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Chocolate Musings

Set your goals - make the plans - artfully create your life - live it beautifully. Grab the good chocolate and find your muse.

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Home » Bullet Journal

Easy Themes for Your Bullet Journal When You’re Low on Time and Inspiration

October 31, 2022 Leave a Comment

Easy Bullet Journal Themes when your Low on Time and Inspiration - ChocolateMusings.com

Need some ideas for quick and easy monthly themes in your bullet journal (creative planner)? Has your inspiration run dry? I’ve got some great ideas for you! These bullet journal theme ideas are easy and quick and might help restore your inspiration.

Creative Planning – It’s Not a Need, but I Like It

I sit here tapping one finger on the keyboard. What to write? I hate when the inspiration is slow. The same goes for creating monthly themes in my bullet journal. I know I don’t need a monthly theme, but I like it.

Sometimes the monthly theme is the inspiration behind new products or other creative ventures. But what happens when you sit with your head in your hands, tapping the end of your pencil with nothing squeaking through the inspiration pipes?

If you like to use a monthly theme, you get it. If that inspiration pond runs dry, it’s hard to feel motivated in your bullet journal. I compiled several simple yet creative theme ideas for your bullet journal.

Table of contents

  • Creative Planning – It’s Not a Need, but I Like It
  • Why Do I Use Creative Bullet Journal Themes?
  • Easy Themes for Your Bullet Journal
    • Wreaths
    • Circles
    • Rectangles (One of the Easiest Themes for Your Bullet Journal!)
    • Stripes
    • Torn Paper
    • Papercraft Skyline
    • Washi Tape
    • Super Simple Connected Line Cursive
    • Easy Shadows
    • Color Theme – VERY Easy Theme for Your Bullet Journal
  • Why Creative Monthly Themes
  • When All Else Fails In Your Pursuit of an Easy Bullet Journal Theme

Why Do I Use Creative Bullet Journal Themes?

For me, a monthly theme spurs other ideas. I get to try creating something that I might not normally try. And since I create monthly, weekly, and a lot more for each month, it pushes my creativity beyond what I might find by painting a single piece. Sometimes I like my little bullet journal doodles enough to paint something bigger or better.

Here are a few of my products that have come about because of creative monthly themes. Ironically, most are functional planning stickers because I wanted to spend time creating the theme side rather than writing numbers.

(trucks, number lines, etc., flower wreaths).

Easy Themes for Your Bullet Journal

When you’re stuck for inspiration, here are a few ideas. First of all, these ideas are easy. Secondly, they don’t take much effort for a big impact. So go ahead, give them a try.

Wreaths


Here’s the thing with wreaths – you don’t have to add anything to them if you don’t want to. Make them scribble-y or perfect circles, and add leaves, flowers, dots, or nothing. Circles without flowers or leaves or other designs are great, too! I drew in florals for the August 2022 post and then added very loose watercolor on top. No need for precision!

Check out these posts:

  • 3 Simple Ways How to Draw Circle Wreaths
  • August 2022 Loose Floral Wreaths
3 Simple Ways How to Create Circle Wreaths Tutorial | ChocolateMusings.com #circles #howto #floralwreaths
Minimal Weekly Bullet Journal: Floral Wreaths Theme | ChocolateMusings.com #floralwreath #bulletjournal #weekly

Circles

I love circles. You can turn the circles into so many other things (wreaths, buttons, bubbles, paint drops, and so much more) or leave them as circles. You can make perfect circles with a circle maker or messy, imperfect circles. Either way, circles are a great choice for an easy bullet journal theme.

Check Out These Posts:

How To Create Circles in Your Bullet Journal

365 Day Tracker - Yearly Tracker for Goals and Habits in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com

Rectangles (One of the Easiest Themes for Your Bullet Journal!)

Stay with me for a minute on this one. The basis of most planning designs is rectangles or squares. But if you vary where each top of the rectangle starts – you can create a fun yet very simple (and easy!) design in your bullet journal.

I used uniform rectangle boxes in these layouts and added circular wreath stickers to dress up the page.

How I use my floral wreath planner stickers | ChocolateMusings.com #floralwreaths #plannerstickers
How I use my floral wreath planner stickers | ChocolateMusings.com #floralwreaths #plannerstickers
Even when the week is rough like this one - I love seeing whatever effort I made. Recording completed tasks gives a sense of pride and motivation to keep moving forward | ChocolateMusings.com
Blending and pen test with acrylic markers | ChocolateMusings.com

Check out this Plan-With-Me, where I used the same size boxes each week but changed the placement and layout. I used various rectangles in these spreads to create the week’s layout. You can add other decorations or not. These are quick and easy weekly layouts. As you can see, some of my favorite methods.

Minimal and Functional Bullet Journal Plan With Me Set Up - Monthly Pages, Weekly Pages, Journaling Spreads, Cover Spread & Brain Dump in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #planwithme #plannersetup #bulletjournal
Minimal and Functional Bullet Journal Plan With Me Set Up - Monthly Pages, Weekly Pages, Journaling Spreads, Cover Spread & Brain Dump in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #planwithme #plannersetup #bulletjournal
Loose watercolor butterfly minimal bullet journal weekly layout | ChocolateMusings.com #watercolor #butterfly #weekly
Dandelion Weekly Bullet Journal Spread | ChocolateMusings.com


Stripes

Add your normal boxes or layout to your monthly/weekly bullet journal spreads, then use a highlighter or marker to add stripes to the sides and behind the box. This is a great way to add a bit of color.

How to Create (and Use) One Line Per Day

Bullet Journal Time Block Spread with Highlighter Stripes | ChocolateMusings.com #timeblock #weekly #weeklyspread
How to Create (and Why to Use) a One-Line Per Day Journal in your Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #onelineperday #oneline #journal
Bullet Journal Time Block Spread with Highlighter Stripes | ChocolateMusings.com #timeblock #weekly #weeklyspread

Torn Paper

Create an easy color splash by tearing strips of colorful paper or scrapbook paper and gluing them in your notebook.

