what i was doing wrong in my bullet journal and how i fixed my mistakes

[@arbuzowezelki]

Just a reminder for a random person reading this: You're not everyone. If you see everyone is doing a trendy spread, then: Bullet Journal is your safe and personal space. You’re NOT everyone. Ask yourself: I want that, because it made me curious if it works for me and how will it work for me or I want that because everyone wants that?

[@claudiaspaurel]

Yes! Thank you for writing this :)

[@gina9853]

1. Cluttering my pages -> do not safe space in the name of sacrificing your sanity 2. Performance over practicality -> get real with yourself and set ground rules 3. Setting up daily logs way ahead of time -> do not set them up in advance 4. Including unnecessary spreads -> only make spreads you'll use 5. Having an unclear purpose -> take a step back, do an assessment with you bujo

[@angie-up2cs]

Tysmmmm it was rly helpful 🤍🧸

[@maddiepaints8670]

Tysmmmm

[@ArborParva]

It's the other way round for me: aesthetics over practicality. I've noticed that I don't really complete any lists in my bujo but creating a good-looking spread helps me to unwind and clear my mind. So now it's a mix of a diary, art journal and expenses tracker. I still call it a bujo lol for the lack of a better name 🙃

[@claudiaspaurel]

oh how interesting! well, that's awesome you can make things good-looking!! it must be so nice to flip through your spreads 🤗

[@emmalevy982]

same

[@nita0507]

Yes! Me too! I find myself reaching for my laptop and phone more, so that’s where my productivity lays as well as my to-do lists :) my bujo is now just a fun creative space for me :) 🤍

[@jamesaritchie1]

That's great, as long as you're successful. In business, I see a direct correlation between less is more and success. The fancier a bullet journal gets, the more time wasted completely by adding all sorts of decorations, drawings, etc., the less likely success becomes. There are exceptions to every rule, but the silliest thing anyone can do is believing they're one of the exceptions. The odds say you aren't, and by a very wide margin.

[@Vampirate_]

My sister has a bullet journal that’s more of a craft book where she just fills the pages with pretty stuff that can flip back through

[@samanthadanielle2772]

I was also doing it wrong... lol! Practicality over aesthetic!! We honestly don’t need that much stationery!

[@claudiaspaurel]

Yup! It's more important to make sure the bujo system is actually helping us than worrying if our spreads are aesthetic enough

[@NightOwl701]

I beg to differ. I can't ever get enough.

[@yutasfloatinghead4625]

u dont need those me im using my printer a paint that is left for my projects and some markers i bought for my project also

[@Gisellenid]

"A bullet journal is a tool. Not a measure of success." Brilliant!

[@daphibarel1333]

Another thing I learned is that I don’t have to bullet journal all the time! What I mean is that sometimes I felt overwhelmed because I couldn’t keep up with the spreads and I stopped because I was behind. Eventually I understood that the purpose of the bullet journal is solely for me. If I feel overwhelmed I don’t need to fill what I didn’t have the time to, I can just skip. Now if I don’t feel like bullet journaling I just don’t, so I can have months or weeks missing but my bullet journal is more complete than ever.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Daphi! What an awesome lesson to learn. I think it's so important to not force yourself to do something if you truly feel like it's not serving you at the moment. The bullet journal will always be there and we can always go back to it when we feel like it :)

[@hhhhh-me1fb]

@@claudiaspaurel true that! When you feel like doing so something that’s only when you will actually do it I agree

[@ge-yt-channel]

“have you personally encountered any of them?” yes, all of them. i’ll try to switch things up, keep it simple, practical. thank you for the tips :)

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Geórgia - thank you for watching! Happy bullet journaling 💕

[@shaziabibi5168]

I too gave up bullet journaling because it became overwhelming in keeping up with what my mind wanted to put on paper, the drawings, the spreads, the colouring and then filling them all out daily just became exhausting rather than fun. It’s amazing you made this video to help others feel they can start again and giving them solutions to be able to do it. Well done :)

[@jyotsnas606]

Thank you for making this video. It's very easy for ppl to get lost in the aesthetics and buy supplies, but at the end of the day it is important to reflect. The bujo will always be a trial and error method and don't expect to make the best spreads on the day you start one!

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey there! Yes!!! I totally agree. It is SO easy to get yourself caught in the hamster wheel of making sure your spreads are aesthetic/pretty enough or social media worthy. Bullet journaling truly is a trial and error process. My bullet journals have so many 'failed' spreads, pages of poor handwriting and scribbles, but that's what makes it awesome. It's a process. It's not meant at all to be perfect! 🤗

[@taylorurban2147]

thank you for making this! this is way more realistic to me, than the ones that i have been seeing on tiktok, or pinterest.. i am NOT artistically inclined, and this makes me feel way better about my abilities. it makes me think i can do this too, and it's not something that needs a whole lot of thought, or artistic tone.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Aw thank you for sharing! I'm glad my video has resonated with you 💛 You DEFINITELY can do it! Bullet journaling is whatever you make it to be.

