A quick rundown of how I’m currently using Bullet Journal to manage my projects.
Pocket Notebook One
- Monthly Log
- Future Log
- Collections
Pocket Notebook Two
- Rapid Log intermixed with the Daily Log
The First notebook with my Collections and Monthly Log, Future Log has lasted over a year and I’m only 1/2 way through it. The second notebook for my Daily Log and Rapid Logging usually takes 8-12 weeks to fill up. Once done I swap it for a new one.
The pitfall of using pocket notebooks is that it requires me to be very concise. At some point I may need to create a Index notebook just to remind myself what’s inside which one as they get used up pretty quickly.
Admittedly, it can be counter productive to have a dozen of these floating around instead of a single larger notebook.
Thank you for sharing this. I’ve been blowing through notebooks too quickly with the future planner and daily notes/rapid logs and struggled with coming up with a solution. I was just about to consider going back to a larger book when I saw this!
I do run into the issue of … “damn” this is in my other a5 notebook from time to time. But that’s usually in ‘text heavy’ notes where a pocket notebook is not practical.
I’ve considered trying the larger note book Field Notes offers. But that won’t fit in my back pocket. https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/pitch-black-note
Thanks so much for sharing this! I also use a pocket notebook because the larger size Bullet Journal is not practical for my work (I’m not really anchored to a desk) and I also tend to forget things if I can’t write them down immediately. I recently moved from two Field Notes in tandem (in almost the exact way you described) to a Field Notes book for my Index, future planning etc. and a pocket Moleskine for my daily use. The Moleskine lets me use the same notebook for between 4-6 months and it is helpful to have to keep track of less notebooks when I trying to find older information. When I was using the two Field Notes books I had a similar passport case to the one you are using. Now that I’m using the Moleskine and a Field Note book I got a different case from Jetpens.com. You can see the style here https://www.jetpens.com/Chic-Sparrow-Classic-Tea-House-Leather-Notebook-Cover-Pocket-Earl-Grey/pd/28576. It is a little bigger than the passport case but still fits in my pocket.
Anyway, thanks for posting. I’ve had a hard time finding other bullet journalists who use the pocket size. It is interesting to see what methods others use that are similar to and different from my own.
Recently I moved back to an A5 notebook but I still use this dual notebook method when I travel.
The two journal system only failed me when it came to taking really detailed notes such drafting long form text.
I really like how you described your system consider posting it somewhere and dropping me a reply with a link. I’m very interested in your take on this.