Not all thoughts are black and white - that's why we have grey matter - Bullet journal brain dump page | ChocolateMusings.com

Papercraft Skyline

Cut out rectangle shapes and arrange them like buildings on your page—very easy and crafty theme to add to your bullet journal pages.

Like the idea of creating a cityscape? Check out this post.

Layered City Scape Bullet Journal Set Up | ChocolateMusings.com
City at Night - Papercraft Bullet Journal City Skyline Theme | ChocolateMusings.com
Easy Buildings at Night Silhouette Weekly Bullet Journal Minimal Spreads | ChocolateMusings.com

Washi Tape

Using washi tape is another great way to dress up your bullet journal spreads without investing much time or artistry into your planner spreads.

October Bullet Journal Washi Tape Cover Page
October Bullet Journal Washi Tape Header Calendar Page

Super Simple Connected Line Cursive

Yep. I made up the name for that one, but I think the description is spot on. Write out the name, day, or whatever you’re using as a header – connect the line to the text, and you have a fancy yet simple theme in your bullet journal.

Super Simple Connected Line Cursive weekly - 2 weeklies to a page

Easy Shadows

Add your basic shapes or text, then use a light marker or highlighter to add a shadow to your words or design. Make this theme as easy or as complicated as you like. Add multiple layers for a retro feel to your design.

Check out this post: How to easily create faded drop shadows with Tombow markers.

Boxes for appointments and to-dos, large spaces for writing and notes below - I love the flexibility of bullet journals! | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #weeklies #weeklies

Color Theme – VERY Easy Theme for Your Bullet Journal

Choose two colors (or three) and make ‘swipes’ with a marker or paintbrush. Add the days of the week, and you’re done.

Minimal watercolor Weekly - Bright colors + drop shadows make the colors pop on this page | ChocolateMusings.com #weeklyspread #bulletjournal #bujo

Why Creative Monthly Themes

Technically, you don’t have to use a monthly theme. In fact, if you use the original bullet journal method, there are no calendars (other than a monthly log), weeklies, or themes. I think of the original method as more of a running tally of all the things. A running tally isn’t bad, but it’s not what I need. I need a place to be creative.

I certainly subscribe to the more creative side of bullet journaling (in fact, I would call it more creative planning rather than bullet journaling, but that’s a different story for a different time).

When All Else Fails In Your Pursuit of an Easy Bullet Journal Theme

When all else fails, stop looking for an easy theme for your bullet journal. Sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? But hear me out. Browse Pinterest, but not in your usual ‘Bullet Journal Theme’ search. Think of something that caught your eye recently, a bird, a flower, or a sign, and search for that object instead. While you’re browsing, look at the other elements that people use – maybe they use a starburst pattern or certain colors or geometric shapes. Jot down the things that you like about the art you see.

Perhaps it’s a bold header or a certain font. It’s not about the object you searched for. It’s about seeing inspirational elements through everything (although if you like the object enough – you might have stumbled upon your next bullet journal theme without realizing it).

Here’s what I recommend: Keep a list of themes you’d like to try. That way, you have ready-made, easy bullet journal themes at your fingertips.

Fast and Easy Bullet Journal Themes when your short on time and inspiration - ChocolateMusings.com

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Filed Under: 5 Minute Planner Spreads, Blog, Bullet Journal, Planner Spreads, Planner Theme Ideas, Simple Planner Spreads Tagged: beginner friendly, Bullet Journal, bullet journal ideas, ideas, planner themes, themes

September 2022 Plan With Me: Foraged Mushrooms

August 31, 2022 Leave a Comment

September 2022 Featured Image Plan With Me | ChocolateMusings.com
Welcome Page Bullet Journal Plan With Me September 2022 - Foraged Forest Mushrooms | Gouache Painting + Crayola Markers | ChocolateMusings.com

Join me as I use foraged mushrooms as inspiration for this month’s plan with me. September is still summer, but I classify it as a fall month, even though the temperature indicates otherwise.

What do you think of the fall season: pumpkins, corn mazes, falling leaves, and pumpkin spice? I think of lacing up walking shoes, crunching through a forest, and breathing in the crisp air. I’m not into foraging for snacks along the forest trail, but I like to see nature’s beauty.

Table of contents

  • September Plan With Me Inspiration: Foraged Mushrooms
  • Plan With Me Video
  • September Plan With Me: Mushroom Covered Trees Welcome Page/Cover Page
  • September Plan With Me: Monthly Calendar & Weekly Pages – Simple Mushroom Drawings & Layouts
  • September’s Additional Plan With Me Pages
  • Products Used
  • Getting Ready for the Month

September Plan With Me Inspiration: Foraged Mushrooms

The inspiration for September’s plan with me came from doodling some mushroom houses. Then I started studying the different mushroom shapes, and one thing turned into another.
Here’s a link to my Pinterest board with all sorts of mushroom houses & forest mushroom inspiration.

The mushroom houses are a great place to start a watercolor or gouache painting project. Gouache works very well in bullet journals. Better than watercolor, in my opinion. I think it’s because gouache sits on top of the paper rather than being absorbed. Even though the pages were simple, I used various styles with and without, giving each page a unique feel.

I find that my bullet journal is an excellent place to experiment with styles, especially week-to-week.

Plan With Me Video

September Plan With Me: Mushroom Covered Trees Welcome Page/Cover Page

I had a vision in my mind’s eye of how to create the bark for the September Welcome Page. In this case, I was grateful to use gouache paint so light paint could cover darker colors. Because I was a bit messy when it came to trying to make the bark texture.

