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Brainbook: Bullet Journaling Your Way to a More Organized Life

April 9 // 5 Comments // 5 Minute Read

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Wish you could take charge of your schedule, manage dozens of to-do lists, and keep every note and idea you’ve ever had in one place? Don’t miss this game-changing bullet journal guide that teaches you step-by-step how to create a personalized planning system that actually works!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

I don’t know about you, but I cannot live without a paper planner.

Between running a full-time online business, volunteering at two non-profits, and managing a home, I need a simple yet powerful system to stay on top of it ALL.

I've never been able to find that "perfect planner" until I tried bullet journaling! With Kalyn's bullet journal guide, I was able to set up a planner that functions exactly how I need it to and helps me juggle all the different areas of my life. I thought it would take a lot of time to maintain, but bullet journaling actually SAVES me time and frustration. I'm never going back to a regular planner ever again. I'm a BuJo convert! #bujo #bulletjournaling #bulletjournal #startbulletjournaling

I’m guessing you’ve got a million and one things to keep up with too.

Maybe you’ve tried paper planners in the past, and they just haven’t lived up to what you hoped. Or you’re nearing the end of your current planner and you’re ready to try something new for 2018.

The only problem?

Finding one planner that perfectly fits your lifestyle, schedule, and personality can feel like an overwhelming nightmare.

After all, you can easily encounter option overload, when trying to decide between…

  • The Day Designer
  • The Happy Planner
  • The Living Well Planner
  • The Simplified Planner
  • The Erin Condren Life Planner
  • The LiveWELL planner
  • The Intentional Life Planner

…and dozens more ranging from $12 all the way to $59.

The truth is—no “one-size-fits-all” planner exists capable of managing and organizing every area of your life!

You just won’t find the customization you need, because every planning system is designed by someone else with their unique view of a typical day.

Which is why bullet journaling trumps every planner on the market.

What is bullet journaling?

In case you’re not familiar with bullet journaling, this method is a simple calendar and task management system personalized to your exact needs, because YOU get to decide what to include.

But here’s what’s so magical about the system—inside this ONE notebook, you can:

  • Plan your months, weeks, and days, much like a paper planner
  • Take notes and keep track of lists
  • Journal your thoughts, keeping a sort of memory log alongside your daily tasks

And it’s super cheap. All you need is a blank notebook and a pen, and you can start bullet journaling right away!

Bullet journaling is more than “just” a planner

The ability to plan and track anything and everything isn’t just convenient.

It’s life-changing.

In my own journal, I’ve seen just how powerful a personalized planning system can be.

  • By tracking my daily habits, I’m making my bed, working out, and eating fruits and veggies WAY more than I used to!
  • By keeping tabs on the way my diet and activity affect my mood, I’m motivated to eat healthier and get off the couch.
  • By maintaining wish lists, gift lists, clothing lists, and packing lists, I’m sure to never forget another brilliant idea ever again.

Bullet journaling serves as your very own personal assistant to keep you more productive, organized, and on top of your most important tasks, while doubling as a creative outlet. I love the way my journal provides ample space to experiment. The colors and lettering inspire me to use my journal even more!

Want a peek into one of my past journals? This post includes video flip-through. 

How to get started

Tons of places online will try to teach you this method, but after experimenting on my own over the past year and a half, I’ve realized there is no simple, step-by-step guide that will teach you everything you need to know in one place.

So I created it.

It’s called, Brainbook: Bullet Journaling Your Way to A More Organized Life, and this incredibly comprehensive resource is available right now.

If you’re curious about the title, Brainbook is what I call my own journal. It is literally my brain in book form, because it holds everything I need to manage and organize my entire life. I would be totally lost without it!

I've never been able to find that "perfect planner" until I tried bullet journaling! With Kalyn's bullet journal guide, I was able to set up a planner that functions exactly how I need it to and helps me juggle all the different areas of my life. I thought it would take a lot of time to maintain, but bullet journaling actually SAVES me time and frustration. I'm never going back to a regular planner ever again. I'm a BuJo convert! #bujo #bulletjournaling #bulletjournal #startbulletjournaling

With gentle instruction, encouragement, and down-to-earth advice, Brainbook will cover, in detail, exactly what steps you need to take to set up a personalized bullet journaling system that helps you stay on top of your responsibilities.

Now you can turn any blank notebook into a powerful planning tool that corrals your calendar, to-do lists, notes, ideas, and long-term goals in one organized place!

You’ll discover:

  • How to eliminate “blank page fear” and set up your journal for success from the very beginning {also includes a set-up checklist}
  • Which notebooks and other supplies are best for your needs
  • The key to maintain a journal without it sucking all of your time
  • Advanced tips and tricks to take your journal to the next level
  • Five pivotal success secrets to keep your journal top of mind so it can support everything you do
  • What to do when your journal isn’t working quite right for you

Most of all, you’ll learn how to set up a personalized planning system that simplifies your life, helps you manage all your day-to-day responsibilities in addition to your long-term goals, and supports your own personal growth journey, so you can be the wife, mom, friend, daughter, and person you’ve always wanted to be.

