Tips For Keeping Up With A Planner & Journal Daily!

[@gmkim21]

On days when I feel down, less motivated, or just in a bad mood, I revert to a "Done" list as opposed to a "To Do" list. I learned about this on a blog about bullet journaling and it helps me realize that even when I feel down or unproductive, I am still doing things that I can be celebrating. Thank you for sharing, Helen! As always, I love your spreads ❤️

[@lornam3637]

I love this. Gretchen Rubin calls it a 'ta-da! list' :)

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

This is such a great idea!!! Thank you for sharing

[@annelyle5474]

Same here - I will add tiny 1-minute chores to my to-do list just so I can check them off!

[@leannsmreker3201]

I do the same thing. I suffer from anxiety and depression and sometimes my to do list overwhelms me and causes me anxiety. Another thing I try to avoid is allowing others to dictate my time. If a cycling class is at 5:30, don't try to get me there at 5!

[@Elvalenciiaa]

Omg love this idea

[@NoxDineen]

Make a mark early in the day is legitimately absolute brilliance. Thank you.

[@pieceaisa5046]

i’m glad you opened up about planning and organizing with mental health issues. i always just feel like i don’t have hope to ever keep up with organization and things like that because i feel my mental stability is weaker than it should be. and because of that i compare myself to other people thinking “it’s so unfair that i can never be like that. i’m at a disadvantage” but i don’t want to pity myself anymore, i want to actually make change and put the effort in to make schedules work for me so i can do what i need to do.

[@xychen0404]

well said! It is very important to make big deals out of small joys because at the end of the day, those are the things that actually makes us happy~ I do hope you are not making daily journaling a chore urself, because it can be REALLY tiring and time consuming. I hope you really are enjoying it & finding it therapeutic~

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Totally agree!!!

[@karakask5488]

Sometimes if I just don't want to journal or plan that day, I write quick notes on a post it and stick it on the day or area of my planner, and then when I feel more motivated, or I have time, I go back and fill in the space. That way I remember what happened but there's not a ton of pressure to do write/doodle everything that day.

[@cherrificlife]

I agree with following through on previous missed days to the best of my memory. I don't force myself if I can't remember anything, though. I don't have a daily journal so there's no need for me to do the sticky note part where I would state why I didn't journal. What I do instead is to go the notes section of my planner/journal and I write an "excuse letter" that contains why I haven't journaled and what happened while I was away. I do this especially if I was absent for several days. This just helps me go back to journaling.

[@wplants9793]

I love the idea of an “excuse letter”, I’m totally going to do that!

[@hitsujiyume]

one of my tips is to write down 2-3 things you KNOW you'll do anyways (or things you want to do, but won't stress over getting done). also, 1 line a day of gratitude. doing those 2 things helped me FINALLY get through a whole year in a bullet journal after trying for 3 years...and now i'm on my 3rd straight year of bujo'ing. i started doing these 2 things during a year where my mental health was...not great, to put it lightly. i wound up quitting my teaching job and going back to school, but there were a few months where i was just...staying at home doing nothing, basically (which was a good thing at the time because that was right around when covid hit). having those tasks i knew i wanted to do helped me keep going, so that when i did finally get back to being busier (back in school and working) i already had a planning system that worked for me and i was able to be more organized. a daily gratitude log has also changed my focus. it forces me to sit down on the worst days and think of ONE thing i can be grateful for from that day, and it turns my thinking. i don't do journaling much but this helps tremendously and doesn't take up too much time.

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

This is such a great tip, thank you for sharing! I think I will be using your gratitude log idea

[@charnaywiener]

In the past, I've always avoided daily planners because I felt like I don't do enough in a day to fill a full page, but after watching your hobonichi cousin videos and seeing your spreads I found that there are a lot of things to do to fill a page! I will definitely keep these things in mind when I try daily journaling from time to time☺️ Anyways, all the best with your midterms!!

[@OktoberJournal2]

I had the same problem, but switched from a regular bullet journal notebook to a Hobonichi a6! Enough space for my simple days, and also space to get creative☺️

[@charnaywiener]

@@OktoberJournal2 yes! Moving to a smaller book always helps :)

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Aww yeah it's a pretty big space to fill!!! Good luck!

[@x.soph.x]

I love the way you say "if you want...........let me know". Like everyone isn't already sitting waiting for you to talk about anything and everything lol. Love your videos xxx

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Hahaha thanks so much Sophie!