After laying down the base color, I used a thin #2 round brush loaded with paint to gently apply paint as I twisted and turned the brush. This technique works best if your grip is loose and you adjust your hold to higher on the handle. I lost track of how many colors I used, but I think it was 5-6 and a combination of a couple of colors.

Once the bark colors were dry, I added the mushrooms to the trunk with lighter colors. The contrast of the mushrooms to the tree trunk helps emphasize them. Swirly lettering using a Crayola super tip marker finishes the page. All in all, I love this September cover page.

Welcome Page Bullet Journal Plan With Me September 2022 - Foraged Forest Mushrooms | Gouache Painting + Crayola Markers | ChocolateMusings.com

September Plan With Me: Monthly Calendar & Weekly Pages – Simple Mushroom Drawings & Layouts

For September’s Plan With Me calendar & weekly pages, I decided to go very simple.

I split each page into quarters for the weekly layouts, so each spread ended up with 8 sections. Many bullet journalists use the extra square in the design to write their to-do lists or other notes. I like to have a place for doodles. So that’s what I used the extra space to include. I didn’t stick with just one medium. Instead, I used a mix of Crayola markers and gouache to experiment with simple layers and shadows.

Since I’m starting a new journal this month (and going to try to keep it through December!), I decided to do a partial week for the first week. Since I do Monday-Sunday on my weeklies, it worked out perfectly on a spread.

My favorite page is the blue background with the morel mushroom closely followed by the page featuring mushrooms inspired by maitake and oyster mushroom clusters.

Love the simple layout for these weeklies - September 2022 Plan With Me - Foraged Mushroom Theme | ChocolateMusings.com
Week 5 - Simple Mushroom Outlines & Red Highlights | ChocolateMusings.com
Beautiful, Delicate Foraged Mushrooms for this Week's Bullet Journal Set up | September 2022 Plan With Me | ChocolateMusings.com
Gouache painting - bullet journal mushroom theme - September 2022 | ChocolateMusings.com
Week 1 - Foraged Mushroom Bullet Journal Theme Partial week and goal page | ChocolateMusings.com

September’s Additional Plan With Me Pages

I always include a habit tracker page and a place for notes or a brain dump – although I might have to add another page at the end if I fill up this page. If I add another page for a brain dump, it will be called “foraged thoughts.”

I don’t know about you, but I hate to write numbers. For some reason, they always end up wonky or terrible. So I used a couple of my horizontal number stickers to combat this problem.

Goals and Notes Page - Bullet journal extra monthly pages | ChocolateMusings.com
September Habit Tracker - Horizontal Layout With number line sticker | ChocolateMusings.com
Horizontal Number Line Stickers for 5mm bullet journals | ChocolateMusings.com

Products Used

Here are some of the products I used to create the mushroom-themed plan with me.

Plan With Me September 2022 Supplies
  • 12″ Rolling Ruler
  • Archer & Olive Notebooks
  • Ceramic Paint Palette with 7 Wells 9.5″
  • Chalkola Gouache Paint Set – 36 Count + Brushes & Palette
  • Crayola Super Tips Marker Set – 100 Count
  • Dust Catch Eraser – Black
  • Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen – Hard/Soft Tip Set
  • Washi Tape – Black & White Striped
  • Winsor & Newton Fineliner Pens – Pack of 5 – Waterproof (Assorted Sizes)

Getting Ready for the Month

I’m excited to venture into fall, and the theme for September’s plan with me provides extra motivation to break out sweaters and cozy blankets. I might not use them, but I sure am motivated. I love this back-to-school-almost-fall season.

In summary of this September plan with me, I think that simple layouts & foraged mushrooms are a perfect way to plan for fall in my bullet journal.

Bullet Journal Plan With Me - September 2022 Foraged Mushroom Theme | ChocolateMusings.com
Bullet Journal Plan With Me - September 2022 Foraged Mushroom Theme | ChocolateMusings.com
Welcome Page Bullet Journal Plan With Me September 2022 - Foraged Forest Mushrooms | Gouache Painting + Crayola Markers | ChocolateMusings.com

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Filed Under: Artsy Planner Spreads, Blog, Plan With Me, Plan With Me 2022, Planner Theme Ideas, Simple Planner Spreads Tagged: Bullet Journal, forest, gouache, mushrooms, plan with me, September plan with me

August 2022 Plan With Me – Loose Floral Wreaths

July 27, 2022 Leave a Comment

Plan With Me: August 2022 Loose Watercolor & Florals Featured Image | ChocolateMusings.com

Table of contents

  • August 2022 Plan With Me – Loose Floral Wreaths
  • August 2022’s Plan With Me Features:
  • Products Used:
  • Doodles – A Perfect Way to Get Out of a Funk
    • Doodle & Floral Blog Posts for More Inspiration
  • Pages in My Planner This Month
    • August 2022 Plan With Me – Individual Pages
    • Welcome Page
    • Monthly Calendar
    • Habit Tracker
      • More Posts About Habit Trackers
    • Brain Dump – Dubbed “Blooming Thoughts”
    • Weekly Pages
    • Journal Page
  • Let’s Go!

August 2022 Plan With Me – Loose Floral Wreaths

Here’s the theme for August 2022’s Plan With Me: Loose florals in a wreath with even more loose watercolor. Plus, add floral stickers for ease and speed up the process.

Isn’t it crazy that during the times that we probably need planning and tracking the most, we neglect it? At least I do. Knowing that I use my bullet journal planner better when I include some ‘pretty’ elements, I decided to revert to an old favorite style.

August 2022’s Plan With Me Features:

This month’s plan with me features loose florals, looser watercolor paint, and stickers! I don’t normally use stickers, but they fit perfectly with the theme this month.

