Decision making tip to help prioritize your bullet journal lists

Use the Pairwise Comparison technique to help figure out what is at the top on your list!

I discovered Bullet Journaling and now I am obsessed.  I have been creating lists of places I want to go, movies I want to watch and things I need to get done!  Now, I want to reorder my list based on what is the most important.

In my career, I have been a Project Manager, Scrum Master, Business Analyst, and Product Owner - all roles that are faced with the challenge to get decisions made and priorities set. I learned this technique called: Pairwise Comparison.

Basically, you create your wish list of all the things you want, in this case my Places That I Want to Visit list.  Ireland has always been a place I want to visit, so it went first on my list.

Then you create a grid where you have to chose one over the other. This forces you to make your choices by comparing them head-to-head.  After you are done, you can clearly see the order of your preference.  In my case, I learned that Cuba is actually the first place I want to visit.

Choose what you want in a side-by-side comparison.

How to make a pairwise comparison chart:

1. List all your choices on the left.
2. List all your choices across the top in the same order.
3. Cross off all the boxes where the item on the left side matches the item on the top.  You don't need to fill out the redundant choices.
4. Work your way through the grid to decide which you prefer over the other.  For example: The first box I had to choose if I wanted to go to Ireland (IR) over China (CH).
5. After you are done making all your decisions, then count up the selections and reorder the list.  In my case, I wrote down my top three: Cuba, Ireland and then Peru.

Use the pairwise comparison technique to help you focus on your true wants and desires. If you are interested in more ideas for bullet journaling, please visit my Pinterest Board.

Bullet Journaling for Lefties: Achieve Smudge-Free Lists in the New Year!

A daily reminder to "Live A Life You Love."

Happy New Years! This is the time of year, where I try to slow down, reflect and organize my thoughts.  It is also the time of year when I like to make a lot of lists.  I create lists for movies I want to watch (the Oscars are coming), places I want to visit, what I hope to achieve in the new year, restaurants I want to try, and the lists go on.

I heard about Bullet Journal (BuJo for short); which is an "analog system for the digital age" that was created by Ryder Carroll, who is a digital product designer.  I was instantly turned off to this idea.

Check out these cute journals sold at Darn Good Yarn.

The idea of going analog and putting down the laptop intrigues me, but being a lefty who can barely read my own writing, the idea of writing things down outright scares me.

Writing makes me nervous. Not the act of expressing myself with words, but physically writing.  I am left-handed, so my handwriting is terrible and I am subject to the lefty smudge. I am the last person to volunteer to be the scribe or write on a chalkboard.

Lefties make up 10% of the population

A fellow co-worker mentioned the company Jet Pens. They offer a sampler kit of pens for lefties.  Is this true?  Are there pens that are better for lefties?

Jet Pens wrote an article "Pens & Writing Supplies for the Left-Handed, where I learned about fast drying notepads that have rings on the top and other options for left-handed people. I ordered a sample of pens from Jet Pens and I have to say these pens are great.  Where have they been all my life?  They dry fast so it helps prevent the smear. I highly recommend these pens for any lefties out there and I plan to order more writing supplies soon.

Putting the pens to the test

I wanted to see which of these pens worked the best and which I liked the best.  I did a pen test in my journal.  First I drew a line with each pen and quickly tried to smear it.  Then I wrote the name of the pen on the line.  Here are the results:

The Pilot FriXion Ball Knock Retractable Gel Pen - 0.5 mm is my favorite, my apologies for the name!

The Pilot FriXion worked the best, but just by a hair over the others in the sampler kit.

I am so excited!  Now, I am armed with pens that actually work for me. I am looking forward to Bullet Journaling and writing things down.  For a few moments of my digitally charged day, I will go "offline" and write in my journal. This journal will not be about work. I will just be a book of ideas to help me organize my thoughts.

Warning: Making lists can be addictive! 

Places I want to go, while I am visiting New Orleans next weekend.

A list of movies that may be Oscar contenders. 

I made a list of lists that you can make yourself:

• Places you want to go
• Savings log
• Healthy snack ideas
• Bucket list
• 2018 goals
• Hydration tracker
• Date night ideas
• Restaurants to try
• Meal planning ideas
• Meals they liked
• Housework, one thing a day
• Daily grateful thoughts
• Seasonal produce for January or the current month
• Movies to watch
• Dream Journal - my first thoughts in the morning

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog!  If you are interested in more ideas for bullet journaling, please visit my Pinterest Board.

Happy 2018!  I hope it is a great year ~ and please live a life you love.