[@SimoSeaEagle]

Your handwriting is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

[@tremolieresmargot5913]

Thank you for the video and really nice spreads :) One thing that I find very helpful on the topic of doodles, but that might not be helpful for everyone, is to choose a monthly theme. For example in my Hobonichi cousin I pick a theme at the beginning of each month, and that gives me both the colour scheme and the doodles of the month. So in February, I picked a coffee theme and drew little coffee beans, as well as cups of coffee, and I had two brown Tombow Dual Brush pens colours to choose from when lettering or highlighting in the daily section (I usually choose a light and a dark version of the same colour). Same, for April, I chose a rose theme, so the colour is pink, and doodles are small roses. Some might find it a bit monotonous, but it really helps me. Especially since I have quite busy days, because I don't have to stop and choose a new colour everyday, or come up with doodle ideas. Those ideas are already there for the month, and they still give me the leeway to come up with new doodle ideas if I feel inspired on a particular day. It just reduces decision fatigue for me. As an example, in April, I just doodled a few simple roses on busy days, and much more elaborate and detailed ones when I had more time. There's actually room for a lot of variation :) I find it much easier to start a new spread if you already know that you have a structure that works, and you have the confidence that it won't be a complete mess.

[@KatieReadsKoziesAndMore]

Helen, I loved the realistic animals you showed at the end of the video. Have a lovely week.

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Thank you Katie!!! I hope you have a great week as well

[@DuckieM]

I unfortunately don't have motivation every single day to write in my Hobonichi so what I do to remember is to note the events either in the Hobonichi as a list on the side or as hashtags in top of the page or just in my phone calendar & then when I'm free/in the mood I'd journal in the events & fill my pages that way.

[@starbucksmocha88]

Great idea! I like the idea of writing hashtags to help remember things that happened and later fill them in. I've just been jotting a few things in pencil on days I don't have time to sit and do longer journaling, then I write about it in more detail later or do a sketch on that page or letter a quote etc 👍

[@JaneEllenMusic]

Thank you, Helen! I've noticed that when work becomes overwhelming I have a tendency to make time with my planner a chore, and as you said, this just does not work. Thank you so much for ALL of these tips which I will try to begin practising right away (including not beating myself up over mistakes!!). ❤️❤️

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Thank you so much Jane! I'm glad it's helpful!

[@codenamekidsnextdful]

i love this! i also keep up with my hobonichi journaling every day but sometimes i just don't have the time or energy or whatever to write everything down that day but i try to make it a point to at least write down bullet points on my phone for a record and then just transcribe it whenever i have a free moment or am feeling in the mood. it seems a little type a i guess since im doing the extra work of transcribing it and all but i view it as a better alternative to leaving pages blank since when i look back, i'll at least have a record of what happened that day :)

[@2BRnot2BRipper]

Great tips, baby bear! While I always complete my weekly spreads, I find it a struggle with my daily ones so your tips about just penning in Today and celebrating the simple minute things are brilliant! Thanks sweetie! 😘 Love you!!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Thank you so much Hleen!!!! Love you more~

[@camillebreckenridge3382]

This video helped me today. I've missed the last couple of weeks journaling in my Hobonichi cousin and was feeling disappointed about it. Then I realized why I didn't journal -- I was LIVING life and ENJOYING some major life events and that's way better than making sure I journal or check something off a list. Thanks for the reminders! ;)

[@wendyhoward2699]

I love your planning style! Your handwriting is beautiful. Many blessings.

[@BabyMinii]

This was super helpful. I fall off for so long. Mentally I feel a difference when I’m not consistent

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

I hope you find your planning groove back again! I feel the same way >.

[@reneeasence9254]

I love these practical application/tips type videos! Keep the coming, thank you Helen!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Thank you Renee!! Glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@nicoyabeauty]

Thanks for this. I’m behind on my hobonichi and I’m going to just dive back in

[@LullabySong]

These are great tips! Thank you! Lovely handwriting; it looks like a computer font. Your journal is so neat it looks like a magazine. 🥰

[@brittanyalattabi7062]

Because if you I bought my first Hibonichi Cousin (April start) and I am IN LOVE! Thanks for the tips, I’m really enjoying this planner but struggle to fill the days sometimes. Also, with this planner, I am inspired to use more washi and stickers, so YAY for that!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Ahhhh I'm so so glad you love it! I hope it helps you throughout the year!

[@VincciWincci]

Thanks for sharing these tips! Ironically, one thing that helped me after there was a year where I would skip weeks in a planner was to set time aside on Sunday nights/Monday mornings to plan for the week ahead. I actually just got back into daily planning/journalling since following your work earlier this year and I think I'm just riding on the momentum of this being something new 😅We will see how things go a few months in!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

My pleasure Vincci! That is a great thing to do! I love my Sunday planning sessions too!