[@ayinesk5205]

I would spend A WHOLE DAY to do a pretty and aesthetic spread, now I'm back to minimalist notebooks and post-its, never felt better and more efficient :')

[@claudiaspaurel]

Aw that's great to hear that you feel better and more efficient! :)

[@ayinesk5205]

@@claudiaspaurel thank you! 🥰

[@khushipateria5893]

i am literally surprised to see a person making us aware of the mistakes we all do in bullet journaling, keeping in mind that they were the reasons i was afraid to start a bullet journal and also because of the high standards today's world has set for journaling. Pls keep up the wonderful thing you are doing of helping people like me and looking forward to watching your videos, i am actually new to ur channel :) i always get irritated by watching people filling up their journals with aesthetically pleasing spreads and using unnecessary stationrys and overbuying things and forgetting the actual purpose of a bullet journal. this video totally reflected my thoughts. thanks

[@claudiaspaurel]

thank you for the kind words and thank you for sharing your thoughts! i'll keep it up 💛

[@ChrisJohnsonCJs-Kitchen]

Yes, I agree 100%. I have kept my stationary so minimal from the start. I buy pens in the colors I want as themes occur to me, rather than having dozens and dozens of different sets. I also started my first journal about halfway through the month in an old notebook, just to see if I'd like it, then found another old notebook to do several months more before buying a dot-grid journal, I highly recommend that for anyone starting out because it can be such an investment to get started. 🙂

[@vv_galacsea_]

You’re so good at explaining things huh🥰💖

[@claudiaspaurel]

hehe i hope i am! 😆

[@kq8039]

Omg ikr, I was thinking the same.

[@ChooaBunny]

I feel like the biggest tip is: make it work for you. For me the some of the tips in this video don't work at all, I'm a very artistic person and use the bullet journal as a way to convince myself to be productive. If it's pretty I end up wanting to follow it and my daily goals stop being as much of a chore because with each task completed I get to color or draw something. For me it's kind of a reward system and it works really well. Looking for tips is great and can help you find your style, but make your bullet journal something that works for you, not something that work for others!

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Caroline, thanks for sharing! I totally agree with you in making the bullet journal work for you :) That's awesome you can do artistic things with your bujo!!

[@melindalee7845]

I have gone to a minimal based journal now. I use a monthly calendar, then at the begining of each week I list the jobs that I need to get done. I just do a date then write. If I miss a day that is ok. I use color for my montly calendars and washi tape at the bottom. I am not even using the trackers now as I did not find them helpful. I love looking at all journals but I now find it just a way to relax. My journal is for me and noone else.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Melinda, that's awesome to hear!! I don't use trackers too as I don't find them helpful. And yes, your journal is just for you!

[@Stormbrise]

My bullet journals became a productive procrastination process. I dumped them all together and went with clean page layouts, and a week layout planners.

[@anitalee7162]

Ugh. Thank you so much. I bought this amazing journal and I’ve barely touched it and done nothing but shame myself. Since, I haven’t been able to get past the “aesthetic.”

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Anita! Thank you for watching :) Best of luck on your bujo journey 😊

[@VeronicasVisions]

This is so me! I work full time and I’ve tried the pretty bullet journal themes but i can’t keep up! I thought it was going to be a fun and creative project but turned into a stressful thought process trying to one up each month. Your video helped me not feel so bad anymore. It taught me its ok to make my own simple journal.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Veronica! I'm glad my video has been of some help. And yes, it's more than okay to make your journal minimalist - it's your journal after all! :)

[@aestheticallyhobi1052]

Bullet journaling isnt suppose to be aesthetic!! Whatever you create is already beautiful enough

[@claudiaspaurel]

aw thank you 🤗

[@emmalevy982]

i actually think that making it “aesthetic” sort of calms me personally in a way. (not being rude or anything!) when i first started bullet journaling i didn’t really have much supplies. just a pen notebook and crayola markers. i recently got a new journal and supplies and it’s super calming to look at the “aesthetic” spreads and drawings.

[@hhhhh-me1fb]

@@emmalevy982 same, I do this aesthetics journal with different types, a few vintage, soft aka Kawwai, indie, cottage core, and all that stuff. Sometimes beach stuff or winter stuff or something during seasons and festivals. Heck, I don’t even plan. I just put together stuff with tapes and stickers and gems or anything really. I guess for me that’s how I really unwind. I think what I do is scrapbooking, or is that the same thing haha? Anyway I just think that making of different themes is so fun! I’m about to do a Harry Potter one now! I do a few of each theme till those supplies get finished so none get wasted!

[@Annalynn819]

Thank you so much for your frankness and straightforward approach. I tried to bullet journal years ago and way overthought everything to I completely gave up. You videos and comments are helping me give it another try.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you for watching!

