The Home To-Do List - Somewhat Neglected Lately

I have been really using my work bullet journal lots and lots in the past several weeks. I have been setting up my day each morning and then checking things off as they happen. I have been using my ideas journal as a companion to the bullet journal. It has been very satisfying to check things off and see that I have accomplished tasks. My home bullet journal has been another story completely.

Let me explain a bit more...

I have a work journal and a home journal. I do this because I try my best to separate work from home as much as possible. Work things belong at work - so, work bullet journal. Home things belong at home - you get the idea. I bring my work journal home with me, but the home journal stays at home. 

Here are some examples from a long time ago that show you my pages in my home journal. (Don't worry, there is nothing strange or overly personal in these pictures...)

I do more decorations in my home journal than in my work journal, and I set up the planning part about three months in advance. I have weekly and monthly formats set up until December. I am not quite ready to start up 2022 decoration and set ups at this point, so those pages may stay undone for a bit longer. I use a set format for my home bullet journal planning pages - a vertical set up for the days of the week. It is the same every single time, and it works for me.

I do a series of boxes across the two-page spread. Each box is for one day. I try to use color-coordinated monthly calendars and weekly pages as well. I keep lots of space to write ideas, to make my meal plans, to write commitments or whatever I have going on. I also journal a bit on these pages - things that are too personal for this blog. I am keeping track of my emotions and responses to things these days - well, when I actually open up the book...

This week has been a week when I haven't looked at my home bullet journal much (if at all since Sunday). I have had a pretty quiet week - no extra appointments or anything, so it was not really necessary to get into the book. I like using these books, so it is time to make an effort.

This next week does not have much on it already. In fact, I do not think I have any sort of commitments other than work this next week. I have plenty of tasks that I need to get finished today and the rest of this week - arranging a hotel for my bereavement leave in a week and a half, laundry, dishes, taking out the recycling, removing some exploded soda from the back of the car (bad idea of mine...), cleaning things up a bit, and making things. It is time to get going on the to-do lists - making them and then crossing things off.

If you are a fellow bullet journaler, then please know that what I do at work is more like the traditional idea of "bullet journaling." What I do at home is more "planning" than "bullet journaling." I figure that I need to do what works for me, so I do. I am not all that interested in setting specific tasks for each day when I get home. If you read this blog regularly, you know that I have FINALLY arrived at the conclusion that I am GREAT at making goals and LOUSY at accomplishing them! As a result, if I make a task list in the past, when the present arrives, I am not interested or motivated to do the tasks that I have on my list. So, I have adapted this to what works best for me. The examples that I have listed above were from a time when I wanted to be a bit more goal-oriented, so you can see a task list on the side. When I put tasks into my planner, I tend to do this type of thing - something not time-bound, but still on my mind.

I will spend some time doing the chores that I listed two paragraphs ago so I can have the simple satisfaction of crossing them off when they are done.

I will try to look at the book a bit more next week - it is time to start a packing list for my trip back east. That type of thing works well in my book. I also want to open up the next round of intern webinars. We will see if anyone even bothers to show up. The last round had to be canceled because people just didn't arrive. It may be time to reconceptualize something I've done forever. We are evolving, aren't we? Time for me to evolve as well. That's something to go into the home ideas book...

Oh, did you think I only have the three journals going at any one time?? Silly rabbit! I've only revealed a small portion of the books that I have going at any one time! This is just the tip of the iceberg...