[@kellydiane5672]

Love these videos! Tips are super helpful and are making me become more confident in my journaling. Please continue to share you tips and tricks because oddly enough whenever I journal I get major OCD and anxiety because my spread doesn't turn out "perfect" so I end up hating the notebook itself and want to get a new one but then this just starts a bad cycle of never feeling like my spread is good enough (probably stems from personal issues but that's a different story) either way I really appreciate you sharing things like this because it helps me realize that I am not alone when it comes to the struggles that I face.❤️🥰

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Ack I'm the same with sketchbooks too >.< If any sketch was imperfect (which a sketch really should be rough), I would hate everything about the sketchbook. Somehow I got over it with my planner but still more work to do! I hope you find your planning groove Kelly 😊

[@823Nina]

This is so inspiring! I especially like how you celebrate the little things. I feel like that’s something I should incorporate more in my planner/journal; otherwise I’m just writing down the same schedule/tasks over and over. Thanks for making this video!❤️

[@carmenation]

Yay another lovely video on Sunday!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Hehe thanks for watching Carmen!

[@starbucksmocha88]

This is one of my fave videos of yours Helen! 💖 You sounded happy in your voiceover, made me smile when you were talking about appreciating the little things in life like your starbucks rewards 🌟 my life motto is pretty much to appreciate the little things, it brings way more joy! Seems like we're on the same page (omg bad pun 😂) with how we approach planning, I totally agreed with all your tips and thoughts about it. After all, planning is supposed to be something to make our lives easier and more fun, not to add more stress on us. 👍 I love your tip about writing anything down so it's not a blank page, I need to try that cause I totally can get intimidated by a blank page at the end of the day and then not fill it in at all, especially a tough day. Oh and I'd love to hear you talk about theme ideas. And those animal sketches and the matrix ones were so fun! The "what even is this??" made me lol 😂❤️

[@anna7276]

Loved the tips! Thanks Helen! Can’t wait to buy my first TCMC stickers this weekend!!!

[@laurakaat252]

Very helpful. Thank you. It always makes me sad seeing to many blank pages in my Hobonichi Weeks. I do find if I write one thing on the page, the rest seems to follow. 😊

[@APinkeClothlife]

I’ve started my mornings like you said in my planner abs it does help you get motivated and start your day

[@SM-JIL]

Thank you so much for these tips Helen! ❤ There are certainly days where I don’t know what to write in the planner and there will be a gaping hole in it but I somehow manage to fill it up with stickers or something else, so I’d love to hear more about topics and thjngs to journal about in a future video

[@charlenejo2490]

I use a weekly planner and I plan for the whole week at once. I use it purely for function. Sundays are normally my planning days.

[@ERnarcfree]

Give yourself grace- I like that a lot!! Thanks

[@jessicacollins8049]

I love your handwriting.

[@janiei1358]

Thanks, Helen! This is something I struggle with ALOT! I also have mental health issues and they seem to be worse lately. Thanks for the tips, I will try them! 💜💜💜

[@ReadingMissFroggy]

I got my first Hobonichi a couple of days ago and I'm not gonna lie: the idea of keeping it up everyday seems a bit daunting! But I'm going to try and apply your tips, and hopefully I will have a really fun year with it :)

[@emmaphilpott]

I've had a Hobonichi for the last three years and I'm yet to use every single page. I often go back and use blank pages as reading lists or recipes or essay outlines for school. :)

[@lainiwakura1776]

They also make smaller ones if the A5 is daunting. The A6's are nice and compact, but they do lack the weekly hourly spreads.

[@mickeypariol9124]

OMGGG, THOSE ANIMAL DOODLES LOOK SO COOLLLL!!!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Aww thank you Mickey!

[@EBrownHBC]

Such great suggestions! I totally needed this, thanks Helen!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Thank you for watching!!! 😊

[@mariahsmall487]

This was so helpful!! I want to be a bit but more consistent but have always struggled with that :) Thank you!!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Yay I do hope this helps! Good luck Mariah~

[@CarmenDLugo]

You are awesome Helen!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Thank you Carmen!!!!

[@rochellavanderwal9320]

I absolutely love your style in the hobonichi! I have been wanting to try one but they are kind of expensive and I'm not sure it would work for me. I am not someone who has a lot of to do list items nor daily journal stuff to write about I feel. Apart from the fact that I think your tips and videos are definitely a happy point in my week. I do have to say that I still deeply aspire to have a handwriting that is as consistent and aesthetically pleasing as yours. I can't seem to do it no matter how hard I try 😆A girl can dream. Till then I'll just live vicariously through your videos ❤

[@kimikobuford]

Happy Sunday Helen. Thanks for the tips. 💞💞💞

[@sharimissmanmiller1185]

Thanks for so many videos!! This is a great one!! Love!!!!