[@E99-w5n]

I like that you’re not about aesthetics cos most of the journaling videos are always so intricate and aesthetic which to me is time consuming and I can’t sacrifice that much time to do it. I can do simple things and yet still make it look neat and get stuff done. I love that you focused on that, thank you

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you for watching! I'm happy to hear my thoughts resonate with you. 🥰

[@missflorathewriter9014]

This is two years later, but I absolutely love this video's message, thank you so much! I havent been journaling for almost the whole year and i couldnt figure out why. I needed this reminder!

[@heatherbryant4527]

I love the idea that white space is as much a part of the spread as the text. So helpful! Thank you

[@claudiaspaurel]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching 😊

[@samueltremblay275]

The original design and layouts of Ryder is beautiful in my opinion. I don't know why it's so appealing to track your mood with a picture of a tree where each leaf is a day. Again, it's my opinion because I'm laughing each time I see a video about minimalism bullet journal when in fact it's bullet journaling.

[@steffymuze]

I bought a pre-printed bujo and it has those mood tracker pages with different cutesy pics. I wouldn't bother otherwise. I think my mood every day would be 'annoyed' having to draw all those😅

[@ArtyGeek]

For me along with planning, Bujo is a great way to add something artsy in my day and it also helps me relax and wind down! But I know that's not how it is for everyone

[@Axooll16]

ohh, I've just started bullet journaling because I have ADHD and I need something to help me with routine, deadlines and everything. So i'm thankful to have watched this video first, now I know what I should have in mind when journaling, thank you so much!!

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hi Emily, thank you for watching and I hope the bullet journal system has been helpful for you so far. Wishing you all the best on your bujo journey 💝

[@ludlowvics]

I was trying so hard to make it aesthetic and to add as many page fillers that i didnt even want to use, i just thought they were cute? im so glad ive found your channel, as a lot of bullet journal channels will always advertise aestehtuc etc

[@claudiaspaurel]

i've definitely been there before! thanks for watching and finding me 🥰

[@twins_jiejie]

I'm lazy and not a talented painter, so this minimalist bullet journal is perfect for me. I have been doing over a year. Also, if I could not draw like what I saw on Pinterest, I would hate myself. Soooo I only use a dotted notebook and a blue pen!

[@ann_of_avonlea]

I started my bullet journal in January 2020. I was also drawn to all those beautiful spreads on Instagram and Pinterest and wanted to do it myself. I quickly realised that having a different weekly layout doesn't work for me. At some point I felt like doing themes became a responsibility rather than something that gave me satisfaction. I was bothered by all the imperfections and mad that it wasn't as pretty as the one I saw online. Then I realised it makes no sense - it's supposed to be for me, nobody will see it anyway. And it's supposed to help me get my work done. So this year I ended up creating my weekly spreads with one colour for every month and it feels great. I still track my mood and habits but decided to skip all the spreads I created and never used. I think bullet journaling is a process where you have to discover what works for you by making mistakes. So seeing videos like this for people who want to start their first bullet journal is amazing :)

[@claudiaspaurel]

Yes yes yes to ALL of this! I totally feel you on this. Bullet journaling is a trial and error process. It's about discovering what works for you. Best of luck to you on your bujo journey Ania! 😊

[@ksk881]

I just found this video, and I think you’ve changed my life. I have purchased so many journals only to start using them, stop using them because I wasn’t “doing it right “and then decluttering them when I cleaned. What a waste! You have given me permission to bullet journal the way I live. I am a minimalist, but not a stoic minimalist. I refer to it as cozy minimalism because I like soft colors and pretty but functional, clean spaces. I realized that in trying to make my pages artistic that I was cluttering the pages with visual noise. I’m going to live with my Bujo as I live my life…clean, functional spreads with a little color or decoration when it makes sense, not because everyone else is doing it. Thank you, Claudia, for showing me something that I should have instinctively known.

[@claudiaspaurel]

thank you for watching and i'm so happy you're gonna bullet journal the way you have always known 🤗❤️ i love how you called it 'cozy minimalism'!

[@insanepoet9]

I use my bullet journal as a day planner with a section in the back for notes. When I do spreads, I always opt for function first. I love those really artsy spreads that seem to always make it to the top of every bujo page on IG or Pinterest, but for me I really want to make sure there's ample space for my to-do list, just in enough cuteness that it's pretty to look at it, and a clear division between the decorative and the day planner.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Ras, that's awesome to hear. I opt for function first too! I love that you have a clear division between the decorative part and practicality!

[@christophergrove4876]

Seeing as Ryder Carroll's process of creating his bullet journalling method was to help with his A.D.D. and to help him stop wasting time it AMMMAZES ME that there must be enough people with so much time on their hands that they use BuJos to doodle away their day... every day. Yes, a journal is a great place to draw and conceptualize ideas but other than that, how much is it actually stealing their productivity? So, I wonder how many people STILL wonder where all their time goes once they started BULLET DOODLING??

[@sparklypri]

in the beginning of me bullet journaling, i faced all of these problems too. only 2 years ago, i decided to keep my bujo as a rough book to just do random things and it slowly evolved into what i need ^^

[@claudiaspaurel]

that's awesome to hear you've found what you need from the bullet journal system!

