A December to Remember...

After taking a break in November, I came back strong in December.  With lists to organize and presents to get, I felt I could start my journal again without making over elaborate layouts.  My simple monthly layout, which only takes 5 minutes to create, is a great way to organize tasks for the month.  Keeping it to one page is helpful and removing the middle schedule pages, helps keep things simple.  I decided a few simple shapes to help organize various lists would be helpful and bring some holiday cheer to my layout, without adding copious amounts of time with intricate designs

The trick to starting back with my weekly layout was to keep them simple as well.  I am happy to say that I was able to do that this month.  Keeping daily lists, instead of making lists for the week saved time.  I was able to start on the day and continue.  I used the same POPPIN pen for everything, I didn't switch between my Straedtler Pens of various thickness.  I used 1 washi tape and the same Stabilo Boss Pastel Highlighter for the whole month.  I didn't have to carry around stencils or look into new typeface.  Just my notes in my handwriting.  

The best part of December was ending it with some time off.  We were able to fly to my parents house in Iowa.  Truth be told, I haven't been home in 3-4 years, and it was a much needed trip.  We ate our way through all of my childhood favorites and I was able to share these memories with my husband and son.  I was also able to create a new Tracking List.  One thing my whole family enjoys during the holidays is watching Christmas Movies.  We sit together, eat popcorn, laugh, and cuddle.  This year I started a Christmas Movie List.  We got through most of them, and look forward to next year.  This Christmas Movie List was really simple.  Each day is a new day and doesn't need to be bogged down with design.  When I have time I may create more elaborate layouts, but at the end of the busy year... simple was better.

What Ever Happened to September, October, and November?

One thing that happens to me, quite often, is I get busy.  Like most people, life sometimes gets in the way of our best intentions.  When this happens something always has to drop, normally we drop the thing that we don't "have to do" the thing that isn't necessary to survival...

We have to go to work, we have to go to sleep (I'm not as young as I used to be, when I could work all night)... we have to take care of the house and the children, put food on the table, and pay the bills.  Which means we drop the "frivolous" things, the "niceties" of life...

I drop the following:
I stop going to Yoga.
I stop going to the gym.
I stop brushing my hair... and forget which day I last showered.
I don't even attempt to put on make up or dress in anything other than jeans and t-shirts.
I don't make balanced and nutritious lunches... rather taking any part of a leftover meal or microwave a mac n cheese found in my desk drawer.
I stop making lists, and writing things down in the calendar.

The other thing I do, is stop journaling... part of that making lists and writing things down in the calendar... I stop doing any of it.  I stop communicating.  I have a hard time organizing thoughts, as I am the types of anxious that is slightly obsessive compulsive and have to go back to  the house in the mornings, because I have forgotten something... my lunch, my phone, or a tool for work....  Lists truly help ease my mind and help me focus.

At night I write down everything I can think of for the next day, and pack my bag, pack all the lunches, then remember what I forgot a few times, write them down and then eventually sit down to relax... The alternative to this, is me waking up 3-4 times a night because I keep remembering what else I need to to in the morning, or whatever I may have forgotten to do in the day.  It can drive someone mad...

September started out simply, with a nice big vacation to Jackson, Wyoming to see my sister in law get married to her best friend.  We saw Yellowstone National Park and loved every minute.  Taking 10 days away was great, I was able to take time and layout the month in a way I felt I could manage.  I had inspiration from the mountains around me and how time seemed to slow down.

I was lucky to have the time while in Jackson to layout the month, in the valley of a mountain covered in snow, with a moose outside the sliding door.  I found that writing a weekly list didn't seem relevant, so I make a sketch of all of the things I was in charge of while on vacation.  I do think this layout worked out pretty well.  It made me feel good which is all that matters.  I was in charge of creating chalkboard signs for my sister in laws reception.  Along with keeping track of the places we visited.

However, upon the return to Connecticut I stopped my weekly layouts as all of my evening time was taken up by a side theater project.  Notes written on post its, and scrap pieces of paper.  I found myself covered in paint and staying up till 2 am. This side project lasted up through October.

I found the time to layout my month, however my work schedule kept changing.  Mix in a few dentist and doctor appointments, a new creative work, along with a slew of new 1st and 2nd grade workshops in the mornings, lead to a bit of distraction and confusion.  I ended up just throwing new printout schedules into my journal to keep track of the ever changing information.  That, and I ran out of white out.  I started to feel some pressure creating layouts that were visually appealing.  I had no time to keep track of lists, let alone create new layouts each week.

By the time November rolled around I had decided to take a break.  I took a step back from journaling to see if I was really enjoyed the tasks I was assigning myself and if they were helpful.  Was I being obsessive about my journal.  Trying to outdo myself on every page, constantly updating a d researching new ways to create a layout.  So I simply took a step back.  I created a page to encourage me to stop.  To allow myself a break.  No excuses, I was able to make 1 piece of art to commemorate the month, but I would not track, as usual.  I would fill in an old mood tracker at home at night.  But not travel with this book.

New Weekly Layout!

This week has already proven to be super busy... but very productive.

