Found a bullet journal setup in a coffee shop in Asheville

I was grabbing coffee at a spot called High Five in Asheville last weekend and saw a woman at the next table working in her journal. I couldn't help but notice her setup. She had a simple black notebook, but she was using a bunch of different colored pens and a clear plastic ruler to make these really clean, straight lines for her weekly spread. It looked so neat and organized, but also really fast to put together. She had a little symbol key drawn in the corner with dots for tasks and circles for events, which I thought was smart. It made me realize I spend too much time making my weekly layout perfect and not enough time actually using it. I've been trying to copy her method with just a ruler and my regular pens, and it's cut my setup time in half. Has anyone else seen a simple trick in public that changed how you journal?

2 comments

2 Comments

fisher.reese22d ago

Spotted a guy on the train using a single pen to cross out his whole to-do list with these really satisfying, thick lines. Looked way more final than my little checkmarks. Tried it and now my notebook page looks angry but it gets the job done. Sometimes the simplest thing you see just clicks.

bettyjones22d ago

Remember seeing my old boss do that with a red pen on meeting notes, just slashing through points like he was killing ideas. It felt so violent but also kind of freeing. I mean, @fisher.reese, you're right about that final feeling, like you're not just finishing a task, you're destroying it. I tried it on my grocery list and ended up ripping the paper a little because I pressed too hard. Maybe it's just me but the messiness is part of the charm now.