[@maysal_hawsawi9215]

I am the complete opposite of you. I prefer coloring and decorating, even if I am not good at them. I do not compare myself to others and I like what I do, but in writing diaries specifically, I prefer the simple details because I write to vent my feelings. At this point, I support your opinion. Space here is important.

[@chiara852]

doodling and aesthetic planners work for me as a source of motivation to actually look at my journal lol. But i have noticed that when i slack on the art aspect i feel like i am no longer allowed to feel productive. Im gonna go more simple and eliminate cluttering and see if it changes things :) thank you for the video!

[@claudiaspaurel]

thank you for watching! best of luck on your bujo journey 🤗

[@hinatacarla]

THIS!!!! Bullet journal was the best thing that happened to me and I always remind myself to just go back to basics. That’s the wonder of this system! You can always restart and try again.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Yes you can always restart and try again 🥰

[@TheCelestialhealer]

First time here and the number 1 advice... yes , it took me some time to realise that I NEED SPACE and I didnt understand why I was clutterring my page... more space to breathe like in life!!!Thank you 🙏🙏

[@claudiaspaurel]

You are so welcome!! 🤗

[@normariver]

Practicality is sooooo important! 👍

[@TariHuffaker]

Thank you. I know you posted this in January but it was meant for me in March. Thank you, again.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hi Tari! You're so welcome, glad this video reached you. Thank you for watching. 😊

[@ultravlncz]

this helped a lot fr because im new in the bujo community and now i understand that printouts,aesthetic spreads aren't everything, its if it makes u happy. its okay to get inspired by aesthetic spreads but dont try to copy them

[@claudiaspaurel]

exactly 🤗

[@ultravlncz]

@@claudiaspaurel omg u replied TwT

[@Kalimbachimes]

YES! Ive realised that id been doing all these things, finally a PRACTICAL video 🌸♥

[@claudiaspaurel]

🤗💕💕

[@Fourcornerhighway]

You are absolutely adorable and not only adorable, but very smart. You make a whole lot of sense. I like your way much much better. thank you

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hi Gayle, aww! Thank you so much. 😊

[@emiliescorner2620]

really amazing video. I started to feel my bujo becoming more of a task, than what it is actually meant for. this helped me take a step back, reflect and refresh my stale 'spreads'.💕🌟

[@claudiaspaurel]

thank you for watching! best of luck on your bullet journal journey! 💕😊

[@tammystreasures8766]

I really enjoyed this. I sometimes feel bad that I’m not a “true” bullet journaler. I actually love to be creative so I do a lot of artwork and colorful things. I also do weekly spreads as a planner. The most important thing to me though, is actual journaling. I leave three blank pages at the end of each week to write my thoughts, feelings, and things I learned. If I don’t use all three pages, I fill in the the blank space with artwork, favorite quotes etc. If I need more space, I tape in extra pages. I have been doing it this way for about 18 months now. I have appointments or important tasks written down, but I don’t use the key or even know the principles of bullet journaling. This is what works for me and I have been enjoying it much more than just a diary or just a planner.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hello! Thank you for watching!! I love how you have found a system of journaling that best suits your needs. And don't feel bad at all. Bullet journaling is just another way of journaling, it can even serve as a foundation for you to find what works for you :)

[@GracePruski]

i know i am a little late, but this video was so helpful. i am new to bullet journaling and seeing someone else going through the same things was so nice. you just earned a sub and keep it up!

[@claudiaspaurel]

You're not late at all 💛 I'm happy to hear that you relate to what I went through - glad I'm not alone hehe Thanks for watching and subscribing 😊

[@theoldaccountthatiusedtous6767]

My issue with aesthetics in my journal, is that I'm never going to be consistent. The artistic side brings me joy sometimes, and there'll be a week or two where my bujo is beautiful... and other times it's very very basic. I used to try to find a consistent average that I could sustain, but now I just... switch from one extreme to the other, and that is perfectly fine.

[@DDRandDSLover]

definitely learned the not making weekly/daily spreads in advance this year. taking it day by day is so much better and less stressful even though i do itch to make it advance sometimes bc i just want to fill up my journal!

[@claudiaspaurel]

i totally agree with you that taking it day by day is less stressful! i had the itch to set daily/weekly spreads it in advance before because if i was already setting up my monthly log, i might as well just do the rest! and setting it all up made my journal look so much better in some way haha i'm glad i'm taking it one day at a time!

[@aiiiryyyy]

i started bullet journaling last year, making every single mistake you said and eventually gave up but last week i decided to start again and this time i'll definitely follow your advice !!

