Bullet Journal – Productive or performative? - Undo – How history's outliers got stuff done

Summary

Undo Podcast Series: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Bullet Journal – Productive or Performative?
Host: Mark Steadman
Release Date: February 10, 2025

Introduction to Bullet Journaling

In this enlightening episode of Undo, host Mark Steadman explores the widespread phenomenon of bullet journaling (often abbreviated as BUJO). The episode delves into the origins, methodologies, and the evolving perception of bullet journaling in the digital age, ultimately questioning whether it serves as a genuine productivity tool or has become merely a performative trend.

Origins and Evolution of Bullet Journaling

Mark begins by tracing the roots of bullet journaling back to Ryder Carroll, a university student in America grappling with ADD in the late 1990s. Struggling to focus on numerous tasks simultaneously, Carroll devised a system that would allow him to track past, present, and future tasks systematically.

“Bullet journaling is big. What started as a barebones modular framework for keeping track of the past, present, and future has become a phenomenon.” — Mark Steadman [00:26]

In 2013, Carroll introduced the method to a broader audience through a YouTube video titled Bullet Journal, which quickly amassed over 18 million views. The method emphasized a pen-and-paper approach at a time when digital tools were rapidly gaining popularity, appealing to those seeking structured yet flexible personal management systems.

Understanding the Bullet Journal Method

Mark provides a comprehensive overview of the bullet journal system, highlighting its core components:

Blank Notebook: Ideally with dotted paper to allow flexibility.
Index Page: Serves as a table of contents for easy navigation.
Monthly Log: A calendar view listing all days of the month with corresponding weekdays.
Daily Logs: Pages dedicated to daily tasks, with a bullet system to categorize tasks, events, and notes.

“You start with a blank notebook... Create an index page that'll help you keep track of all your subsequent pages.” — Mark Steadman [00:15]

Tasks are marked with bullets, events with circles, and notes with dashes. Completed tasks are symbolized by an "X," while migrated tasks (carried over to the next day) require thoughtful reassessment, promoting mindfulness in task management.

Critique: Productivity vs. Performative Practice

Mark raises critical questions about the modern adaptation of bullet journaling, particularly its transformation from a personal productivity tool to a social media spectacle.

“There's so much flipping back and forth between pages, so much hunting around for the right page... It can never be more than a short-term hobby.” — Mark Steadman [12:03]

Kira, a guest on the episode, echoes these sentiments, noting that many users abandon bullet journaling due to its time-consuming nature. The demand for aesthetically pleasing spreads, often showcased on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, can overshadow the method’s original purpose.

“Exhaustion due to a perceived need to perform their bullet journal for others,” — Kira [10:03]

Elizabeth Greer Turnbull, another contributor, observes that bullet journaling has shifted towards public performance, where the emphasis on beautiful presentations detracts from its utility as a productivity tool.

“What started out as an elegant system as efficient as pen and paper could be... about personal productivity to public performance.” — Elizabeth Greer Turnbull [10:03]

The Commercialization and Coaching Pyramid

Mark discusses the commercialization of bullet journaling, particularly the emergence of certified trainers and expensive courses. He likens coaching to a pyramid scheme, where initial trainers eventually sell the concept to new recruits for profit rather than enhancing the method itself.

“If you're so inclined, you can pay $3,500 to become a certified bullet journal trainer.” — Mark Steadman [09:45]

This commercialization raises concerns about the accessibility and authenticity of bullet journaling, suggesting that monetization may dilute its effectiveness as a productivity tool.

Impact of Social Media on Creativity and Productivity

The episode highlights how social media has transformed bullet journaling from a private organizational method to a performative art form. The pressure to create visually appealing journals for online sharing can lead to burnout and shift focus away from genuine productivity.

“When you're creating with the intent to share, the creative process can morph from authentic expression into hollow performance.” — Kira [10:17]

Mark concurs, emphasizing the disconnect between the method’s original intent and its portrayal on social media.

“If we start sharing this stuff online, it becomes easy for us to think, oh, so that's what a bullet journal should be.” — Mark Steadman [11:15]

Balancing Mindful Productivity and Creative Expression

Despite the criticisms, Mark acknowledges the intrinsic benefits of bullet journaling, particularly the cognitive advantages of handwriting and the structured approach to task management.

“Writing stuff down... is good for us. It helps us remember things better than typing, and it boosts different areas of the brain.” — Mark Steadman [12:50]

He advocates for a balanced approach, incorporating the method's core principles without succumbing to performative pressures. The key is to maintain mindfulness in productivity without allowing aesthetic pursuits to become distractions.

Personal Reflections and Future Experimentation

In a personal segment, Mark shares his own experiences with various planning systems, including digital tools like Notion and traditional paper journals. He expresses an interest in integrating handwriting into his workflow to enhance memory retention and cognitive engagement.