In other words, you’ll finally achieve balance. 

LEARN MORE

The Starter Package

Because I want your journey to be as smooth as possible, I’m also offering THREE additional resources you can access in addition to the 116-page Brainbook guide!

I've never been able to find that "perfect planner" until I tried bullet journaling! With Kalyn's bullet journal guide, I was able to set up a planner that functions exactly how I need it to and helps me juggle all the different areas of my life. I thought it would take a lot of time to maintain, but bullet journaling actually SAVES me time and frustration. I'm never going back to a regular planner ever again. I'm a BuJo convert! #bujo #bulletjournaling #bulletjournal #startbulletjournaling

RESOURCE #1: DOABLE DESIGNS: THE CREATIVE BRAINBOOK COMPANION GUIDE

This guide offers plenty of fun doodles and lettering you can easily recreate {even if you don’t feel creative!}, including simple header ideas that add flair to your titles.

While fancy pages are not a requirement for bullet journaling, recording information in an eye-please way:

  • Draws attention to important elements
  • Displays a visual reminder of memories you’ve made
  • Helps you better retain the information inside

Even if you haven’t flexed your creative muscles for years, you can still exercise them and improve that skill. Creativity can be cultivated, and this guide will show you how.

RESOURCE #2: PRINTABLE JOURNALING LAYOUTS

Print these layouts on 8 1/2 x 11 sticker paper and trim to fit inside your journal—no drawing required. Just fill-in-the-blanks and you’re ready to go!

RESOURCE #3: EXCLUSIVE FACEBOOK GROUP

You also get access to a members-only Facebook group where you can ask questions, chat with other bullet journaling fans, and share your own Brainbook pages!

Note: These are digital files only

What if a few months from now, you were able to feel more organized because you had the right planning tool—one that gave you complete freedom over function?

What if you could finally combine your calendar, to-do lists, notes, ideas, and long-term goals in one convenient place, without worrying about it ever getting lost?

How would your life be different?

Seize the opportunity to take back your time, life, and schedule, starting today. With a 100% guarantee, there is nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

I want nothing more than to see you succeed!

LEARN MORE

What excites you the most about bullet journaling?

Don’t forget to share your pages on Instagram using the hashtag #BrainbookJournal!

 

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Rest assured, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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Comments

  1. Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving says

    December 5 at 2:25 pm

    I love, love, love my bullet journal and will always be in your debt for convincing me to start! And I am SO excited to sharing this brainbook with so many others who are interested in bullet journalling!

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      December 8 at 11:20 am

      I’m so glad you love it, Kristen!!

      Reply
  2. Sheila says

    December 14 at 4:52 pm

    I was SO disappointed when I saw that this is only a digital book. I wanted to order one paper copy of this TERRIFIC looking book for myself and three or four to give as Christmas gifts along with nice grid journals. Maybe next year? Please?

    Reply
    • Kalyn Brooke says

      December 14 at 9:53 pm

      Hi Sheila,

      I completely understand that disappointment! I would love to publish it as an physical book sometime in the future but for the initial release it was very cost-prohibitive to go that route.

      One thing that I do with many of my favorite e-book resources is print it and take it to staples or office max. I have them laminate the two cover pages and then spiral bound the entire book. I think for a little extra they would even print it for you too.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 4 Ways To Help Ease Anxiety • Source Beauty Egypt says:
    January 11 at 9:34 am

    […] Some people feel anxious when they have too many commitments all at once. This is why time management is key. Family, work, and friends are all important but when it comes down to handling it all at once it can get rather overwhelming. Not to fear, book based planners and online calendars are invented for those types of situations as it resits the urge for you to multi-task. Organising and planning your day won’t lead you to feel overwhelmed or anxious. Why not try Bullet Journaling. […]

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Kalyn—a recovering perfectionist who nerds out about organizing systems, personal productivity, and helping you prioritize what matters over the pressure to do it all. I have a feeling we’re about to become the best of friends! Learn more >>

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👩‍💻 | I help value-driven women lead manageable + meaningful lives.
💬 | INFJ / Enneagram 1
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What’s one thing you budget for that other peopl
What’s one thing you budget for that other people might not? I always find those interesting. 😃⁣ ⁣ You might have a mortgage. I budget for campgrounds. You might want a separate clothing budget, while I’m fine combining it under “Beauty and Style.” Recently, we also added a new line item for our motorcycle—something I NEVER thought would appear in our budget. ⁣ ⁣ See, we’re all different! ⁣ ⁣ Recently, I rearranged my budget categories and created this “cheat sheet.” Sometimes I forget where things go, like picking up new wall art for the living room. Does this item belong in the categories of Household Items or Home Maintenance? 🤔⁣ ⁣ Now I know! And I save time processing receipts each Friday. 🧾⁣ ⁣ What budgeting categories do you use? Share one of your random budget line items with me in the comments below! 😃