[@claudiaspaurel]

best of luck on your bullet journal journey! i hope you find what works for you 😊✍🏼

[@alishasamnani5607]

Hi Claudia, fellow Vancouverite here! So glad I found you-I love watching minimal/basic bullet journal videos since they’re much closer to what I do in my bullet journal practice.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Alisha! Yayyy another Vancouverite 🤗 Well, thank you for watching my content. I'm happy to hear it resonates with you 💕

[@claudiatorres7942]

When I first started bullet journaling, it was hard to express why I felt so stressed with the whole process, but you summarized everything so well! Thank you for this great video!

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you for watching! I hope your bujo process has gotten easier and smoother 💕

[@anns6335]

mistake #2 Less artsy more useful Solution: I've got two. One for work: cheap, shabby, looks like crap, rarely has anything beautiful in it. Second for art, monthly spreads and anything cute I want to steal or create.

[@claudiaspaurel]

great solution! 🤗

[@leanaaymorejacob1211]

I've found myself that very same solution, Ann. 😊🌹

[@gennylopez6608]

This hit home with me. It's amazing that just today I decided to return to bujo but to do it for my benefit not for social media acceptance or comparisons. Then I came across your video that explained & expressed the feelings & struggles I wanted to avoid. Thank you for your vulnerability because this has helped me find solutions I didn't know where to find. I feel more confident & relaxed with a purpose for my new bujo experience that tbh I didn't have the first go 'round.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hi Genny, thanks for sharing! I'm happy to hear you found my video and you're starting your bujo again! Best of luck :)

[@lifekindasucksrn6442]

Sammmeee. My first year journaling, I did everything wayyyy to fast and squeezed 3 fricking years into one journal. 7th grade, 8th grade, and 9th grade. I was 11 at the time and I didn’t actually fill out the spreads, I just planned for infinity. The journals cost? 6 bucks. 6 BUCKS.

[@ChrisJohnsonCJs-Kitchen]

Finding this video in 2024 and I have to say I can relate so much. I am still bullet journaling in a grid notebook, but I have become very minimal in what spreads I do, or don't use. I've been only setting up what works for me for awhile now. At the end of the month when I'm ready to set up the new month, if I haven't used a spread, I either don't use it or I redesign it in a way that I think I will use. I've tried something new this year too, I've added a quarterly spread section where I can lay out where I can add a section for goals, to help me break my goals for the year into smaller bites, spending priorities (rather than a budget tracker, which I never use) and a section for seasonal menu favorites & ingredients to help with meal planning. I have been using only a month at a glance page for quite some time now and instead of daily or weekly spreads, I have added a section for daily tasks where I just write down the things I want to track on the day I do them and date as I go. Last, but not least, the closest thing I have to a weekly spread is a language study section where I can log anything related to my studies that I think will be useful, including a word of the day that I receive via email daily and a notes section where I can log anything I think is relevant to my learning. Anyway, thanks for the video - it's helpful to see videos like these that keep it real!

[@liapencildrawing1035]

There seems to be a lot of interesting videos. I think it will come often in the future. I'm looking forward to the next video, too👏😊

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you so much for watching! I appreciate it 🤗

[@thomasmitchell4994]

thanks!! i had all the similar troubles, while really wanting to JOURNAL, not necessaryly bullet journal so I just... let myself start again aaand- do whatever the heck I wanted and it was the first time I TRULY enjoyed journaling like when there are no set rules like "u need to do this daily" or "make it pretty" orr "every page needs to be perfect" it's so much easier to enjoy what you are doing!! so that's how I finally finished my first journal ever and it was an amazing experience

[@claudiaspaurel]

aw that's awesome to hear! yes, at the end of the day, you've got to do what truly suits your needs - what you know is FOR you :)

[@sacdaabdurhman]

“This month’s choice is the next month results” Choose wisely what you do this month

[@pauline_f328]

The main piece of advice I'd personally give is what you said at the end about the journaling method evolving. I used to try to stick to one format even when it stopped working for me. Letting it grow with me has been working a lot better

[@thequietkid147]

I actually don't enjoy writing my toughts, instead I draw them and show them in the form of symbols, colors, stickers and many other things. I find it easier to cope with my mental health issues when I just fill a page with crap. It really just depends on the person

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey, that is awesome you have found drawing as a healthy coping mechanism. And yes it's totally dependent on the person. :)

[@celestialskies-covers]

This video was very insightful. My first month (Jan 2021) of bullet journaling lead me to a mental breakdown half way through the month. I abandoned it and went back to it in Feb just because I wanted to try a new monthly theme. I went to the depth and to see what exactly didnot work for me. I like to doodle so I like including themes and colors. It's the one thing that excites for the beginning of the next month. "Bujo is a tool, not a measure of success." Those words are gold, thank you, I'll stand by them cause it's just so easy to get lost in the mndset of making spreads look pretty and aesthetic and all that.