“If I'm spending four pomodoro units editing an episode of a podcast... I don't want to be writing that out four times.” — Mark Steadman [12:37]

Mark plans to experiment with transitioning his digital system to a handwritten format, aiming to find a harmonious balance between efficiency and cognitive benefits.

Conclusion: Mindful Use of Bullet Journaling

Mark concludes the episode by emphasizing the importance of discerning between productive practices and performative behaviors. While bullet journaling offers valuable tools for organization and mindfulness, it's crucial to adapt the method to individual needs without being swayed by external pressures or aesthetic trends.

“We need to be aware of the line between mindful productivity and beautiful distractions.” — Mark Steadman [12:50]

He encourages listeners to enjoy the planning process while ensuring that it serves their productivity goals rather than becoming an end in itself.

Key Takeaways:

Origins: Bullet journaling was created by Ryder Carroll to manage focus and tasks effectively.
Methodology: The system emphasizes a structured yet flexible approach using a blank notebook, index, monthly logs, and daily logs.
Critique: The method has evolved into a performative trend on social media, potentially detracting from its original productivity-focused intent.
Commercialization: The rise of certified trainers and expensive courses may dilute the method’s authenticity and accessibility.
Cognitive Benefits: Handwriting tasks can enhance memory and cognitive engagement, offering benefits over digital methods.
Balance: Maintaining mindful productivity requires adapting the bullet journal method to personal needs without succumbing to performative pressures.

This episode of Undo provides a nuanced exploration of bullet journaling, encouraging listeners to critically assess its role in their productivity toolkit and to adopt practices that genuinely enhance their efficiency and mindfulness.

Transcript

Kira (0:00)

Happy New Year everyone. This is my 2024 bullet journal setup so far. I started bullet journaling at the beginning of 2024 and I honestly can't even believe that I stuck to it this long. Bullet journal with me for the last day of July. It was a three star day and I woke up feeling, well, if you've.

Mark Stedman (0:13)

Got a bullet journal, you have no.

Kira (0:14)

Clue what to write in it.

Mark Stedman (0:15)

I'm going to show you what I.

Kira (0:16)

Write in the pages that I've designed. And I love doing my monthly bullet journal setup. So let me show you how I'm setting it up. Hi.

Mark Stedman (0:21)

Kira just released a bullet journal, but.

Kira (0:23)

Like, she's designed it and it's so pretty.

Mark Stedman (0:26)