[@mikokosomos9498]

I would love some theme ideas!

[@selenaplans]

These were great tips, thank you!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Agnieszka-vx8ps]

I love the poor unknown animal, sooo cute =)

[@angelapreciousworld]

Thank you cause I can start a planner or journal and never stuck with it

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Good luck Angela!

[@charissasplans]

Thank you so much for sharing this video and all of your great tips ♥️

[@kyleenorfleet]

Super helpful tips, thank you Gurl 😊😊😊😊😊

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Thank you for watching Kylee! Glad it was helpful~

[@anitabudgets131]

All great ideas

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Thank you! 😊

[@pushpasingh9235]

How can someone have good handwriting and at the same a really great drawing 😭

[@Jaime_plans]

What black pen were you using on the 14th page? Lovely spread as usual

[@reaganhawkins5167]

After some investigation, cause I was curious too - it looks like a Pentel Arts Hybrid Technica Gel Pen. Is this right, Helen?

[@dawnmatthews9281]

This has been very helpful. I would like to see a content creator of ideas that can e put on your planner 😊

[@poojablue222]

I love this video! Thanks !

[@elisascreations.]

Very useful tips. Thank you x

[@nh003]

thank u for this video! for 3 years now (or more) i’ve bought a bullet journal and said every time «THIS TIME IM GONNA WRITE EVERY DAY» or like very often but i keep loosing it!!? i have like 3 books that i have wrote almost everyday for 3 months and rest of the months are blank😢 like i didnt get one for january this year but i want to do it this year and forward but like can i just jump in an start in april/may? or is it too late like idk what to do🙁 sorry for bad english, from norway and 18 heh, i hope someone understands

[@clairec1560]

I’m starting one now in September 😂 u can just buy a mid year or academic or April start planner :)

[@janeo14]

What do you write on a Sunday ? It’s my “day off” So I’m usually not near my planner since it’s super related to work.

[@coolzig5690]

What do you do with the ones you don’t do like let’s say u dont go get coffee with a friend what do you write one it ?

[@raquelsalerno5933]

Love your content so much ❤️

[@Malkah66]

Very helpful, thanks !!!!!

[@missrose769]

I hate to ask this cause you have listed it but what pen are you using cause I have bad sight and thicker ink work better the pen I bought the ink is thin so....im not sure wht I'm doing wrong umm please again I hate to ask but yeah I love your videos!!!

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

You can try thicker sizes! I use 0.4 but you can try 0.5 or 0.7 if you like thicker lines!

[@kbKHRONICLESk2b]

What color is the pink you used in the daily spread for work?

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

772!

[@iDillyD]

Helpful thank you 😊

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ERnarcfree]

Can I ask you? I am new to your channel. Do you find the planner and all the writing you do- does it also help with your mental health?

[@barinmobaser309]

Second Luv all of your vids and things in your shop :)

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Aww thanks Barin!!

[@barinmobaser309]

😄

[@246sukiyaki]

Nice handwriting

[@VitainAustralia]

I just wish to have your handwriting

[@ppeachhn.1331]

Which pen are you using for journaling in this video? This is not the energel clena i think

[@reaganhawkins5167]

I think it’s a Pentel Arts Hybrid Technica Gel Pen.

[@ppeachhn.1331]

@@reaganhawkins5167 Thank you

[@s0ls0l.mp3]

Just got my planner from school lmao I've never actually used one so HAHA

[@riaspov423]

Have you tried digital planning? Btw love your vids☺

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Thank you! Not really, although I use google calendar ^_^ I am more of a pen and paper kind of person~

[@stationerygirlcebu6473]

Can I ask what pen are you using?:)

[@Katie77812]

What's the pen you're using?

[@TheCoffeeMonsterzCo]

Either Pentel energel clena 0.4 or Pentel hybrid technica 0.4

[@barinmobaser309]

Today I wanted to make my own sticker book with parchment paper but all my stickers fell off of it i was so frustrated to put them back on every second an all my stickers ended up in the trash :( D:

[@gregoriy842]

Felicidades, es un buen ejemplo. 282 sentadillas son unos XX18LIKE.Uno muchas y un buen ejercicio. Se deja ver que hay muy buenos resultados 😍👍 Saludos desde la Cd.. de world 🌹😉💖 los mortalesz abian apreciado tan hermosa mujer.k

[@aansuwandi]

Om My GooD,...

[@marthaanderson2346]

Tip: Write like no one is reading 📚

[@c67997]

I want to write like you

[@-crazyinlove-]

💚👋💚