[@claudiaspaurel]

aw, sending you all my good vibes! i hope you'll find a way of bullet journaling that works best for you ❤️

[@lfe2830]

love they way you're able to deliver messages to point and precisely.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@holly_gymnast0969]

thank you so much for this. I used to bujo all the time and create my own spreads. Then I started trying to recreated some from Pinterest. It was really hard for me and I always beat myself up over it because I am not a good artist. Eventually bullet journaling became something that I had to force myself to do instead of wanting to do it. None of my spreads were helpful. They were just for the aesthetic purposes. I stopped bullet journaling around a year ago but this has inspired me to try again.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you for sharing your experiences! I'm happy to hear you're inspired to try again - best of luck! 💛

[@MilkethWay]

I've been bullet journaling for 4 years now and this was still super helpful!!! Sometimes it's best to just go back to the basics.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Jennifer! Thanks for watching 🤗 And yes, it doesn't hurt to go back and freshen up on the basics!

[@chloejackson322]

I really enjoy your no nonsense approach to journaling. I'm a month in to my first trial journal. I'm using it to help me be more productive by keeping most of my thoughts and plans in one place. I'm currently in the final stages of my PhD so I have a lot to plan and keep track of I'm also using it as a creative activity but restrict my doodling to the borders of specific pages and doodle as and when I need to clear my head, not in advance. My daily log pages are entirely back-to-basics minimalist, otherwise I'd lose all my tasks in the graphic distractions.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Chloe, that's a great way to use your bullet journal - especially how you're setting boundaries for yourself! Best of luck with your PhD !!

[@luciasandra7818]

OMG I relate to this so much! Thank you for making me realize why I'm tired of doing my bujo (after +/- 5 years!). I started bujo with just a todo list and sometimes quote/good lyric I find that day. Somehow I got carried away by the trend, I added more and more things (habit tracker & mood tracker I'm lookin at you) that actually don't really work for me but I just keep making it to make my bujo look good, not because of its function.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way! I did habit trackers and mood trackers too because so many other people were doing it and it looked pretty, but I found no use in them at all !! Glad I stopped making them and just focused on what actually worked for me 🤗

[@labotraduc8448]

I see those artsy bullet journals online more like scrapbooking. To me also a bullet journal must help me clear my mind, so keeping it simple is best for my disorganised mind! Being a painter, I keep my art for my sketchbooks and canvases.

[@wendymoreno8708]

no, cause you captured and perfectly talked and described the main reasons why I stopped bujo. I decided to start again with some healthier choices and this video really helped make me less anxious. Thank you :).

[@claudiaspaurel]

thanks for watching! 😊

[@kelath5555]

My bullet journal is definitely an endless to-do list... but I like it that way! I have a terrible memory and I was constantly in a state of "oh shoot- I forgot!" Now I can actually get on top of things and be better prepared for things I'll have to do in the future.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thanks for sharing! I'm happy to hear that it works for you 😊

[@grettamonis5779]

This is actually so true,when l see stuff on social media I always get influenced to do something like that but then l tend to forget what works the best for me , thank you for this video

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you for watching 💚

[@alejandroalmara]

You are my new hero. I was feeling bad with myself because i couldn't be productive and aesthetic at the same time but you just opened my mind!

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hi Alejandro, thanks for watching! i'm happy my video has been of some help :)

[@Logan-jk1ue]

The sacrificing productivity and understanding for aesthetic is a mood. I ended up taking my "normal" notes and then doing whatever "aesthetic" notes after if I felt like doing it. It saved so much time honestly

[@claudiaspaurel]

That's great you do that! And yeah I bet it saves a TON of time. It's good you set that 'rule' - prioritizing the work then when you feel like it, indulging in the aesthetics!

[@diutu]

Agreed 100 % with everything you said. Only I wouldn't call these mistakes but rather a learning process. 😊 It takes time to find out how you can use this great tool to your needs. It's so easy to get sidetracked with all the artsy journaling videos and stationery. I like to keep my bujo minimalistic and easy to use, but I also love looking at beautiful spreads. I currently have two journals: My everyday bujo is really simple and practical with minimal decorations. My reading journal, on the other hand, is where I try out more aesthetic things. But with no pressure! I only take notes on my favourite reads, so this journal gets used about 0-2 times a month. And I might just write down my thoughts and decorate the pages later. This way I get to experiment with drawings and such when/if I feel like it, but my daily bujo is super quick and easy to maintain.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Yeah I guess they aren't really 'mistakes', more like detours in the bujo journey hehe Love your system of using two journals! Having certain guidelines to follow can prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities journaling has to offer. I do this too! One is more practical, for everyday use. The other I don't use as much but it's my creative outlet :)

[@julyarteries]

Thank you so much! This video has just saved me. I was doing these mistakes last year (it was actually a reason why I quit bullet journaling), and I have released that I’m doing them again this time. I’m organizing everything in columns,doing spread a month ahead and panicking when I’m feeling I need a brainstorm. Time to fix it. Again,thank you. Much love from Ukraine 💙💛

[@themission137]

this video is the happy medium i need between bare bones ryder carroll setups and out of this world fancy hand drawn bujos. really needed this video claudia, thank you!!

