The four core collections of the Bullet Journal are the Index, Future Log, Monthly Log, and the Daily Log. I’ve already tackled the index, monthly log, and daily log in the past so now it’s time to talk about the future log.
The future log is simple, it’s basically where we list down future events or future tasks outside of the current month.
I admit that I have failed to maintain a future log in the past. During my first year of bullet journaling, I wasn’t keeping up with it because most of them were plotted in my work calendar (Outlook). Writing it down on paper would have been counterproductive and redundant, so I didn’t use the future log as much as I needed/wanted. Now when I went on sabbatical in 2017, I didn’t have enough future plans to fill a future log so that didn’t pan out well too.
When I started using a Rhodia Goalbook, I was inspired to go back to future logging albeit the lack of future plans. The Goalbook already had future log pages which they call a “perpetual calendar” but I didn’t start using it until March 2019. I guess I thought that I could still rely on my iPhone’s calendar or worse – my memory.
The palest ink is better than the best memory.
Learning the value of the future log the hard way
In the last week of February, my friends were inviting me on a last-minute trip weekend getaway on March 8th. I was so excited and told them “I’m going to check if I have something scheduled that day” and after a few minutes said yes. When I was doing my monthly review of February, I noticed that I had scheduled something for March 8 and I wasn’t able to recall because it had been planned in February. The schedule was on my phone and my email but when my friends asked, I said I didn’t have a previous engagement.
It happened again on the first week of March. My mom asked me if I could give her a ride to visit her sister on March 8. I immediately agreed and told her that “I had nothing planned that day”. Again, I was not available. I have a previous engagement – that I absolutely could not miss.
Because I had made plans a month before, it was out of sight out of mind. Since I forgot about the same event twice, I knew that I had to really commit to a future log this time.
Setting Up the Future Log
According to Ryder Carroll, the future log lives at the front of your Bullet Journal, right after your Index. It usually requires 1-2 spreads of facing pages and can be designed in many different ways.
The simplest way is to divide the page into 6 sections by creating 3 horizontal lines across the notebook. Each section will be dedicated to the next months after the current month. Whenever you have events, tasks, or deadlines that will happen outside the current month (in the future), you write it down in the future log.
Do You Need a Future Log?
When you’re still starting out, you should try the basic future log first. It won’t take much of your time and notebook real estate and trying it out the first time will help you understand whether or not you find if the system will work for you.
However, if you already have a system that works for you – your phone’s calendar for example, then maybe you don’t need to use the future log or maybe you don’t have to use the future log the way Ryder Carroll does his.
In the next portion of this article, I’ll share a few examples that could inspire you to start a future log or perhaps provide you with other ways to approach the future log.
Types of Future Logs and Examples to Inspire You
By now, there has already been several iterations of the future log, just like any of the core modules of the Bullet Journals. Because the bullet journal system is flexible, we are able to switch it up when we feel that one aspect of the system isn’t working.
Some of the works that you will see here are different interpretations of the future log and also has been tailor fitted to the bullet journalists. You will also find different techniques that could work for how you use your bullet journal but before everything else, let’s start with the original design.
The Original
The original design is simple and easy to draw. While it works for some, the design doesn’t work well for all. Here are a few examples of interpretations of the original design.
I want to share my future log. I kept it close to the original form because I want to learn how I log my future tasks and events. When I first started, I didn’t use the original design to the letter and maybe that was also one of the reasons why I wasn’t able to keep up with it. All I did to add my own flair to it was to put the months in the center and enclose it in a box.
One thing that lacks in a bullet journal is the traditional monthly calendar layout. It wasn’t designed with a mini calendar because creating your own calendar takes more time. Some, like me the first time, are more comfortable having a monthly calendar in their future log. This is a great idea because you create a visual for yourself and it really paints a clearer picture of the future. The only con that I see with this is that creating the calendars will take more time than usual. You can always print or use stamps of course.
There are also vertical versions of the original future log. This layout might be best for those who typically have a number of future events, like students, perhaps.
Monthly Calendar List
This type of future log is basically several monthly logs made to fit in one page. This provides a birds eye view of the events and other important dates in a span of 4-6 months. This type of layout is helpful for those who want a quick glance of what has happened in the past month and also in the next few months.
However, since the space allotted for each month is limited and not as flexible, you won’t be able to log multiple entries in a day.
Alastair Method
The Alastair Method is an alternative approach to Ryder’s future log. It was created by Alastair Johnston when he was trying to figure a way to make the future log work for him.
He basically creates 6 (1 grid/box) columns for the upcoming months and then on the widest column on the right, he lists down the exact dates and the description of the event. The columns on the left act as a quick glance of what events (or even how many events) are scheduled for a certain month.
If you’re curious to learn more, watch this video from Sunshine and Stationery
The Calendex
The Calendex was created by Eddy Hope as a way to manage future logs better.
Description from his website:
The Calendex is a calendar/index hybrid. It is a simple, flexible and adaptable analog future planning system giving you a birds-eye view of your schedule harnessing the power of the humble notebook.
I haven’t had much experience with it before but I am fascinated with this idea. This is really a good tool especially if you rapid log. If you’re new to bullet journaling, remember that the bujo isn’t just about writing tasks and it’s not just a customizable planner. There is a journaling element to it.
If you’re practicing rapid logging in you bullet journal, then you might find the Calendex useful. Read more about it here.
Or you can watch Kara’s video explaining the process here:
Calendar Wheel
If you’ve read my post about the Monthly Log, you would have seen this format too.
Dee of Decade Thirty designed a future logging system for people who love to mind map. The circular format makes it easier to read events and tasks in one glance – just like a mind map. Read more about it here.
Year at a Glance
Year at a glance is simple. It’s a page filled with 12 small calendars for the current year. If you’ve used planners before, this is typically one of the first few pages that you’ll see.
Some bullet journalists, prefer to have this page in their bujo maybe because it’s something familiar to them or maybe they’re just so nice to look at. To be honest, year at a glance pages don’t add value to the notebook. You can always check the yearly calendar on your phone or your computer so what’s the point?
I’ve used one before and the reason for keeping a yearly calendar was that I like having quick access to a calendar. I used to write the week number in my daily/weekly log pages and it was easier to glance at my annual calendar rather than looking it up on my phone.
I also found that drawing my calendars calmed me down so that was also a plus for me.
There are a lot of types of future logs that if you’re just starting to bullet journal, you might be overwhelmed. You would ask and search for the type of future log that would suit you best and maybe that’s how you’ve stumbled upon this blog too. My advice for beginners is to start with the basics, even if presented with other options. If it doesn’t work, then flip to the next available spread and try another way of future logging. I hope that this inspired you to start your bullet journal, or maybe start using a future log again.
Do you use a future log? Or do you have other hacks that you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments below!
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