planners or bullet-journaling systems i could use instead of habit tracker apps?

[benny1548132]

i've already seen the Planners & Hobonichi thread, it's a great one, but i thought i'd make it a bit more general when i asked after things i could do instead of using apps like Finch. i know a lot of people use it because it's popular, a lot of people have transitioned from analog journaling to digital journaling & all the more power to them, i just want to 1) have something in my hands, that 2) doesn't report the data it tracks to corporations, ever

i don't really care about being able to track everything i'm doing, that would be overwhelming & ultimately useless -- i only need to track things like the medication i need to take each day -- i'd like something that functions more like a to-do list, with extra stuff i can add if i need the extra stuff.

i'm also pretty lazy, but i'm simultaneously a bit of a perfectionist -- i need it to be something i don't actually have to fill in every day, just in case i miss a day, i don't want to beat myself up for it & stop putting effort into it. i guess that's something for me to work on, huh, but anyway.

i would deeply appreciate any suggestions or anecdotes!   

[Melooon]

I'm sure lots of people can recommend nice books and paper planners, but as a wildcard suggestion that's in keeping with the web revival, I'm gonna recommend getting a PDA like a palm pilot

You can usually find them for under 50$/euro on eBay (search palm pda), they can take notes, track events, run some basic games; plus they can sync to your computer if you need them too! (This one is called a Handspring Visor and is a good option because its transparent and also uses regular AAA batteries so you don't need to worry about chargers or old batteries!)



They do take a bit of getting used to because you have to learn their input style, but people have drafted whole books on plams; PLUS most of the sync software can work on a modern computer with a bit of tweaking, or if you have a retro computer you can sync them with those too. They are entirely offline and most were made before wifi even existed 

There is also a whole community dedicated to collecting and sharing retro apps, games and extras for them: https://palmdb.net/ 

[benny1548132]

(This one is called a Handspring Visor and is a good option because its transparent and also uses regular AAA batteries so you don't need to worry about chargers or old batteries!)


 

whoaaaa Melon, that's so cool! thank you so much!

[Arcadia Page]

If you're still looking for analog options, I've actually documented some of my personal experiments with different planner layouts on my blog. Maybe they could be habit tracker inspiration(?). I'm also not a consistant planner user, so everything I've experimented with is undated, so I'm not punished with blank pages if I skip a few or more days.

Posts:

 https://arcadiapage.com/2016/07/diy-planner.html

 https://arcadiapage.com/2021-10-27-i-totally-revamped-my-bullet-journal-here-s-what-i-did-to-make-it-better/

 https://arcadiapage.com/2018/10/free-minimal-half-page-planner.html (This post actually has my date-less hobonichi inspired planner)

The Analog Office blog is also a great resource for figuring out how to make efficent paper and notebook systems: https://analogoffice.net/how-to-directory/

[benny1548132]

If you're still looking for analog options, I've actually documented some of my personal experiments with different planner layouts on my blog. Maybe they could be habit tracker inspiration(?).

i took a look at those posts, i appreciate you sending me the links. i also like that it appears you made your own journal instead of buying one? that's efficient & cheap of you, i respect that.

[Arcadia Page]

@benny1548132  Thanks! Honestly, I have way too much printer paper and craft paper laying around. I'd rather make what I need using what I have on hand.

[alexela64]

I'd rather make what I need using what I have on hand.

I absolutely agree! The only reason I buy a planner is because I need something hardcover bound, because my planners get a LOT of wear and tear.

Specifically, since 2023, I've bought the paperblanks mini yearlong hardcover planner every year. The reason i've stuck with it is because similar to OP, I function more on to-dos than on time blocking schedules, and I need something that won't leave empty space if I don't finish a task. As someone who has executive dysfunction and depression, it gives me a lot of grace.

I like that it's a weekly setup with just a couple of lines, because it's not pressuring you to do anything specific with the space. Additionally, the monthly calendars are back to back at the beginning, which is nice for at-a-glance planning of end-of-month events, or a period tracker if that's something you need.

There's also a section for birthdays, a travel date log, tons of note pages (both lined and unlined), and international holidays/moon phases are already on the calendar. There's two ribbon bookmarks (good for cross-referencing) and a elastic strap to prevent it from opening. There's a pocket in the back cover too!!

Usually theyre around 20$ US which is a bit pricey but on Black Friday if you order directly from their website you can get up to half off. So that's what I do every year for the upcoming one.

Sadly they don't have the design I got for this year up on their site anymore, but here's the page for the one I get.

[Arcadia Page]

Usually theyre around 20$ US which is a bit pricey but on Black Friday if you order directly from their website you can get up to half off. So that's what I do every year for the upcoming one.

Thanks for the tip! Actually one of my favorite notebooks is a smaller paperblanks notebook that I bought some years ago. It's an unlined journal, and I used every single page. When I use every page of a notebook, I know it's one I really like. I have had the same experience with Midori B6 notebooks (I just love the grid version of these notebooks for some reason).

But the paperblanks definitely are pricey, so I'll keep an eye out for that Black Friday sale. Over the past few years, I've actually experimented with simple ways of creating handmade hardbound notebooks with found materials. Although they have a handmade charm to them, I like how they turned out.

Spoiler

[close]