I've been working on a side project for A Broken Umbrella and lots of hours have been spent getting things ready over the past few weeks... and will continue for the next few months.  Which meant that this week I had to create a super quick and simple Weekly Layout.

Last week was a 3 day weekend, and I had ample time to layout the month of June and create a fancy layout last week, they were super detailed.  Unfortunately, I spent my weekend at work on Saturday for 10 hours and another 6 hours painting on Sunday, so I was really short on time.  This week's layout is super simple.  I've kept my daily tasks on the left, last week I found I was cramming a ton into that left page.  This week I separated out a few things, giving myself an area that was about the size of a 3"x 3" post it note to work with on my daily lists.  So far it's been working out nicely.




On the right I plan through my larger (non-day specific lists).  This week I separated out my water and sleep trackers (from my daily lists) this saved so much time!  In last week's layout I had to break each day out for a tracker, which involved many more smaller lines/boxes.  This week I just had 2 small grids to make and was fun!  Also, I walked away from my color highlighters this week.  Trying to keep things simple. I have been filling in my grids with lines with my handy dandy Straedtler 0.3 pen, which is my standard log pen.  No need to carry around all of my markers, though I miss them, I've been far less concerned about tracking by color.


Speaking of tracking by color.  Last week I took a step away from my rainbow food tracking to a simple day plan.  I took things a step further this week by planning out my whole meal plan (work days only).  This has made mornings much simpler.  At night while I'm tracking my notes/reflections/lists from the day I put my food together in the fridge based on meal plan I created and in the mornings I can just throw everything in my lunch box.  The goal is to eat though the refrigerator and not my feelings.  When I'm left to pick out food I will always go with what I want to eat instead of what I should eat.
I love eating my feelings......
my feelings always want cheeseburgers...

This week I've laid out a plan and so far I'm sticking to it, yes I know it's only Tuesday.  So far, I have had enough food with me every day and if I take my feelings of the equation, I find that I can only eat what I have, and it's a much healthier option.

Here's to making a plan and sticking to it.  Making a plan is always easier to follow then making the plan, but I'm working on it.  Thanks for checking out this week and see you soon!  I have a bunch of new listings in the shop and hope to have another post about them coming soon!

happy journaling!

NEW WEEKLY LAYOUT!

I think tuning a layout it such a great feeling!

For me tuning a layout is calming, I find taking the time to look back and reflect is one of the best attributes to the Bullet Journal system.  As a person who needs systems to operate, it is so helpful being able to look back and track what happens each day.  To look at what I eat, what I do, and how I spend my time is helpful for my mind.  

Release has always been an issue for me, I hold onto things, feelings, ideas, tasks, always thinking of what I could have done.  So journaling, specifically Bullet Journaling has become a huge help for me in my life.  Whether a task, event, or feeling; once written down and crossed off can be forgotten.

I use my journal throughout the day, I take it with me wherever I go, I found a few things from last weeks layout.  I had lots of space per day, which was great, I could input my lists and not feel pressured to make them fit into a specific spot on the page.  The downside was that I had so much extra room some days that I felt I needed to fill things in...put a sticker, draw something, color.  While this was some days fun and a great way to relax, on busy days I forgot or just rushed through whatever I was doing to just get it done.  So, I slimmed down this weeks layout, combining it all onto one page, which freed ups some space.  Here's a picture of last weeks completed journal pages.

The other issue I was having with last weeks system was that I had 2 full pages for my weekly schedule that I had a whole 3rd page designated as DUMP.  Which is a place I can dump my more specific lists, which are usually on post its.  Example:  I get to work and I fill out a post it note with all the tasks I have to accomplish, then put it in the book so I can reference it as the day goes on.  I found referencing the DUMP page an issue, because it wasn't on my weekly page layout.  I ended up completely ignoring the lists I had made by the end of the week.  So this week I added sections to place my post it notes.  Figuring out a way to incorporate both my system of journaling with post it organization together.  Here's this weeks new layout.

  

So far I really like this set up.  I'm excited to see how the rest of the week goes!

Side Note!

Ever week I have had dozens of children come into my office for various reasons, this week 6 have asked specifically about organization tips (one of my students actually started using my post it system- however, she only had yellow post its.... so she wrote a color on the top of each to help her mind designate categories.... to each their own)  Anyway, this morning a Freshmen came in and saw me updating my lists in my journal.  Her eyes got big (she is a stage Manager in Training with a love of books and school supplies). She asked where I got my journal, so I thought I'd share here too.

I've been using the Multicolor Paint Splatter Dot Grid Journal from Diary Journal Book  I love the cover design, specifically the colors and size of this journal.  It's no thicker than a magazine and the paperback cover is way lighter than the hard copy journals.  I added my own Pen Holder with some Washi Tape (which I just discovered!!!!!+).  The only really drawback is the pages are a bit thin.  I use Straedtler pens and Stabilo or Sharpie Highlighters and they do seep through if I'm not careful.

For more info on the Bullet Journal System, check out www.bulletjournal.com, Thanks again Ryder Carroll