Try this with any old to-do list: does it actually tell you why you got something done, or didn’t? Mine didn’t. They just piled up like monuments to guilt. So I ditched the list and fused two journaling methods to turn regrets into action.
Why Journaling Became a Better Alternative for Me
For years, I struggled to keep up with to-do lists that felt overwhelming or incomplete by midday. Crossing off items gave a minute’s satisfaction, but didn’t capture my evolving priorities or thoughts. I needed a system that did more than list tasks; something that could blend planning with context, reflection, ideas, and progress tracking.
Journaling offered that richer experience. Instead of static checklists, journaling lets me connect tasks to context and personal insights. This approach reduced anxiety and boosted my focus. I found that when I journaled, I naturally captured tasks as part of my day’s flow instead of as isolated action items. That’s when the traditional to-do list started to feel less useful.
My Productivity System: Bullet Journaling + Interstitial Journaling
My productivity system merges two journaling techniques: Bullet journaling and Interstitial journaling.
Bullet journaling uses rapid logging. A hat tip to Ryder Carroll, who designed it. You just have to write short, concise notes combined with symbols to track tasks, events, and notes flexibly. It’s great for capturing daily to-dos, marking completed tasks, and scheduling. What I love is its adaptability. I can migrate unfinished tasks or highlight priorities easily.
Interstitial journaling fills the gaps between tasks and events. It’s a practice of jotting down thoughts, reflections, challenges, or progress notes as they arise throughout the day. This type of journaling bridges planning and execution. It lets me process feelings or ideas related to work without breaking flow. Plus, it highlights blockers like an energy dip or moments of deep work that often go overlooked on a typical to-do list. My friend Lando uses Logseq; I opted for a more common tool in my pocket.
Bullet journaling includes Notes, which you can use for «interstitially» journaling your thoughts. Just notice the moments when you switch from one task to the next or take a break.
Combining these two gives me a dynamic daily log of what I need to do, why it matters, and how I’m feeling while doing it. It also gave me another missing piece I can review anytime: a chronological narrative that made sense of the everyday chaos.
How I Integrated Them Digitally
At first, I used a physical notebook. While the benefits of paper for to-do lists or journaling are well known, it wasn’t practical for quick edits or syncing across devices. Moving digital solved that. Here’s how I integrated bullet and interstitial journaling using Apple Notes as my journaling tool of choice.
Designing a simple bullet journal template helps maintain consistency. To start, organize your journal by creating a dedicated folder named “Bullet Journal.”
Inside this folder, set up notes or subfolders for daily logs, habit tracking, and weekly or monthly reviews. The sub-folders are optional and up to you. For instance, you can set up notes in sub-folders for specific projects. You can view folders as galleries, sort them around, and search for anything within them.
A basic layout might include the date, today’s Tasks, Events, and space for Notes, which holds my interstitial reflections. You can customize this template to fit your needs and duplicate it daily or save it as a reusable note.
I am now experimenting by adding a focused Daily Highlight too. I keep it on top of the list and mark it with a distinct emoji.
For capturing thoughts and insights between tasks in the Notes section, I create new notes throughout the day. I use these notes to quickly jot down what I’m working on, how I feel (For instance, why am I procrastinating), or any ideas that arise.
If relevant, I link notes in Apple Notes to my bullet journal entries or any other notes for easy reference. Just enter «>>» next to your keyword. You can even backlink notes to each other. This approach helps to add more content while capturing the flow of my day. A look back at them gives clues on my work patterns that a simple to-do list misses.
You can also tag Events and Notes entries with #energy-low, #focus-high, #distracted. Later, you can filter them from the search bar and discover any lurking patterns.
Apple Notes offers several useful features to enhance this journaling system. Use checklists to mark completed tasks, create tables for habit tracking, and if you use an iPad, take advantage of handwriting with Apple Pencil for a more personal touch.
You can also attach photos, documents, or sketches to enrich your notes, making the journal more interactive and visually engaging. These features transform Apple Notes into a versatile tool for managing both tasks and reflections.
Apple Notes also has Lines and Grids, which can give your notes the feel of a physical journal. Plus, locking your logs gives it an added sense of privacy.
Remember, it’s not about the tool. It’s about the habit and system that works for you. Both journaling methods are so simple, you can use any digital tool (even Google Keep is good enough as a journal) or simple paper. You only need simple but consistent symbols to track your tasks.
Tips for Using Apple Notes (or any Other App) as a Journaling Tool
A bullet journal’s core principle is rapid logging with bullets (tasks •, notes -, events ○). These are easy to create in any notetaking app. If you prefer, you can even use emojis.
But what makes a bullet journal stand out is its second core principle: intentional migration.
At the end of the day (or start of the next), I ruthlessly review the Daily Log. What should move forward? What’s irrelevant now? This intentional act prevents task pile-ups and ensures focus. As you can see in the screenshot, I used a simple arrow emoji to suggest the migration to the next Daily Log entry. I check the Events and think about the actionables I can convert to tasks or mini-projects for later.
I usually prefer free writing my interstitial journaling entries in the Notes section. Here’s an idea: you can set up a template like this, which follows my general pattern:
- What you just did.
- How long did it take?
- How you felt (energy, focus, emotion).
- What you’re about to do next (and often, why).
Tasks are no longer isolated items. Making them intentional helps me visualize them, too.
You don’t even have to type always. I occasionally use the iPhone’s Notes app for voice journaling to track procrastination.
Any journaling method that brings together task capture with context, reflection, and intentional review has the power to render a sterile context-free to-do list obsolete. The trick is not to allow the system to become a beast where it (rather than the tasks) hijacks your attention. So, for me, consistency and simplicity of the system are the true hack.
