If you are already using a Bullet Journal or are wondering about using one after discovering the complete Bullet Journal guide here, you may be wondering what My Bullet online could do for you.
The big difference between a traditional Bullet Journal and My Bullet online (or any other digital Bullet Journal) is that the latter is an application, therefore an online tool.
We will see what are the differences, the advantages and disadvantages of a classic Bullet Journal compared to the application My Bullet online.
What do My Bullet online and a Bullet Journal have in common?
Before we look at the differences between the two versions, let’s look at the common features of these tools.
They both allow you to :
- get organized, plan your schedule: appointments as well as tasks,
- note down your objectives and follow them, make them evolve,
- improve your productivity,
- track your habits,
- take notes,
- make lists,
- write your diary (personal, gratitude…),
- write down information that can be easily found,
- follow your evolution, by looking at what has been achieved or not, by rereading past notes,
- reflect on what is important,
- make sure to realize your dreams,..
In both cases, they are tools and organizational methods to improve productivity and personal development.
What are the advantages of the classic Bullet Journal over the digital version?
Because of its physical form, a paper Bujo allows you to :
- write by hand: studies have shown that writing by hand has therapeutic benefits
- have a physical object in your hands, it can seem more concrete to apprehend:
- you can see it if you put it prominently on your desk for example, you can leave the page of the day open, which can remind you to use it regularly,
- it can be easier to have it next to your computer, because if the screen is already used for your tasks, the tool is no longer continuously visible
- it is more pleasant to read it again, especially for the journal part.
What are the disadvantages of the Bullet Journal?
There are some disadvantages to using a Bullet Journal:
- you have to carry it with you all the time: it can be cumbersome and you may end up not using it on a daily basis,
- if you don’t have your Bullet Journal with you, you have to trust your memory (although it is not infallible), or write down on another support (for example notes on your phone), or… forget your idea or appointment or other,
- drawing, making illustrations, or even just creating the different pages, writing down each date one by one, wastes time,
- it is complicated to make an appointment well in advance (for example at the dentist or dermatologist),
- you have to copy the same information several times: first in the Future Log, then in the Monthly Log, and finally in the Daily Log; and if you don’t complete a task, you have to copy it again the next day (see the guide to the Bullet Journal to understand all these mentions),
- you can’t put a clickable url, so if you want to go on a website, and a page of a particular site, you have to type the whole url, or use a second online tool,
- if you want to find a piece of information, you can use the Index created for this purpose, but not a precise detail (for example, ‘since when I have pain in my right shoulder’ asks the doctor: I had to read several pages to find the information),
- if you lose your Bullet Journal, it is panic on board! We lose all our information and the person who finds it will have access to our darkest secrets..
What are the advantages of My Bullet online or other digital Bullet Journal?
The number one feature of My Bullet online is that it is an online application.
As for any other Digital Bullet Journal, its advantages are linked to the fact that it is an online tool:
- you can access it from anywhere, as long as you have an Internet connection (and soon even without a connection),
- you can access it on any support: computer, phone, tablet… You can therefore change support, the data are synchronized (for example you can use your computer at work, your mobile in public transport, your tablet on your sofa or in your bed…)
- you can put clickable links,
- you can easily find information thanks to the included search bar,
- backups are made every day, you will never lose your information,
- the information is secure, no one will know that you ate at McDonald’s every day this week, or that you haven’t worked out in 3 months,
- and above all: no need to create the pages, write down all the dates, draw the lines, you really save time.
What are the drawbacks of My Bullet online?
As you may have guessed, the disadvantages of My Bullet online are those of a digital Bullet Journal, i.e. due to the fact that this tool is online:
- you don’t get the benefits of handwriting,
- the connection to the Internet can sometimes be weak,
- it can be annoying to change window or tab of the web browser every time you want to look at your to-do list again (but you can also use your phone for your to-do list, when you work on a computer screen)
- we don‘t disconnect, and we can be quickly distracted by other sites, especially social networks.
Use both versions?
In order to have the advantages of both versions, you can use both a classic Bullet Journal and My Bullet online. For example :
- organize yourself on My Bullet online, but take notes in meetings on a notebook,
- organize yourself on a digital Bullet journal, but do the journaling on a paper notebook (even if My Bullet online also contains a journal part),
- write down your to-do lists in a notebook, but your appointments on My Bullet online,
- use My Bullet online in general, except when you don’t have an Internet connection (one day, the application will be accessible even offline!)
However, in this case, you will no longer benefit from having a single tool that concentrates everything (but this may not have been the case before, because for example you used a digital calendar for your appointments, in addition to a paper Bullet Journal?)
It’s up to you
What do you think are the main differences, advantages and disadvantages of a paper Bullet Journal and an online tool?
Which version do you use and why?
Tell me in the comments.