What a busy few months it’s been. We moved at the end of March and turned our lives upside down. Honestly, I’ve been striving so hard to return to a ‘normal-like’ state of being. I haven’t adequately kept track of my life since we started packing. Can I tell you that I am excited for the kids to go back to school? I’m partly glad the kids will be out of my hair (and out of their siblings!), but I’m excited about the daily routine.

If you’d rather browse through the gallery of images at your own pace, check out the gallery post. If you’d like to find out what inspired me for this month’s plan with me, read on.

Products Used:

Plan With Me August 2022 Supplies
  • An Illustrated Guide to Garden Flowers
  • Archer & Olive Notebooks
  • Circle Maker – Helix Angle Maker (one of my favorite tools ever!)
  • Daily Floral Wreath Stickers Blank/With Numbers – Chocolate Musings Shop 31 Floral Planner Day Number Stickers - Line Drawing - Hand drawn (Available With/Without Daily Numbers)
  • Daily Floral Wreath Stickers Blank/With Numbers – Etsy Link 31 Floral Planner Day Number Stickers - Line Drawing - Hand drawn (Available With/Without Daily Numbers)
  • Daniel Smith – 15 Half Pans Ultimate Mixing Set
  • Daniel Smith – 238 Watercolor Dot Color Chart
  • Daniel Smith Watercolor Paints
  • Draw Like an Artist: 100 Flowers and Plants
  • Empty Watercolor Half Pans
  • How to Draw Modern Florals
  • National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers
  • Paper mate White Pearl Eraser (Latex Free)
  • Pentel Hi-Polymer Erasers
  • Pentel Sharp Mechanical Pencil .7mm Metallic
  • Princeton Heritage Synthetic Sable Paint Brushes
  • The Pigeon Letters Paint Brushes
  • Winsor & Newton Fineliner Pens – Pack of 5 – Waterproof (Assorted Sizes)
Video Set-Up
  • Blue Yeti Microphone
  • Canon PowerShot G7x Mark III Digital Camera
  • Photography Lights (I use these for my everyday drawing!)
  • Scissor Arm Mic Stand/Video Camera Stand

Doodles – A Perfect Way to Get Out of a Funk

I included a few doodles this month in my planner. Partially to get me excited to use my planner again. (I use it so much better when I like the design.) Do you have something you know you need to do to bring yourself out of a funk? For me, it’s doodling. 

Doodling flowers is easy – at least when I have a guide. I’m not the point of thinking about flowers and drawing from memory or thin air. So I usually need some inspiration. Check out the links below for posts on how to draw flowers or how to use flower doodles in your bullet journal.

Doodle & Floral Blog Posts for More Inspiration

Here are some doodle/floral blog posts for even more inspiration check them out!

  • How to Create Floral Alphabets – 5 Ways
  • Floral Wreath Bullet Journal Theme – May 2019 Plan With Me
  • How to Learn a New Skill in 5 Easy Steps – and Keep Your Life, Too
  • How to Draw Circle Wreaths – 3 Simple Ways
  • The Easy Way to Draw Flowers With Marker Tips
  • My 5 Favorite Flower Drawing & Reference Books
  • Find Your Inspiration (When It’s Lost)

Pages in My Planner This Month

August 2022 Plan With Me – Individual Pages

Welcome Page

I drew one of my classic floral wreaths sprinkled with dark reds, a few yellows, and deep greenery – which I think are perfect colors for the end of summer and a nod to the fall colors to come.

August 2022 Welcome Page - Loose Watercolor Floral Wreath
Close up of August 2022 Welcome Page - Loose Watercolor Floral Wreath
Ink & Watercolor Bullet Journal Welcome Page Wreath

Monthly Calendar

Using one of my favorite stencils, I created 2.5cm square boxes and scattered loose florals around the page, consisting of poppies, black-eyed susans (only I colored them blue instead of yellow), marigolds, and vines. By the way, if you’d like to add some fun, random holidays to your calendar, check out these August Random Holidays.

Bullet Journal Monthly Calendar With Watercolor Flowers

Habit Tracker

Aided by one of my all-time favorite tools – the Helix Circle Maker, I created a circular habit tracker with 4 habits and a few lilacs peeking around the habit tracker.

Bullet Journal Monthly Habit Tracker & Brain Dump Pages - August 2022 Plan With Me
Lilac Bush & Circular Habit Tracker

More Posts About Habit Trackers

  • How to Set Up a Habit Tracker in your Planner
  • Habit by Number: Habit Tracker Hack

Brain Dump – Dubbed “Blooming Thoughts”

One of my favorite ways to disguise my brain dump page is to call it by a different name.  I call this month “Blooming Thoughts,” highlighted by a faux calligraphy title and mason jar with carnations.

Check out these brain dump-related posts:

  • What is a Brain Dump Page?
  • Want more ideas for different names for a brain dump page?
Blooming Thoughts Brain Dump Page

Weekly Pages

Each page has the same design, which is my go-to weekly design. The planner layout is 4 cm (8 dots) wide and a good height to allow plenty of daily to-dos and appointments. Plus enough space at the bottom for weekly items such as meal plans, shopping lists, or weekly-related to-dos. Rather than drawing wreaths, I used floral wreath stickers from my shop.

Floral Wreath Stickers From My Shop:

  • Floral Wreath Stickers - No Numbers | ChocolateMusings.com #floralwreaths #plannerstickers
    Floral Planner Stickers Without Daily Numbers
    $4.45
    Add to cart
  • floral wreath stickers with numbers | ChocolateMusings.com #plannerstickers #planner #stickers
    Floral Planner Stickers With Daily Numbers
    $4.45
    Add to cart
View Listing on Etsy
August 2022 Plan With Me - Weekly Vertical Spread - Florals, Watercolor & Ink
Bullet Journal Vertical Weekly Spread with Flowers and Watercolor
Pops of color on a simple spread + date stickers make this bullet journal weekly spread fun, pretty & functional
Simple, easy weekly vertical weekly bullet journal spread
Floral Wreath Stickers highlight the weekly bullet journal layout

Journal Page

I love a page where I can jot down funny quotes from my kids or essential things that happen during the month. This page is enjoyable because I used paint splatters all over the page in different, bright colors to finish it off.