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣
⁣
I

I call 2020 the Year of Abandoned Books. ⁣ ⁣ I’m never afraid to stop reading a book if it doesn’t live up to the hype. Why invest more time in a book I’m not all that excited about when I could be exploring new authors and storylines where I can’t wait to turn the page? 🤷⁣ ⁣ But in 2020, I let more books go than I normally do. I suppose my patience dwindled when I thought the world was ending. Not that I thought the world was actually ending…but you know what I mean. 😉⁣ ⁣ As an Enneagram 1, I hate giving up on a book. I’m prone to the all-or-nothing mentality, even in my reading habits. My eyes could glaze over boring prose and I’d still repeat to myself: “You MUST finish this book!” 😫⁣ ⁣ Why? ⁣ ⁣ No one is adding a plastic star to your Book-It pin, (Remember those?) This isn’t assigned reading from your high school English class. This is YOUR reading life. ⁣ ⁣ And YOU should choose what books deserve your attention. 📚⁣ ⁣ There are too many good ones out there anyway. Like one of my favorite reads from 2020. 😍⁣ ⁣ This week’s newest blog post rounds up everything I read last year (43 books total!) including 5-star psychological thrillers, a delightful royal series, a couple self-help books, and of course, historical fiction.⁣ ⁣ Click the link in my bio to read it! ☝⁣ ⁣ What were your favorite books in 2020? Our literary styles might be a match made in heaven! ✨

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣
⁣
T

My planner/journal lineup for 2021. 👆 ⁣ ⁣ These small but mighty sidekicks will be my saving grace this year. 📚⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣ Bullet Journal (Blue) - for everyday planning and goal setting⁣ 2️⃣ Regular Journal (Yellow) - to track gratitude (5 things a day!) and to process ALL the feelings⁣ 3️⃣ Growth Journal (Sand) - a space for me to brain dump everything I learn from books, podcasts, sermons, etc ⁣ ⁣ That last one is new to me as of this year and I can't wait to flip back through all my notes come December! 📆⁣ ⁣ What planners/journals are you using for 2021?

Self-care is just as important as making your famo
Self-care is just as important as making your famous sugar cookies this holiday season. 🍪⁣ ⁣ Because let’s be real. ⁣ ⁣ That Hallmark-esque Christmas magic disappears the moment disagreeable family members annoy you. Or when you feel irritable over too many late nights and little-to-no sleep. Or when expectations over meals and traditions and social activities fall short and leave you feeling disappointed. 😬⁣ ⁣ But instead of dwelling on these stressful moments and using them as an excuse to completely disconnect from reality (as I’m often tempted to do!), view them as an opportunity for you to respond with poise. 💞⁣ ⁣ ➕ Journal your feelings. ⁣ ➕ Go for a walk. ⁣ ➕ Prioritize what’s essential. ⁣ ➕ Remember to breathe.⁣ ➕ And try not to eat your feelings…okay?⁣ ⁣ Here’s your permission slip if you need one: You don’t need to do or participate in everything! Take a time out when you need it. 🙌⁣ ⁣ That’s the best way you can protect your emotional well-being over the next few days.⁣ ⁣ Merry Christmas, friends! 🎄


I know you’re ready for this year to be over. 🙋‍♀️ The last twelve months brought so many hard things into our lives—relationships were lost, our country became more broken and divided than ever, and oh yeah, we walked through a pandemic too. 🦠 🤯 No biggie, right? Ha! 😅 And while it’s easy to look back and wish we could skip 2020 altogether (or at least insist on a do-over), I don’t want this year to be the one where the hard overcame the good. 💕 Just as hard days don’t mean ruined days, hard years don’t mean ruined years. 2020 can still be good. 💪 For me, I want to remember the fun and exciting things we did. The adventures we had. The new shows we watched, and the books we read. The new life hacks and things I discovered that made my life easier or just brought me joy. 💞 You’ll find it all in my latest blog post (link in profile). If you still need to buy a gift for a loved one (or for yourself!), you’ll find plenty of fun and affordable ideas to fill up the rest of your gifting list. 📦 Otherwise, enjoy a stroll down the good side of 2020’s memory lane and leave your favorite things in the comments so I can try them. 👋


Pro minimalism tip: Use double-duty appliances. 🤯⁣ ⁣ With limited kitchen space, I have to be super careful about what appliances we invite into the RV. We already had an Instant Pot, Ninja Blender, and a Food Processor. But I really wanted an air-fryer! ⁣ ⁣ With no place to put it, I discovered that Instant Pot made a dual instant pot/air-fryer product. So I gave my instant pot away, and my mom bought me this one for an early Christmas present. I’ve only played with it a couple of times but I’m already in love! 💕⁣ ⁣ Kale chips...sweet potato fries...broccoli. I’m basically an air-frying queen now. And I can easily switch back to the instant pot whenever I want. Yay for two appliances in one! 🥳⁣ ⁣ Q: What is your favorite appliance to use? Is it double duty? 🤔


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