Recently, I had a bullet journaling “crisis” of sorts.
Now before you have a nervous breakdown thinking that I'm about to ditch my favorite planning system in the whole world and replace it with a conventional planner {because that's what the face of my friend looked like when I told her!}, you'll be relieved to know that's not the case.
Far from it!
However, I did stumble down a bit of a rabbit trail in regards to Weekly and Daily Logs. More specifically, whether I needed both, one over the other, or {gasp!} neither at all.
Apparently, I'm not alone. The bullet journal weekly vs daily dilemma isn't a new conversation in the bullet journaling community. Everyone has an opinion on which planning log they prefer, but that's the beauty of it too.
Experimentation and shaping each blank page according to the features you need most is part of the fun!
But sometimes, you still need a little direction.
So, if you're in the rut I found myself in, trying to decide whether a Weekly Log, Daily Log, or a combination of both will work for the way you plan best, you've come to the right place. I did a LOT of experimenting to find the perfect method for me, and I'm excited to help you do the same!
New to the bullet journaling concept? Read this Bullet Journaling 101 post first.
But first…what's the difference?
Weekly Logs act as a general overview of the week, allowing you to visualize everything you need to do over the next seven days. Weekly Logs were not part of the original bullet journal system, but have become quite popular because of their ability to track tasks and events without getting into too much detail.
Daily Logs zoom in and focus on one particular day of the week. The bullet journal daily spread offers additional space to break down tasks even further, jot down notes throughout the day, and even do a little bit of journaling. You usually set up each Daily Log the night before or first thing in the morning.
Oh, the Possibilities!
However, knowing which layout will support you best {based on your planning needs and unique schedule}, isn't always black and white. Consider these elements first so you can get a running start in the right direction!
1. You may want to try a weekly log if…
- You like setting up one layout a week, rather than a new one every day.
- You enjoy seeing everything you have to do at a glance.
- You prefer to focus on a “highlights” task list without getting into too much detail.
- You're used to planning in a weekly format because of other planners you've tried.
2. You may want to try a daily log if…
- You have a lot of tasks to keep track of, which require more detailed to-do lists.
- You enjoy extra space with which to doodle, journal, and be creative.
- You want to jot down notes to correspond with each day, rather than keeping these on a separate page.
- You prefer to take each day as it comes, without getting distracted by everything you have to do on the other days.
To quickly recap: The Weekly Log serves as the go-between that breaks down your monthly tasks into more manageable, weekly bites. The Daily Log is there for you to customize exactly how you want your day to happen as well as provide space to record what things happen throughout your day.
Which begs the question…what if you want both?
3. You may want to try both if…
You like the weekly bullet journal overview but also want more detailed records of each day.
This is exactly what I do.
Every Sunday evening, I sketch out my Weekly Log and add an overview of my biggest tasks and appointments—things I call my “big rocks.” These are priority items that need to get done first.
I also add space for my:
- Weekly Meal Plan
- Habit Tracker
- Home + Personal to-do list {things that can get done any day of the week}
- A peek at next week
- and a quote or seasonal doodle
Sometimes, my Weekly Log shifts to make room for what I track. I've added Workouts and Income Trackers in the past, and I'll probably add or subtract other things again in the future. That's what I love about bullet journaling—it's so versatile!
For my Daily Log, I'll set up the next day every evening before bed {one of my 10 daily habits}. I add in those most important tasks from my Weekly Log first, then fill in with a few other little tasks that have popped in my head since Sunday night.
But of course, this is my normal weekly planning routine. When I'm on vacation or have a lighter week, sometimes I'll just use a Weekly Log because I don't need a detailed look at each day.
It might seem like a waste of time to write tasks down on my Weekly Log AND my Daily Log, but I've manipulated my Weekly Log dozens of times and haven't been able to come up with a good solution that covers everything I need in a single two-page spread.
So I do both. And it works for me. 🙂
How to know what you really need
If you're still feeling a little paralyzed, pull out a piece of paper right now {or your bullet journal!} and make a list of all the things that are important to you to track as well as things you would like to track on a weekly and daily basis.
Then think about whether you can incorporate all those things into a two-page Weekly Log, or if it would be better to expand some of your list into a Daily Log as well.
Maybe you have a lot to track and think a Weekly/Daily combination is inevitable. Think again! It amazes how much other bullet journalists can pack into a Weekly Log. Take a peek at their Instagram accounts, if you need inspiration:
The biggest appeal of bullet journaling is that no layout is set in stone. You can change everything about your journal until it functions exactly the way you need it to for your current season of life, so don't feel pressured to stick with one “log” over another.
Most of all, embrace the journey.
I don't know of any other planner that allows you to experiment with your set up one week and tweak it the next if it's not quite right yet. While it's easy to get frustrated when you don't get it perfect on the first {or second} try, remind yourself that this flexibility is what makes bullet journaling so incredible!
Related: The Best Bullet Journal Supplies I Can't Live Without
And I promise you will stumble on the perfect planning layout for you. It might take some time, but you'll get there…and you'll be glad you stuck with it.
To bullet journal weekly vs daily:
Do you use one or the other—or both??
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My life has gone from zero for years to 60mph lately and giving myself “permission” to go from one page for each week to two and maybe even a daily has been a challenge, no lie. Three different baseball teams in three different leagues, social media for one of them, then library volunteering, taking over their social media, and oh yeah, joining their Board of Directors, oh my. This adulting stuff is hard and part of why I went childfree! LOL.
I really needed to read your sentence, “You can change everything about your journal until it functions exactly the way you need it to for your current season of life, so don’t feel pressured to stick with one “log” over another.” Thank you!
While the transition has been weird and tough, it has meant that I get to play with all sorts of new layouts that I had saved for “someday”.
Hi Gwen,
First, please let me apologize for the delayed response. I usually get notifications of all comments but this one slipped through and I missed it. 🙁
It sounds like you are going through a crazy busy time, but I hope that your journal has been helping you through.
Sometimes when life get’s crazy I find myself actually shrinking what goes into my bullet journal if at all possible. But then other times I have to put all the details of every event and task in.
But like you mentioned, it really is about making it work for YOU and that is what I love so much about the system.
Beautifully written, well done! Do you plan to write a follow-up?