Journaling page - August 2022 Plan With Me - with splats of color, and loosely drawn carnation flowers
Close up of flower doodles in my bullet journal

Let’s Go!

In the words of my 13-year-old: Let’s GOOOOO! I look forward to getting my life back onto a regular schedule. I look forward to using my bullet journal planner to help organize my thoughts, calendar, and life.

I’d love to hear what inspired you this month or if you have a favorite page from my notebook. Happy planning!

Bullet journal plan with me - August 2022 Florals & Watercolor
Plan With Me: August 2022 Loose Florals & Watercolor easy bullet journal theme
Vertical weekly bullet journal theme with loose florals & watercolor splashes - August 2022 Plan With Me

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Filed Under: Artsy Planner Spreads, Blog, Bullet Journal, Get Organized & Start Planning, Plan With Me, Plan With Me 2022, Planner Spreads Tagged: Bullet Journal, flower doodles, flowers, plan with me, planner set up, wreaths

10-Minute Task List

March 8, 2022 17 Comments

10-Minute Tasks Featured Image

In this post, I’ll discuss why I developed a 10-minute task list, what it is, and how you can use it in your life.

Table of contents

  • Why a 10-Minute Task List?
  • The Intent of a 10-Minute Task List
  • Finding Clusters of Minutes for a 10-Minute Task List
  • Spare Moments
  • Making a 10-Minute Task List
  • The 10-Minute Task List Bullet Journal Collection
  • Need a 10-Minute Task List for Work – Not Just Home?
  • Why Not Longer Than 10 Minutes?
  • Magic Happens When you Write it Down (There’s Research Behind It!)
  • The Magic of the 10-Minute Task List in My Own Life
  • What Happened After Those Magical 10 Minutes
  • Interested in Building Better Habits?

Why a 10-Minute Task List?

When I first started bullet journaling, I remember a conversation with my husband where I felt dejected by everything I had to do and never felt like I got anything done. I know you’ve been there, too. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, your to-do list grows faster than you can cross items off it. The main culprits seemed to be the recycled tasks. You know, the ones that keep reappearing even though you check them off. Like laundry, dishes, or cleaning the kitchen counters.

That’s when I came up with the 10-Minute Task List. If I found a snippet of downtime, I’d refer to the list and see how much I could get done in those few spare minutes. Seeing how much I could do during those few clusters of minutes felt amazing. But then, the next day, I’d feel that same frustration by having too much to do and not seeing a dent in the tasks.

When I realized that I needed to give credit where credit was due and write down the things that I did during those 10 minutes, for more reasons why I recommend writing down the things you get done, check out this post. It was game-changing mentally for me.

10-MInute Task List in Mind Map Format - List of tasks you can do in 10 minutes or less | ChocolateMusings.com

The Intent of a 10-Minute Task List

The intent is to create a reference for those chores that plague my mind and distract me from my project so I can take care of them before I sit down. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. You want to concentrate but keep getting distracted by the dirty dishes or the cluttered desk. You spend more time fiddling and ignoring these outstanding items than working on the project you need to finish.

If you took 10 minutes to clear away some of the clutter from your mind and satisfied the need to straighten your house a little, do you think you could concentrate? I found a significant improvement in my concentration when using this method.

Have 10 minutes? Make a bullet journal collection with a list of household jobs that take 10 minutes or less then see what you can accomplish. 10-Minute Task List

Finding Clusters of Minutes for a 10-Minute Task List

I have 3 children: the oldest, 12. The youngest just turned 4, and one in between. We like to enjoy our time as a family, and I teach my kids to work hard, and they enjoy helping me do chores. But I do not want to spend every waking moment cleaning, scrubbing, or sorting. I know my kids wouldn’t like helping me do that much cleaning, either.

I started thinking about how I use the cluster of minutes each day. 10 minutes to spare here, 5 minutes there, and I often squander those minutes away. I don’t need my house squeaky clean or perfect. But I like it organized and prefer not to step on Cheerios or Legos on the floor. Why not use those clusters of minutes to work on items from my 10-minute task list?

Have 10 Minutes? 10 Minute Task List in Mind Map form in My Bullet Journal - Go to Collection reference for getting tasks done in a short amount of time | ChocolateMusings.com
Original Version
Have 10 Minutes? 10 Minute Task List in Mind Map form in My Bullet Journal - Go to Collection reference for getting tasks done in a short amount of time | ChocolateMusings.com
New Version in My Current Bullet Journal

Spare Moments

I decided to develop a list of things I could do in just 10 minutes or less. Because we all have spare moments, these items would help lessen the overwhelm of life and help keep me more organized. It was all in the name of being more productive.

I find that when I sit down to work on a project, my mind is suddenly overcome with everything I’ve neglected. All sorts of distractions crept their way into my conscience, demanding attention at that time, although they were nowhere 10 minutes earlier when my mind was not trying to focus. Thoughts of the cluttered bathroom counter, the clean dishes in the dishwasher, and loads of laundry yet to be started.

If you cannot focus, do a quick brain dump of everything in your head. That way, you know what you need to do but focus on your current task.

Making a 10-Minute Task List

Here is the list I started on my phone when I started brainstorming all the ideas I could do in 10 minutes. It quickly grew larger as I realized how many things I could get done in 10 minutes or less, when I created this spread in my bullet journal. I organized each in a category surrounding the central idea.

