Bullet Planner? I know. You’re wondering what this could be. You’ve heard of Bullet Journals but what could be a Bullet Planner?
For years, I searched for the perfect agenda. I’ve used all different types of calendars, planners, agendas, notebooks and recently I even used a notebook and created my own monthly calendar for 2016. Despite this insanity, I struggled to find something that agreed with me. Being a journaling fanatic, I started searching for options when I read about bullet journaling online. That did it for me! I was hooked. If a bullet journal existed, why not a bullet planner? I went on a quest to design my own bullet journal.
First, I chose the best notebook. I chose to use a Moleskine with squared lines. I chose a black one. Why? Because there were so many really cool colors and I couldn’t really make up my mind! So, I went with classic black. I have used Moleskines for journaling in the past and knew that I love the quality of the product. It wasn’t a horribly difficult choice for me as I moved forward in my plan. Additionally, since I love color, I decided to make all of my monthly pages in all black ink. This gives me the freedom to decorate it as I wish later.
Monthly Pages
Using a Bullet Planner -an unused month
Of course, this is an unused month! Being a mother, teacher, writer, breeder of dachshunds, church responsibilities, household care … (WOW! This list could continue on for quite awhile.), my months get filled rather quickly.
A filled in month!
I write in black ink. I know many people have different colors for different activities or for different family members, but I found it difficult to carry around so many pens. Instead, I write in black ink and highlight.
- pink -birthdays
- orange -Colin activities (son)
- yellow -church responsibilities (YW =young women as this is where I am currently serving in my church)
- green -holidays or vacations
- blue -Kerry (spouse)
- purple -Kathryn activities (daughter)
We do have six children, but we only have two left at home. (Time goes much too fast!) Additionally on my monthly calendar, I have written in a Christlike attribute I am focusing on for the month. For January 2016, I focused on complete honesty.
Goals and Vision Statement
My goals show up on my monthly page and weekly page as they are broken down. All of my goals and my vision are written out in my planner. (Not shown. Why? Too much personal information on the pages to post on the internet.) My goals are divided into ten different areas of my life:
- Spirituality: God and church
- Spouse
- Family/Friends
- Career
- Personal Development
- Service
- Financial Well-being
- Household
- Health
- Just for Fun
Each of these areas have at least one goal. Some have more. The vision plan, however, is written from the end of my life. What do I see? What have I accomplished? What would I like others to say about me when I leave this existence?
Weekly Pages
I am including two different pages for my weekly view.
I enjoy using color and Washi tape. It brightens up my planner and makes it more appealing to look through. I also have not divided my planner into days. Since I work at home, I like the flexibility that this brings although I do maintain a general schedule:
- Sundays -worship and service
- Mondays and Fridays -writing, website maintenance
- Wednesday -service, housework, Young Women at church
- Tuesday and Thursdays -grading,
- Saturday -housework and family
Some days, I feel like a whirlwind of activity and will accomplish everything plus more! Other days, not so much. The flexibility the week gives me is that I still feel productive without getting to the end of the day and being down on myself for not accomplishing as much as I would have liked. I also do not include rolling chores on this list such as laundry, budget, making beds, etc. I have a separate page for these:
Click on image for FREE pdf of the checklist
Moleskine Pocket
One of the things I LOVE most about my Moleskine Bullet Planner is the pocket in the back cover.
My pocket is filled with pictures of my children, a bookmark –advertising for my book -which I give out and use as a straight edge, 3×5 cards, Post Its and a couple of personal notes. The paperclip holds a couple of items for quick access like stamps and a couple of stickers.
Through this agenda treasure hunt, I have found the system that I love most.
By Tracy Harrington-Atkinson
Tracy Harrington-Atkinson, mother of six, lives in the Midwest with her husband. She is a teacher, having taught elementary school to higher education, holding degrees in elementary education, a master’s in higher education and continued on to a PhD in curriculum design. She has published several titles, including Calais: The Annals of the Hidden, Rachel’s 8 and Securing Your Tent. She is currently working on a non-fiction text exploring the attributes of self-directed learners: The Five Characteristics of Self-directed Learners.
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