Mistral Spirit
  • Home
    • about
    • get in touch
    • print shop (inactive)
  • organization
    • bullet journal
    • digital organization
    • note taking
    • resources + printables
  • lifestyle
    • productivity
    • journaling & balance
    • academia
    • books
    • fitness
  • ideas
  • creativity
  • links
  • ☕ newsletter
  • bullet journal
  • digital organization
  • ideas & perspectives
  • organization
  • things i learned

organization || bullet journal plus digital system | things I’ll do differently next month

IoanaSeptember 20, 2021

As I mentioned in my recent blog post about 3 Todoist tips for students, I’ve started using a combination of Notion, Todoist and Google Calendar to organize my ongoing and upcoming projects… which has replaced the need for my usual monthly bullet journal calendars (like the one below).

Digital tools are more practical for the complexity of the projects I’m working on right now, and they’ve also helped me focus & prioritize better!

HOWEVER my bullet journal is more than just a deadline calendar.

Which means: bullet journaling is still really useful for me in a multitude of ways. In particular, I like to have a single notebook that carries my quick little scribbles right after class, notes from one-on-one in-person chats, or rough brainstorming. Pulling out a phone to write something down in those situations can be unprofessional and impractical. An analog system is also great for tracking simple things like time spent on projects, or habits.

In September I decided to experiment with a different sort of “monthly” and “weekly” set up – for habit tracking, goal setting, and a little bit of mindful journaling.

It’s still a work in progress trying to figure out which parts of my planning process are best on paper, so this blog post is a little summary of what I’ve learned and what I’ll do differently next month!

the process

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ioana | bujo & organization (@mistralspirit)

for next time

out in public!

1. I’d forgotten that bold and colourful is fantastic when I’m at home all day and getting crafty, but it’s a bit impractical and less professional to pull out during a Commerce lecture or professor office hours.

I’ll probably keep it a little more minimalist and simple next time – and save the bold craftiness for a separate page or for after I’m finished taking notes on the page!

pre-made sections: goals, priorities, habit tracker

2. In theory, writing down goals and priorities is great – but I definitely don’t see myself sticking to it when things get really busy.

Plus, in many ways my priorities don’t shift very much, and my ongoing projects are well-captured by Todoist. The wins are something I think about but rarely something I take the time to write about. I’m as of yet undecided, but maybe I’ll take that entire self-reflective section out.

3. My habit tracker: great. I use the workout one to keep track of which workouts I’ve done each day, and the others to keep track of the time I spend on various projects. That’s very useful for me.

organization

4. For one, my “weeklies” really ended up being a bit messier because in-person classes and meetings are a lot more chaotic than online ones. I ended up just scribbling whenever I could spare a minute, rather than adhering to a format/structure like I did for the past year while things were online and my bullet journal was conveniently open beside me at all times.

This came in handy when I was in a situation that would be unprofessional or awkward to take my phone out and type a task into my Todoist app. However, I’d love to think of a way to keep my tasks a little more organized.

5. All in all, I would say that I surprised myself by using “dailies” rather than “weeklies” in my bullet journal, despite now having a digital task management system.

I keep my occasional school discussion notes & scribbles in a school notebook. But, for one-off meetings with a prof, or sudden thoughts, ideas and epiphanies that strike in group/class environments, I quickly open my bullet journal and scribble them down. They remain chronological, and they remain daily mutterings. If it finds its way into my newly digital life so organically, maybe the bullet journal isn’t a lost cause after all…

decorating

6. As for my crafting, drawing, decorating, and scrapbooking – that I’ll need ideas for! I have a feeling I might leave that for after I’ve filled up the page, so that it’s more of a fun decoration activity than a pre-designed spread. (See Point 1)

You might also like...