Cell Phone Notes Version: 10 Minute Task List - things you can do in 10 minutes or less | ChocolateMusings.com
Part 3 Cell Phone Notes Version: 10 Minute Task List - things you can do in 10 minutes or less | ChocolateMusings.com
Part 4 Cell Phone Notes Version: 10 Minute Task List - things you can do in 10 minutes or less | ChocolateMusings.com
Part 2 Cell Phone Notes Version: 10 Minute Task List - things you can do in 10 minutes or less | ChocolateMusings.com

The 10-Minute Task List Bullet Journal Collection

Instead of creating a top-to-bottom list, I started with a central title and built my list based on categories. I love mind-map formats like this because I can move around the list more easily while brainstorming. I don’t feel I have to complete one section before moving on.

Once I moved the list to my bullet journal, I created a mind map version of the list. Since each section circles around the main topic, I won’t start at the top and work my way down. I’ll move dynamically around the list as needed. If I were to list ‘Kitchen’ on the top of a list, I might only clean the kitchen and never move to the bathroom when I start a 10-minute task period.

But that’s just me.

If you’re comfortable with a top-to-bottom list, do what is comfortable for you. Use this method and customize it to suit your tastes.

10-Minute Task List Bullet Journal Collection Header | Mind Map Format for listing collections of ideas surrounding a central idea - in this case 10 Minute Tasks | ChocolateMusings.com

Need a 10-Minute Task List for Work – Not Just Home?

I use this list while I’m at home. I’m sure with a little retooling. You could customize a list to accommodate your work life, too.

If you’re at work and use this method, you might have longer than 10 minutes. You might develop a 25-minute task list instead of a 10-minute task list. Whatever fits into your schedule or slots in between meetings or zoom calls. Having a go-to list makes a huge difference in getting more things done. Because I don’t waste those spare moments deciding what I need to do.

Why Not Longer Than 10 Minutes?

Many people use a Pomodoro timer or the Pomodoro technique to work in short bursts on various projects. I usually have a sliver of time to get something done before the next big thing. 10 minutes is usually the time I have left on the oven timer before we sit down to dinner.

If I can schedule 25 minutes, I will do it. But even if I schedule 25 minutes, I’ll still record these ‘wins’ in my 10-minute task log. Because it’s more about feeling accomplished than the name, I call it.

Magic Happens When you Write it Down (There’s Research Behind It!)

I’ve heard numerous times throughout my life that brain connections are more powerful when you write something down. Not only do you think about it, but the physical transfer of electric brain pulses controlling your fingers to form letters, spell words, and complete sentences creates an even stronger memory as multiple senses are now involved.

I could go on and on about my passion for writing, but that isn’t the point of this post. So here are a couple of articles I found related to why I like to write things down. (I find this stuff fascinating!)

Other research highlights the hand’s unique relationship with the brain when composing thoughts and ideas. Virginia Berninger, a professor at the University of Washington, reported her study of children in grades two, four, and six that revealed they wrote more words faster and expressed more ideas when writing essays by hand versus with a keyboard.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201303/why-writing-hand-could-make-you-smarter

The act of writing is a complex cognitive process relying on intricate perceptual-sensorimotor combinations. As a highly sophisticated and comprehensive way of externalizing our thoughts, giving shape to memories as well as plans and dreams, sharing our stories, and communicating our emotions and affections, writing always involves the skillful handling of some mechanical/technical device and necessarily results in a visuographic representation – some (more or less) readable text, in the form of a string of letters or symbols.

https://www.intechopen.com/books/advances-in-haptics/digitizing-literacy-reflections-on-the-haptics-of-writing

The Magic of the 10-Minute Task List in My Own Life

After I created this list of items to do in 10 minutes, I went on with my daily life. Then something magic happened. It was just as the kids were going to bed. They were slowly getting into their pajamas, brushing their teeth, filling water cups, and trying to prolong the process as long as possible.

I found myself with about 10 minutes as the bedtime routine dragged on. Instead of harping on my kids, I used the time to tidy the kitchen, put dishes away, fold towels from the dryer, and start a new load of laundry. In the meantime, the kids straightened the living room while I emptied the garbage, de-junked some surfaces, and straightened my desk. I competed against a mini-timer in my head.

After goodnight kisses and the kids tucked in, I looked around and approved. I never referred to the 10-minute list I made, but I didn’t need to. Instinctively I knew what was on that list. Immediately my brain realized that I had 10 minutes and set an internal timer. Once that imaginary timer dinged – the sense of accomplishment blossomed. The best part is it didn’t take an hour or two! All it required was a mere 10 minutes.

What Happened After Those Magical 10 Minutes

A wonderful thing happened later that night as I sat at my desk, wanting to work on a project. My mind was clear! Undone tasks did not hang guiltily over my head. Thanks to those dedicated 10 minutes, I found a mindful peace and added focus to the task at hand.

I’ll review my 10-minute task list and add to it every once in a while to keep it fresh in my mind and keep the magic flowing.

Find out what happens when I start recording the results of the 10-minute speed-cleaning sessions. I couldn’t predict the amazing shift in mental health!

Interested in Building Better Habits?

Here are some books I’ve read on organizing, decluttering, and habits. I’d love a recommendation and add it to my list. Let me know if you have more to add in the comments below.  

 

17 Comments
Filed Under: #InMy10Minutes, Blog, Bullet Journal, Collections, Get Organized & Start Planning, Habits Tagged: 10 minute tasks, 10 minutes, Bullet Journal, bullet journal lists, cleaning list, get things done quickly, making a list, quick cleaning, task list, to do list

Whimsical Watercolor Space Bullet Journal Theme – February 2022 Plan With Me

February 16, 2022 Leave a Comment

Whimsical watercolor space bullet journal theme - easy and colorful! | ChocolateMusings.com

I love this loose, whimsical watercolor space theme in my bullet journal! I love it so much that I’ve used this whimsical watercolor space theme before in different variations – twice. Do you ever have a theme in your bullet journal that you love and want to revisit? I don’t think this will be the end for space themes for me.

