Question about my bullet journal key getting too cluttered

I mean, I started with a simple key but now I have like ten different symbols for things. Idk, it's hard to keep track of what each mark means when I look back at old pages. Maybe it's just me, but how do you guys clean up your key without starting over? I could use some advice on making it less confusing.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_henry5d ago

Scrap the symbol system and switch to plain text abbreviations for a while. It forces you to only mark what truly matters, cutting out the clutter. For instance, write 'mtg' for meeting or 'call' for phone call instead of drawing a special shape. You will find that half those symbols were just for show anyway. If you miss the visual part, add one or two highlights back later, but keep it minimal. My journal looked like a bad comic book before I tried this.

amy_carr55d ago

Ugh, I feel this! Try grouping similar tasks under one symbol, like using a dot for anything that needs doing.

mitchell.jessica3d ago

Disagree hard, the symbols are the whole point for me lol. They make my brain sort things faster than reading words every time. @the_henry's plain text idea sounds like it would just slow me down. My dots and stars are quick to draw and give me a visual map of my day at a glance. Switching to abbreviations feels like extra mental work I don't need. The symbols aren't for show, they're a useful shortcut that plain text can't match.