[@claudiaspaurel]

aw thanks so much for watching! 🥰

[@mairanabia]

randomly found this video and realized those mistakes are all mine and i decided to do it. maybe it's been a year. i think i need to start doing bullet journaling again. thank you so much for your insight! ❤

[@Mia-pq3ww]

When I started bullet journaling, I was very inspired by the aesthetic which I've seen on Pinterest and KZbin. So I have been using it as an artistic activity but not as a useful planner because I'm taking a break from school. It sometimes stressed me to think of new designs because I always want to upgrade my creativity. After watching this I realized I should be focusing not on the themes and colors but use it to reflect myself and maybe starting next month, I should do more realistic sheets rather than the aesthetic ones. Anyway, this video is soooo helpful. :)

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey there! I totally understand where you're coming from on how it can stress you out. I definitely felt like I had to 'keep up' or try to be better with my aesthetics and creativity. It made bullet journaling no longer fun or useful to me. I hope you find a balance between being creative and being functional! Best of luck 💛

[@sabirabi8795]

This video is the literal reflection of my thoughts about the latest bullet journaling system. I used to be very passionate about it but over the course of time I ended up quitting because it was exhausting me mentally. Nice video.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you for watching Sabira 💚

[@songgrace675]

omg finally someone make a video about this! I've always make my journal to be practical than looking good. There's a period where journaling became so trendy but all i see their intentions were decorating them, making them aesthetics, not truly wanted to use it for purposes.

[@merveyuksel8123]

I started bullet journaling two months ago and did some research on instagram, pinterest and youtube and it frightened me how people spend hours on their pages by drawings and art exchange of poor content. There was no 'collection' to take an example, not one! And I think collections are the life-blood of BJ. I knew that it's not what I want and I kept it simple, useful, minimal, clear and full of effective content to empty my mind. I realized that the most important thing is to empty your mind on pages, see how was your day, how you felt and why. You automatically make the connections and come an understanding inside of your brain and this is a wonderful thing on your journey. Anyways, I liked your content thanks for the video! Also greatest thanks for Ryder Carroll :)

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you for watching and yes, definitely grateful for Ryder for sharing his system with everyone!! I'm happy to hear you've found what works for you in bullet journaling 😊

[@lovelikesandwiches6540]

You're so eloquent omg

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you! It helps to write out what you wanna say before filming hehe

[@sleepingcat26]

Thank you for showing me a realistic and functioning bullet journal. I always thought I was doing something wrong but now I know, it needs to be my way.

[@claudiaspaurel]

You're so welcome. And yes, it's gotta be your way 🤗

[@user-ajp-4891]

This has really helped me because I know bullet journaling is for me and I can never get started or finish a spread due to artistic impractical spreads and the limitations of setting up weekly and daily logs in advance. I’m able to throw away the notion of a focus on artistry but it seemed as though the advance set up of the daily and weeklies were so necessary. Thank you so much.

[@claudiaspaurel]

i'm glad to hear this was helpful! thank you so much for watching 🤗

[@pauline_f328]

NOTION IS AWESOME I use it as a writing journal (as in, every time I work on one of my stories I log my thought process there). It saves me the issues I have on paper with perfectionism because every line will be straight, every page where you want it to be, and yet it is amazingly flexible

[@claudiaspaurel]

Oh that's so cool! Notion really is awesome 🤗

[@honeybunnybunny1958]

This was a very helpful video for me. I am new to iPads, procreate, digital journaling, and bullet journals. I’ve been exploring to see what I like and it’s been easier digitally since I don’t have to feel bad for wasting paper and think about the trees. Even through digital journaling This mistakes can still be made. I love your content 🫶🏼

[@jezhamer2000]

This is more of a "reminder" to me that I shouldn't be anxious about the design and my bujo should help me to be productive and organize every day. Thank you so much for this! 🥺❤️

[@claudiaspaurel]

Aw! I'm glad this video is being seen as a reminder 🤗 Thank you so much for watching !! 💓

[@clairenunez1364]

WOOH I'M SO GLAD THAT I FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE LIKE ME.. I mean it's so easy to get advices from someone like me rather than watching those countless so much over aesthetic journaling on yt, which only made me feel so bad about me. thank you so much, this video was so helpful

[@claudiaspaurel]

thank you so much for watching. i'm happy to hear you found this video helpful 💛

[@karitthasun290]

Woww.. just started watching your video and it just hit me in the face. I didn't know why I lost the excitement of starting my third Bujo. Then your first point made me realize that I was trying to make it "perfect" by trying to save space. I've been thinking for the past week about how to utilize each space efficiently and that unconsciously ruins the fun of Bujo for me. Thank you for sharing your learning! And back to watch the rest of the video~

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you for watching! I'm really happy to hear that you resonated with what I said in the video. I hope it helps you with your bullet journaling ❤️

[@karitthasun290]

@@claudiaspaurel Thank you ~ I'm having much more fun now with Bujo 💜

[@financestoart7518]

Exactly how I feel about some bullet journal spreads! Well said!