Here are my previous space themes if you want to check them out, too.

  • April 2018
  • May 2020

April 2018 – Inspiration

2018 April Welcome Page (Part 1) - Painted with Crayola Markers in a Loose, Whimsical Watercolor Space Theme | ChocolateMusings.com
2018 April Welcome Page (Part 2) - Painted with Crayola Markers in a Loose, Whimsical Watercolor Space Theme | ChocolateMusings.com

May 2020 – Inspiration

Whimsical Planet Bullet Journal Theme - Monthly Log - Bright watercolors and loose lines make a fantastical whimsical space bullet journal theme | ChocolateMusings.com

If you’d like to ignite a little space-creativity, check out my creative universe drawing/lettering prompts – for those times you don’t know what to letter or draw, here is a great way to score some space-related inspiration.

Table of contents

  • April 2018 – Inspiration
  • May 2020 – Inspiration
  • Plan With Me on YouTube
  • Whimsical Watercolor Space Cover Page
  • Adding Black Page Inserts
  • Brain Dump Page – Out of This World Thoughts
  • Circular Habit Tracker
  • Weeklies – Fun & Easy Whimsical Watercolor Space Theme
  • Ways to Add Whimsy to Your Bullet Journal or Art
  • Bright & Color Shifting Watercolors
  • When Your Watercolor Bleeds Through the Pages
  • Supplies Used
  • Ease of Creating a Whimsical Watercolor Space Theme

Plan With Me on YouTube

Watch how I set up this whimsical watercolor space theme in my bullet journal. Hit subscribe if you’d like more content from me!

  • 00:00 Plan With me
  • 00:36 Welcome Page – Theme Introduction
  • 00:50 Welcome Page Inspiration #1
  • 01:26 Welcome Page Inspiration #2
  • 01:42 Welcome Page Painting
  • 04:30 Monthly Calendar
  • 05:44 Inserting black pages with washi tape – Habit Tracker & Brain Dump
  • 07:37 Brain Dump Inspiration page – “Out of this world Thoughts”
  • 09:15 Habit Tracker
  • 11:20 Weeklies #1
  • 13:20 Weeklies #2
  • 14:00 Weeklies #3
  • 14:55 Weeklies #4
  • 15:50 Journal Page
  • 16:53 Filling out the Calendars – Monthly & Weeklies
  • 19:26 Final Flip Through

Whimsical Watercolor Space Cover Page

The cover page for February is a recreation of my April 2018 welcome page, but this month is also heavily inspired by my May 2020 space theme. I don’t know what it is, but I find myself painting a lot of galaxies and space-related items outside my bullet journal.

I brightened the colors on this cover page from the original one I created in 2018. Plus, I added a few more elements – primarily stars.

Planet & thick outline details - whimsical watercolor planet space bullet journal theme | ChocolateMusings.com
Welcome page whimsical watercolor details - Bullet Journaling | ChocolateMusings.com
February Bullet Journal Welcome Page - Fun Planet Theme | ChocolateMusings.com

Adding Black Page Inserts

This month, I decided to add some black pages into my journal with washi tape for some of the weeklies and the habit trackers. I love using black paper because the color-shifting watercolors show so differently on black paper versus white paper. The real key to adding pages to your bullet journal is to use tape on both sides of the sheet. In this case, the sheet was not as wide as the width of my bullet journal. So I used the washi tape to extend the sheet just a little bit.

Page inserts - easily add pages to your bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
Washi Tape Roll - Perfect for inserting pages into your bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
Easy way to add pages to your bullet journal - use washi tape on both sides of the new sheet | ChocolateMusings.com
Add pages to your bullet journal using washi tape | ChocolateMusings.com

Brain Dump Page – Out of This World Thoughts

Keeping with the whimsical watercolor space theme this month, I added a fun brain dump page called “Out of This World Thoughts.” I also used this one before in my May 2020 bullet journal. I scaled down the size of the earth since the brain dump page covered the left side instead of a full spread. Find more alternative brain dump page name ideas in this post.

Out of this world thoughts - space/planet page - different name for brain dump in my bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
Out of this world - brain dump page for my bullet journal - use different name for brain dump | ChocolateMusings.com

Circular Habit Tracker

What goes better with a space theme than a circular habit tracker? Seriously. I’d love to know. It’s been a while since I’ve made a circular habit tracker, and it gave me the chance to dust off my favorite circle-making tool.

One of my favorite journaling tools - Helix Circle Maker Tool - great for making circles in your bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
Using the Circle Maker Tool for the Habit Tracker on a Black Page in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com
Drawing the circular habit tracker in my bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
Adding lines and circles for a circle monthly habit tracker in my bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
Adding habits to my circle habit tracker for the month on a black page journal sheet | ChocolateMusings.com

Weeklies – Fun & Easy Whimsical Watercolor Space Theme

All weeklies are similar but different enough to have their own look. I added another set of black paper inserts for part of the weeklies for extra fun. I didn’t think through the weeks that had half the week on white pages and half the week on black pages. It did make it challenging to write the tasks for the week. I’ll probably use gel pens or acrylographs from Archer and Olive for the month so that the writing will show up on both white and black pages.

These weeklies are very easy to create and look so fun. The whimsy is enhanced with thick, bold outlines surrounding the circles. When creating a whimsical watercolor space theme, you don’t have to spend much time recreating known planets. Use whatever colors suit your fancy, and that look good when blended. I didn’t spend much time recreating Jupiter’s lines or specific colors. Honestly, with this type of whimsical design, you don’t need to follow anything from reality if you don’t want to.