Comments (3)

  • crystalsandcurls

    September 20, 2021 at 3:45 pm

    This is an interesting post! I use a blend of digital and physical planning too – digital tends to be for more practical stuff and physical works great for creative ideas x

    Reply
    1. Ioana

      September 20, 2021 at 3:58 pm

      Yes, exactly! Nothing beats mind-mapping or creative brainstorming on paper. Always good to have a simple notebook handy. ☺

      Reply
  • blog || my october bullet journal setup & tips for decorating yours! – Mistral Spirit

    October 14, 2021 at 7:01 am

    […] A review of how I’m using my bullet journal despite moving digital with my main task management system […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Nice to meet you!

Hi, it’s Ioana! I’m a blogger, brand marketer, and recent Queen’s Commerce alumni. When I’m not drinking coffee, reading, studying or exploring the city, I dabble in creative projects like this one!

Latest posts

  • Writing 50k words in ONE month: National Novel Writing Month 2022 Prep Vlog + Goal Setting + Events

    November 1, 2022
  • "Company" on Broadway in NYC

    July 25, 2022
  • what it means to be your own friend (feat. my last bathroom selfie in Goodes Hall)

    April 26, 2022

Instagram

mistralspirit

ioana | bujo & organization
So glad I overcame my initial hesitation toward th So glad I overcame my initial hesitation toward this book being about video games. It’s a delight for my brain so far and I’m not ashamed to admit that I spent all of this morning and afternoon reading (it was glorious) and I’ve learned 3 new words I adore:
- dilettante
- Weltschmerz
- palimpsest

Pls note: photos taken “while reading” are obviously not as impromptu as they may appear on Instagram. They’re usually when (a) you’re on a reading intermission because you either haven’t started or are getting a bit tired of reading for so long or (b) there’s a long period of descriptive text that doesn’t necessarily represent the quality of the book and is a good time to hashtag let-me-take-a-selfie. So don’t read this one page and form an opinion about the book. Instagram isn’t reality. 😜

Pls also note I’m only 40% through the book so my review isn’t definite. I’ve been burned before by jumping too excitedly to recommend a book (in this case, TV show) to everyone around me before realizing it gets WEIRD later on. So take my moment of excitement with a grain of salt - more thoughts to come!
Just received this new pen from @bulletjournal and Just received this new pen from @bulletjournal and @leuchtturm1917 @leuchtturm1917canada! 👀 Here’s a closer look!

Can you tell I had so much fun unboxing this 😅 It’s my new desk pen for days that I want to feel a little ✨fancy✨

#gifted #pen #amwriting #bulletjournalleuchtturm1917 #gelpen #journal #journaling #planner #studygram #aestheticstudy #bujo #bulletjournal #bulletjournalpen #bujopen #minimalistplanner #bulletjournaling #bulletjournalcommunity #penlover
Vote in the comments for your top 2 on-location sk Vote in the comments for your top 2 on-location sketches! 👆 Check my IG story from today more more details, but there’s an @usktoronto call for submissions for an art expo/sale happening in Jan/Feb. Since they’re looking for on-location sketches and I have plenty, I’ve decided to submit and see what happens!

They would all be for sale so I’ll donate anything that comes of it to a related cause. ❤️ 

Which of these 2 do you like best? 👆

#urbansketchers #urbansketch #sketchbook #sketching #artjournal #travelsketch #drawyourday #sketchbookart #watercolor #illustration #urbansketching #sketchjournal #fineliner #finelinerdrawing #moleskine #watercolortraveljournal #watercolorillustration #traveljournal #travelwatercolor #traveldiary
One final art supplies haul from @currysartstore M One final art supplies haul from @currysartstore Mississauga this weekend! 🥺 So sad that they’re closing - I remember they’ve moved locations a number of times but they were always my favourite art store growing up. ❤️

And let me know if you’ve tried any of these supplies because I haven’t! Super excited to play with some new paints - specifically the metallics and also practice more acrylics after my summer painting class at @visualartsmississauga. 🥰

#artsupplies #unboxing #artsupplieshaul #artistsupplies #torontoartist #currysartstore
Load More Follow me on Instagram

Latest recipes

No Recipes Found

Search

Tags

featured ideas & perspectives

So glad I overcame my initial hesitation toward th So glad I overcame my initial hesitation toward this book being about video games. It’s a delight for my brain so far and I’m not ashamed to admit that I spent all of this morning and afternoon reading (it was glorious) and I’ve learned 3 new words I adore:
- dilettante
- Weltschmerz
- palimpsest