Bullet journaling is big. What started as a bare bones modular framework for keep track of the past, present and future has become a phenomenon. But the world of bullet journaling shown on Instagram and TikTok is as far away from the original as Milton Keynes is from the moon. So can this analog system for a digital age really help us get more done? Has it strayed from its roots and become synonymous with people who call things super aesthetic? And if we can learn what we need to about the system in three minutes, why does it cost three and a half grand to learn to teach it? I'm Mark Stedman and this is undo. Investigating productivity methods through the ages and separating the brilliant from the bullshit so you can build a system that works for you. Productivity, if it's anything, is the art of doing a thing, doing it well, but spending as little time doing it as possible. If we're not careful, all those things that insist on being done just become noise and we can end up like zombies, somnambulating through a sea of tasks without really thinking too much about whether they're really worth our time. That thought is behind much of the philosophy of the bullet journal method, or BUJO as its devotees would have it. A stratospherically popular method of note taking that peaked in the early 2000 and tens and has now settled into becoming almost a religion. Whenever something reaches that kind of status, I find my spidey senses tingling. That is to say, my bullshit detector starts going off. So I wanted to invite you to join me in an investigation of the bullet journal method. So maybe you and I can reach a conclusion about whether it's a beneficial productivity boost or an attractive nuisance. To do that, we must begin at the beginning. Ryder Carroll is a university student in America. He has ADD. It's the late 90s, so they hadn't yet added the H. And he's struggling with focus. Not that he can't focus, but he's focused on too many things at the same time. Preach on brother. He started coming up with this system for keeping track of the things he needed to do, and as he shared it with his friends, they persuaded him to share it more widely. On August 9, 2013, Ryder published Bullet Journal, a YouTube video illustrating his analog method for managing his calendar and to do list. It was a sort of stop motion piece with Carol reading his script and walking through it a little like how Martin from IT walks through the latest update to Microsoft Microsoft Outlook and why you must always remember to never click links and attachments Guys, no one wants a repeat of the pole dancing hamster virus, do we Janet? So he came up with the system before the smartphone, but he took a systematic and ordered approach that I think tweaked a nerve in the digitally minded masses who needed structure but didn't want to delegate that structure to their electronic pocket rectangles. And so yes, there is an inevitable hipster element to bullet journaling, as there is with any pen and paper productivity method. It's objectively easier to do this stuff on a computer or smartphone, but that's not the point, and we'll get to that later. By December of 2013, just six months after the release of his YouTube video, there were over 3 million Instagram posts about the Bullet Journal method. That original video and an updated one from two years later have amassed over 18 million views. There are books, products, courses, apps, and all manner of doodads and gee gores, some of which are officially licensed. But many, like the slightly off Disney characters painted on ice cream vans, are skirting trademark legislation. So what is the Bullet Journal method? Well, nowadays, if you ask Ryder Carroll, he'll point you to his $250 starter course. But information wants to be free, so here's the skinny. You start with a blank notebook, ideally one with dotted paper rather than lined. Of course you can buy custom Bullet Journal notebooks, but any book that'll lie flat with its pages open will do. Create an index page that'll help you keep track of all your subsequent pages. Then start a new page headed with the current month. Write all the days of the month from 1 to 31 or whatever down the left hand side of the page. Then write the first letter of the corresponding day of the week. At this point, you'll probably need to shake out the cramp in your writing hand. If you're anything like me, this is probably already the most writing you'll have done all year. So number that page, then go back to your index and write the name of the month and the page number you just started. You'll be doing this a lot, by the way, going back and forth between pages, so get used to it. After your month page, start a new one with today's date as the heading. Now you can start writing down the stuff you've got to do for the day. Write down any tasks you need to do and put a simple bullet to the left. Just a little dot is all. If there's something on your calendar, write it down and draw a little circle to the left instead of a bullet. You can make arbitrary notes too. Just write them down and mark them with a dash instead of a dot. Every time you complete a task, turn the little dot into an X. This is called your daily log, and tomorrow you'll do this all again. When the bullet journal method begins Moving from productivity system into mindfulness is when you start assessing your open tasks. Scan your previous days and look for any tasks you haven't done. Now ask yourself, is this task still worth my time? If it isn't, you draw a line through it. If it is worth your time, you write it down again in today's daily log. There are a few other bits Carol recommends you do in your notebook, but they're pretty visual and rather tedious to explain. Also, a lot of them involve repetition, which is just one of the issues that makes me question whether the method actually makes you more productive or just gives you more shit to post on Instagram. See, there's a fine line between being mindful of how you spend your time and ruminating, which is something cows do. Did you know that rumination is the process of regurgitating your food, re chewing it and then re ungurgitating it back down again? There's value in the manual labor of rewriting every open task to help you consider whether it'll really get done. But there's only so much copying tasks into monthly spreads and daily logs or migration as the Bujo people have it before. You're essentially just chewing days old chewing gum. And on that note, let's take a brief pause to ruminate on something else. This podcast is supported directly by you. If you'd like to show your support for Undo, you can become a member of the Undo Book Club over at Undo fm. Club members can chat in the comments, and every month I write an in depth review of a self help guru book so you can extract all the good stuff without the guff this month we're doing Slow Productivity by Cal Newport. It only costs a fiver a month, but if that's too much at this stage, no worries. I'd love it if you'd give us a review on Apple podcasts or just tell a friend about the show. But if you are in a position to help, support the podcast, head to Undo FM Club and take my warm gratitude with you. Okay, let's get back to it. So in the title of this episode, I posed the question of whether bullet journaling was actually productive or just performative. That's at the heart of my issue with this method. Now, by no means should you share my concerns, but I want to take a brief diversion and talk about coaching. Don't worry, I won't keep us here for long. Coaching is a pyramid scheme, and by that I don't mean that it's a scam, but that it seems to sustain itself by finding a new base of people to sell to. If you start out as a coach and are lucky enough to happen upon a method that works, you run out of time to facilitate one to one calls, so you hire more people. After a while, finding the right individuals takes too long. So you develop a training program that stops being a recruitment practice and becomes its own product. Now you're coaching the coaches and making banks. That's not the case for every coach, but it seems to be the natural evolution. And bullet journaling is no different. If you're so inclined, you can pay $3,500 to become a certified bullet journal trainer. Now, bear in mind, I've already shared with you the core tenets of the method. So what else is there to teach? Not much. So what you're paying for is the stamp of approval that certification gives you. I don't think there's any malice involved here. I don't think anyone's being encouraged to part with their money and getting nothing in return. But I do know from my own experience and from chatting with others that there are a lot of people feeling pretty lost right now, not sure where their careers should be headed or how they're going to feed themselves when they retire. So the promise of a course that will help you generate income for something you love, well, it sounds pretty appealing. I just don't think the people who win are those at the bottom of the pyramid, that's all. Okay, well, that aside, I'm not the only one with questions around the bullet.