I love the addition of the black pages in my bullet journal this month. It shows the contrast of the colors and the pages.

Color shift watercolor painting - planets bullet journal theme  | ChocolateMusings.com
Color shift whimsical watercolor planets - easy weekly bullet journal set up | ChocoalteMusings.com
Black page bullet journal - easy & colorful circular watercolor planets | ChocolateMusings.com

Ways to Add Whimsy to Your Bullet Journal or Art

There are a few ways to make your bullet journal themes whimsical. One is by using bright colors – I tend to use a lot of jewel tones. Another way to make your theme whimsical is to add thick, dark outlines around your painting. Throughout my theme this month, I’ll doodle circles around all the watercolor planets, and they all look very whimsical and fun.

Welcome page whimsical watercolor details - Bullet Journaling | ChocolateMusings.com
Black page journal decoration - color shift watercolor easy planets - Bullet Journal themes | ChocolateMusings.com

Bright & Color Shifting Watercolors

I have to admit that I missed out on using watercolor for a long time in my life. I seriously thought that all watercolors were muted, pale, washed out, and only pastel. Not sure where I got that impression, but as you can see, that is anything but the truth.

When I paint on regular watercolor paper, I do a much better job of layering the colors. You still have to be careful with how much water and color you use in a bullet journal. I paint very differently from one medium to another, but it’s just a matter of adapting.

When Your Watercolor Bleeds Through the Pages

I have found that using this type of watercolor – the sparkly, color-shifting kind- always seep through the pages even when other watercolor does not, especially on the white sheets. The black pages don’t have that issue.

I found some watercolor ground, the kind I have is Daniel Smith’s transparent watercolor ground, but they do have white and black if you prefer those options. I painted that first on the white pages, and it worked! No bleed-through!

So if you are struggling with any bleed-through when using watercolor in regular notebooks, watercolor ground works excellent. You can also turn any other surface into a watercolor canvas. Like any other material, you might have to adjust to your techniques for blending colors, dry time, and paint absorption, but for my purposes this month, it worked great.

Supplies Used

Supplies used this month to create my bullet journal theme, watercolor, circle maker tool, watercolor ground, paint brushes | ChocolateMusings.com
Dark Paper Pens/Markers
  • Acrylograph Acrylic Markers – Archer & Olive
  • Coliro Finetec Iridescent Pearlcolors Watercolor Paints
  • Dr PH Martin’s Bleed Proof White
  • Dr PH Martins Iridescent Calligraphy Ink
  • Karin Decobrush Metallic
  • Metallic Acrylograph Pens
  • Pentel Gold Gel Pen
  • Sakura White Gelly Roll Pens
  • Uniball Broad Tip Gel Pens – White, Gold & Silver
Plan With Me February 2022 Supplies
  • 1-31 Daily Number Stickers (5mm Size)
    >> Find this Product in the Chocolate Musings Shop!
    >> Get this Product on Etsy
  • A5 Grid Guide Stickers
  • Archer & Olive Notebooks
  • Archer & Olive Notepads
  • Circle Maker – Helix Angle Maker (one of my favorite tools ever!)
  • Coliro Finetec Iridescent Pearlcolors Watercolor Paints
  • Daniel Smith – 238 Watercolor Dot Color Chart
  • Daniel Smith Watercolor Paints
  • Dr PH Martin’s Bleed Proof White
  • Paul Reubens Watercolor Paint Metallic Glitter – 24 Color
  • Princeton Heritage Series 4050 Synthetic Sable Watercolor Brushes
  • Princeton Heritage Synthetic Sable Paint Brushes
  • Sakura White Gelly Roll Pens
  • Uniball Broad Tip Gel Pens – White, Gold & Silver
  • Watercolor Ground – Transparent
  • Winsor & Newton Fineliner Pens – Pack of 5 – Waterproof (Assorted Sizes)
Video Set-Up
  • Blue Yeti Microphone
  • Canon PowerShot G7x Mark III Digital Camera
  • Photography Lights (I use these for my everyday drawing!)
  • Scissor Arm Mic Stand/Video Camera Stand

Ease of Creating a Whimsical Watercolor Space Theme

Super easy. I would recommend creating this whimsical watercolor space theme if you are a beginner with watercolors, bullet journaling, or both. Unless you make a circular habit tracker, there’s no measuring or counting squares. You don’t need to worry about an exact look. The thick lines around the planets allow for plenty of mistakes. None of my planets are perfectly circular, and sometimes these space objects glow around them anyway. This space theme is perfect for adding a bit of whimsy to your bullet journal, plus you can play with watercolor without feeling like it has to be perfect.

I would only point out to be cautious with how much water you use in a regular journal – even those with thick pages. But I solved that issue by using watercolor ground on the parts of my pages where I added watercolor.

Whimsical watercolor space bullet journal theme - easy and colorful! | ChocolateMusings.com

Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Artsy Planner Spreads, Blog, Plan With Me 2022, Planner Theme Ideas Tagged: Bullet Journal, February, plan with me, space theme, watercolor, whimsical

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About Me


Hi! I'm Tricia, the creative behind ChocolateMusings.com, I know how it feels to lose your inner muse. After years of darkness (which I call the dark ages of my life), I found my inner muse hiding in the forgotten corners of my soul, I vowed never to lose sight of her again.

Bullet journaling helped reignite the passion for art and living life again while organizing my days. I also discovered modern calligraphy and watercolor. Since then, my use of the bullet journal system has evlolved and I call it 'creative planning'. Here on the blog, I show you how to use your planner to ignite your inner muse and explore creativity and art while staying beautifully organized and living a joyful life.

I invite you to grab some good chocolate and dive into my musings. Let’s ignite your inner muse.

Read more on the about me page. You can also find my policies and disclosures here.

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