuff. I did a 'get rid of 1 thing a day for 3 months' challenge and logged my progress there, same for 10,000 steps a day for Refuge I did in May. So it's a bit of a mess!  That's why I'm interested in seeing how others use their journals so I can get some ideas

I am looking at it as we speak. I did see it in an advert once and I thought it was a bit pricey at first, but I guess it's the quality/usability of it. That's essentially a bullet journal isn't it - I like to learn from others too and see what works for my own progress.  I am actually looking into making a separate financial inserts one and a mortgage prep one so I'll see - this is dangerous money-wise, lol. 

MissRikkiC said:

I love the idea of so many lists and went back to an old book last week but found that instead I think I do just prefer lots of lists on the fridge.

I feel a bit head in the shed right now with schedules and planning and convinced it’s down to my work being so quiet. I used to have quite a busy schedule, lots on at any one time and i really thrive when my life (and my work) is like that as I generally don’t have an off switch. With having my daughter and feeling generally unmotivated at work, i don’t think I’ve got back into the swing of things or found routine which I’m happy with. 

I know that’s quite a deep and meaningful reason to not being able to operate a simple journal system but feel that’s where I’m at although I’m hindsight aren’t these things supposed to be productivity planners?! 

It's completely understandable even before I branched out on doing mine, I looked at the different planners out there from wellbeing, mental health even a fitness one, and see if any of their prompts push a productivity to me. I guess it's finding out what works for me to be fair. And you also only get what you put in it so yeah, keep exploring. Me, I realised I am not a daily planner person - I prefer setting my tasks at the start of the week and then review it as it goes along. At the end of the week - I look at what I've done or what I could've done better and merge it to the next. It's become like a mental health break for me now. The monthly recaps then allow to see the tasks done and not done in a bigger picture and you see your trend from there. 

Hazelnutty

They are quite pricey but I look after it with a weekly or fortnightly leather treatment and it smells divine. I like the idea of it lasting me a decade and seeing a lot of notebooks and life changes along the way. I would really like their new portfolio, which has sewn in inserts on the inside covers but there's no way I can justify the expense, so I'm sticking with my journal

MissRikkiC

Morning and happy monday!

I had been pondering the journal ideas again over the weekend trying to find my love for it again and then last i remembered that only last year my late mum bought me a leather bound journal (similar to has mentioned above) only with a message on the front from her. She passed earlier this year and its given me that kick i needed. 

So ive started this morning, nothing fancy just daily tasks, schedule, exercise plan/logs, thought logs and will hopefully continue to add. 

Thank you @anjyeah and @Hazelnutty for reminding me that i had this

Hazelnutty

Thanks@missrikkiC ! Maybe we should share some spreads

anjyeah

Back for another week! I'm pleased that you found the vibe @MissRikkiC. I'm not always one to post my journal layouts in public but when I get a bit more confident maybe, @Hazelnutty. I, myself, may have gotten the hang of your listings.

That said, I have done my monthly recaps and have updated my financial goals and progress so far. July was a high spend month, hands down. Eating Out is on an increase, but I did manage to cut my transports costs low - I'm hoping this downward trend continues as I'm now back to my usual commute (pre-pandemic levels). I've managed to have an extra £50 at the end of the month which will go to my "Me" fund. In case I have the urge (very rare these days) to revamp my wardrobe or buy treats.

July Plan: 

• Pay off CC1 this month
• Overtime shifts = overpay credit card and savings pot 
• Add pots: Eating Out - no more takeaway to add on date night funds 
• Continue to reduce transport costs 
• Extras as the end of the month = Me Fund 

Future Plans: 

• Achieve my ambitious £10,000 goal by the end of the year.
• Move debt-free date to a year instead of 16 months - overpayment is going to bite but at least the sting would be quicker. 
• Property goals: Boost affordability, Find mortgage broker

MissRikkiC

Hazelnutty said:

Thanks@missrikkiC ! Maybe we should share some spreads

I’ve decided I’m not really creative enough (or at all) for spreads so it were so instead I have lists. The index, a key and then a daily task list. I have a weekly schedule for training (CrossFit and running) and then a daily log of how training was. 

There is a daily schedule inc a habit tracker which gives more times and absoluteness which is fed from the task list mostly. 

There is a thoughts list, for stuff which is in my head that doesn’t have a home or a real timeframe (tidy the shed, send birthday ideas etc) which I check to see if I can give it a home. 

I’ll add a stock list and meal plan this week as I already feel lost without that having just done a huge shop and being stuck for choice on meals. 

Recipe ideas is a new one I’ll need having seen a great recipe for garlic flatbreads on another threat and also biscuits (actually same thread 🤪) 

I also want a list of monthly goals, as well as a wrap up of the weekly habits log and a PB’s log for my running and CrossFit. 

That’s all so far but my journal has 2 inserts, one is lined and the other blank and I need another lined one. I actually hate the dots 🤣

What are you both tracking/listing/Bujo’ing?

anjyeah

The layouts that I have consistent every month so far is the monthly goal page, horoscope overview (hence the Virgo in my post title), mood and habit tracker, a daily log, weekly recap and a brain dump for random thoughts. MSE-wise, I have a savings log and credit card overpayment tracker, purchase list (need vs want). It's a plus and minus thing depending on what I feel like I need to focus on but these were the consistent ones. 

I like starting the month with a "plan" both realistic and ambitious and see what I have achieved when I do a recap by the end of it. It's like my very own secret vision board.

vampirotoothus

Hi I was Bujo ing for a while and I too am not very creative. But there are tons of sheets that you can download and then I cut them out and pasted them onto a page in my book. I added felt pens for colour. Enjoy V

doingitanyway

I love all the bullet journal/vision board stuff on this diary.
I am a bit messier. I use Moleskine lined books and create my own diary and bullet journal. You are so much more meticulous than I am on with your spreadsheets and logs but then I am not a Virgo

You are making good progress in a short space of time.

Hazelnutty

Loving this discussion! One issue I have is how to handle work vs non-work stuff. Most of my daily to-dos would be work-related, but an A6 journal isn't ideal for that - I prefer using an A4 dot-grid pad and filing the sheets under the various projects (or recycling). But then I have two systems running in parallel which isn't that efficient. I do like the idea of using the journal on a daily basis - what do you do for your daily habit tracker @MissRikkiC and your daily log @anjyeah ?