Pls note: photos taken “while reading” are obviously not as impromptu as they may appear on Instagram. They’re usually when (a) you’re on a reading intermission because you either haven’t started or are getting a bit tired of reading for so long or (b) there’s a long period of descriptive text that doesn’t necessarily represent the quality of the book and is a good time to hashtag let-me-take-a-selfie. So don’t read this one page and form an opinion about the book. Instagram isn’t reality. 😜

Pls also note I’m only 40% through the book so my review isn’t definite. I’ve been burned before by jumping too excitedly to recommend a book (in this case, TV show) to everyone around me before realizing it gets WEIRD later on. So take my moment of excitement with a grain of salt - more thoughts to come!
Just received this new pen from @bulletjournal and Just received this new pen from @bulletjournal and @leuchtturm1917 @leuchtturm1917canada! 👀 Here’s a closer look!

Can you tell I had so much fun unboxing this 😅 It’s my new desk pen for days that I want to feel a little ✨fancy✨

#gifted #pen #amwriting #bulletjournalleuchtturm1917 #gelpen #journal #journaling #planner #studygram #aestheticstudy #bujo #bulletjournal #bulletjournalpen #bujopen #minimalistplanner #bulletjournaling #bulletjournalcommunity #penlover
Vote in the comments for your top 2 on-location sk Vote in the comments for your top 2 on-location sketches! 👆 Check my IG story from today more more details, but there’s an @usktoronto call for submissions for an art expo/sale happening in Jan/Feb. Since they’re looking for on-location sketches and I have plenty, I’ve decided to submit and see what happens!

They would all be for sale so I’ll donate anything that comes of it to a related cause. ❤️ 

Which of these 2 do you like best? 👆

#urbansketchers #urbansketch #sketchbook #sketching #artjournal #travelsketch #drawyourday #sketchbookart #watercolor #illustration #urbansketching #sketchjournal #fineliner #finelinerdrawing #moleskine #watercolortraveljournal #watercolorillustration #traveljournal #travelwatercolor #traveldiary
One final art supplies haul from @currysartstore M One final art supplies haul from @currysartstore Mississauga this weekend! 🥺 So sad that they’re closing - I remember they’ve moved locations a number of times but they were always my favourite art store growing up. ❤️

And let me know if you’ve tried any of these supplies because I haven’t! Super excited to play with some new paints - specifically the metallics and also practice more acrylics after my summer painting class at @visualartsmississauga. 🥰

#artsupplies #unboxing #artsupplieshaul #artistsupplies #torontoartist #currysartstore
Black Friday SALE on now at @thewashitapeshop 💃 Black Friday SALE on now at @thewashitapeshop 💃🏼 20% OFF everything - link in bio or visit thewashitapeshop.com to shop what feels like an entire art gallery. 😜

So hard to pick but I was most excited to get my hands on this new PET tape designed by @tonia_tkach - it’s called Forest Houses and comes as both PET tape and washi tape. How cute!

#pettape #originalwashitape #thewashitapeshop #washitape #washitapes #scrapbooking #craftjournal #aestheticjournal #artjournal #craft #journaling #bujo #stationery #stationerylover #sticker #bulletjournal #scrapbook #bujoideas #bulletjournaling #journalwithme #bujosupplies #stationerystore #starioneryshop #stationeryhaul
Sounds from a day in the life preparing for @nanow Sounds from a day in the life preparing for @nanowrimo last month. 🥰 Please send over any motivation you can though because I haven’t written in a WEEK. 🙈😭 Turns out it’s harder than I thought to write 50k words in a month during the literally busiest week at my day job, while also spending time with my boyfriend, family & friends… and helping to keep our apartment at least somewhat in order. 😅 Posting this video to inspire myself is already working though so… let’s see if I can make it past 6k words today! 💪
Load More Follow me on Instagram

Mistral Spirit © 2022. Designed By Lucid Themes.