Okay, you probably heard me say it for the gazillion times how much of a game-changer my bullet journal weekly planner is.
Heck, I even write about it if you’re interested in learning what the fuss is about this weekly log thing.
Yes, bullet journaling in itself is already a game-changer.
But I never imagined adding the bullet journal weekly planner to my bullet journal could take me to another level.
It’s easier to plan my week when I already know everything I need to do that week.
So, no more important tasks get left behind or simply shoved to the side only because I forgot about them.
Or I just don’t have the time for it.
As much as how much having a weekly log transforms the way I plan and manage my day, it also comes with a caveat.
And the not-so-good part about it?
I only realized it not too long ago as I review my weekly log every single week.
If you think I’ll be ditching my weekly log for something better, the answer is a resounding no.
Weekly log still plays a vital role in how I manage my day and week. But it sure is interesting something as simple as a weekly log can give you this much insight into your current life situation.
My bullet journal weekly planner is rearing its ugly head
As an author, I’m sure we can all relate to this situation where everything seems to require our attention.
It can be things like pulling out the literal fire in your author business. Or it can be something like trying out new marketing strategies or software.
Whatever the tasks are, you may have this tendency to want to tackle them all.
And you want to do them all, if Heaven forbid, like NOW.
Like most people, I have a long list of things that require my attention.
And being such a high achiever, nothing gives me a burst of satisfaction other than ticking every single task on my to-do list.
If I can do all these things within a day or perhaps a week, all’s the better.
As much as I love the feeling of accomplishment after tackling every single task, it began to dawn on me that I didn’t have time to do all the fun stuff I always wanted to do.
For whatever reason, things like exercise, playing video games, and reading get shoved to the side so then I can make way for all the tasks in my weekly log.
It’s no wonder why I still feel miserable despite ticking off every single task I have in my weekly log.
I have way too many things to do in a week.
And I have to sacrifice my fun time just to get all those tasks in the weekly log done. I feel that my day or week won’t be a productive one if I don’t tick off every single one of them.
Something’s got to give
Here’s the thing about all the tasks I add to my weekly log – many of them happen to be the tasks that I add later on.
And the kicker? Many of them aren’t even that urgent either.
Sure, they’re important. But they’re not something I have to do right now even with my life riding on them.
I can always do them the following week, no biggie about that.
So, what is it that causes the tasks in my weekly log to expand to eternity, you ask?
Well, you can blame it on my habit of dumping everything I have to do in my weekly log.
Of course, I can dump these tasks on my daily log if I don’t want to forget them.
But the thing about adding them to my daily log is that I don’t really review my daily log, save for doing reflection on that day.
As a result, they’re off to my weekly log instead since there’s no other way to record them anywhere else in my bullet journal.
The bullet journal module that I should have added a long time ago
If you take a look at my bullet journal setup, you’ll notice that the future log is missing from the list.
Well, I have no reason to include it in my bullet journal setup when I don’t use it that often. And it does nothing but waste space in my journal too.
Boy, I was wrong about the purpose of having a future log in your bullet journal setup.
Yes, the future log is all about capturing the tasks that fall outside of the current month according to The Bullet Journal Method book by Ryder Carroll.
But guess what?
You can also use it to record the tasks you want to do in the future and migrate them to the monthly log once you’re ready to tackle them all.
If there’s one thing I can do to solve my long list of tasks in the weekly log, it will be to add the future log to my setup and dump all the things I need to do there instead.
Not only I can use it to list all the tasks that come to my mind but they’re something that I can do later on. I can also use it to jot down my blog post ideas.
I find it more organized too when they’re all in the future log.
If you’re in the same situation as I am, consider adding the future log in your bullet journal setup if you haven’t already.
Be mindful of what you add to your schedule
Let’s be honest here, we all want to lead a productive life.
And the way to go about it is to complete as many tasks as you can within a day and use whatever time is left to get the relaxation you need.
While there’s nothing wrong with completing as many tasks as possible in a day, it can still feel exhausting when you have to go through the same motions every single day.
Sure, you can argue that you’re cramming everything so then you can have all the breaks you need during the weekend.
But I find this way of doing things will only lead you to burnout no matter how much fun you’re having in your work.
Remember that we’re doing it for the long haul.
So, be mindful about what you add to your schedule.
You can still have a productive day as long as you focus on doing things that matter to you and you do it right.
While a weekly log can be a useful addition to your bullet journal setup, having a future log is crucial too especially when you feel like you’ve been swarmed with endless to-dos.