[@claudiaspaurel]

Oh yay! Thank you so so much ❤️

[@marianne4902]

Ohhh this is such a useful video. I did all these mistakes and got burnt out and didn’t know why. Now I’m back to “just pen” method, and it feels great

[@claudiaspaurel]

i'm happy to hear that going back to basics has been helpful to you! 🥰

[@arayasunshinec]

Really enjoyed this! I absolutely agree about not setting up daily/weekly in advance! The whole reason I got into Bullet journaling in the first place was because with pre made calendars and organizational journals there would be pages left empty and others way too full, and I loved the idea of only using as much space as you need! When I pre made dailies it felt like I was carrying that thing I didn’t like with me, so I scrapped it. I also quickly figured out trackers were always left empty, so I stopped doing those too. I do love to draw so I do a pretty themed calendar where I keep things coming up and then on the next pages just log stuff daily as it’s happening. I also have pages scattered throughout to keep lists of things like books I’ve read, recipes, etc, whenever I need!

[@claudiaspaurel]

thanks for watching! and thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences. it seems like you've been using your bujo in a way that works for you and that is awesome! 🤗

[@marion7661]

I'm overwhelmed just by thinking to start a BuJo, but your sharing helped a lot to get clear on it!

[@junebugseason]

This very timely. I am currently planning out for my bujo pages for the next year. I have encountered some of these. I learned not to be much of a perfectionist and its okay to make mistakes sometimes. Its what makes the journal raw and authentic.

[@claudiaspaurel]

yes to this! ❤️

[@sunshineland]

I've never been a fan of bullet journals. It's a lot of work to set up everything from scratch. I know many have found this to be fun, but I would get tired and discouraged before all the sections are set up. (Not to mention making them "artsy" like you said!) I prefer buying a beautiful planner with pre-printed monthly calendar, weekly pages and a lot of empty space. As time goes by and if a prompt or heading is necessary, I will set one up accordingly. I find this to be more practical and I can really make use of it and not having to throw away the entire journal after only a few months due to boredom and feeling of commitment.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thank you for sharing your experiences and what has worked for you! 🤗

[@tanyabutler9034]

That is my exact problem! I will never in my life actually need a mood tracker. I need my journal so that I don’t procrastinate or forget things so that I never end up with too much to do in too little time, it helps organize my life. I also use it for personal enjoyment like writing notes on books I’m reading so I can take a break from reading and reflect on what I’ve read. Or just writing down my feelings on a day that I need them off my chest. I do still do artsy stuff on monthly pages, but if I have to decorate every page I will eventually give up.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey Tanya, thank you for sharing your experiences! 😊

[@enchiladabonito6629]

Wonderful perspective. I like very much how you qualify your comments. I was also guilty of form over function. I was investing far too much time planning to plan - as a single mom who works full time (and not so closet perfectionist) it was stressing me out trying to achieve what others had the natural talent or wealth of time to do. So I went back to functional, decorated if I had time, didn’t beat myself up if I didn’t. Thank you for your thoughtful and eloquent advice.

[@claudiaspaurel]

you are so welcome. i'm happy to hear you went back to having a functional bullet journal, but making it decorative when you had the time :)

[@mariah4197]

I know this is sorta old video but this video speaks to me since I’m trying to go back to bullet journaling. I switched to analog and digital for the last couple of weeks. It was stressful. I opened my old bullet journal which was very simple and had minimal decorations. So I copied what I did there unto my new 2022 journal and it felt more doable and pleasant. It was in the middle of minimalist and artsy journal because the notebook I used is actually a sketchbook, so there are pages that have paintings in between spreads.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Glad that my video resonated with you! Wishing you all the best with bullet journaling in the new year :)

[@labotraduc8448]

ps : you are so articulate and mature, I am amazed. I was nowhere near like that when I was your age! You are doing great work!

[@claudiaspaurel]

wow thank you for saying this! thank you 🤗

[@homa_24]

I experiment with my monthly layout but then am minimalist for my daily/weekly because I have so much to calendar. Nice to stumble onto this video and see a journal style that looks more like me. Certainly I use it for my to do lists almost exclusively but it is a mediative process for me.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences, Homa! 😊

[@BroonParker]

Spot on. Even with my aesthetically challenged attempts, too much extraneous, borrowed stuff cluttered the journal and made it into a task, not a tool to assist with tasks. Ryder has made some similar points recently, but your video is very clear and helpful. Many thanks for this.

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hi Dave, thank you for watching!

[@-maithreya-5975]

you won't know how much this helps. I started a bullet journal a while back and ended up ripping pages (I know it horrible) trying to my it like the ones on printrest. Now I want to make my new journal a to-do list as a student, and when school is done for the year, I will make a summer to-do list and hopefully fill up all the pages so when I start grade 8 I can reflect on this! :)

[@claudiaspaurel]

Hey, I have also ended up ripping pages due to my perfectionism so don't feel too bad. Best of luck on your bullet journal journey 💕 And I hope you'll be able to do lots of fun and safe summer activities this year!