Bullet Journal & Second Brain – Making Them Work Together

The Bullet Journal: The Beginning of My Journey

It was around January of 2022 when I really paid attention to the Bullet Journal. It seemed like a tremendous tool to bolster my personal productivity and keep my life organized.

What’s so unusual is that I had heard about the system in passing a few years prior, but I didn’t really have the patience or interest in giving it a shot. The initial video on bulletjournal.com made it look a little complicated during the first time setup for me. I wasn’t exactly feeling patient that day, so I let the idea come and go.

Imagine my surprise when I rediscovered the idea and everything clicked with me. I gave a vanilla bullet journal a try with an existing notebook and pen I had lying around.

After a few days of practice, I was in love. It seemed as if Ryder Carroll, the creator of the Bullet Journal system, thought of everything! You could keep track of urgent tasks and thoughts through Daily Log pages. You could get a bird’s eye view of the month with a Monthly Log. You could even find collections and notes in already-completed Bullet Journals using Threading.

Community innovations to such a simple system made the practice more appealing and extensible as well. Once I’m finished with my current notebook, for instance, I was planning to give the Calendex a shot in place of an Index in a fresh notebook.

The Second Brain: My Attempt to Go Digital

Forward several months later into July when I also learned about Tiago Forte’s Building A Second Brain. I picked up a copy of the NOOK book and gave it a good read. The book prompted me to give Obsidian a close look for the first time ever. I had heard of Obsidian before, but the idea of building a second brain seemed so daunting until I discovered how to do it. I was even prepared to use something else like Notion or Roam Research, both of which I hear are excellent apps to build a second brain with as well.

That didn’t happen because I loved (and still love) Obsidian. I stopped bullet journaling within the following months while I continued using my Obsidian-powered second brain for a while. I had been under the false impression that I had to go with one or the other. After all, bullet journals were analog, offline devices, and a second brain is a digital tool. I rationalized the decision as I found myself enchanted with Obsidian.

I experimented with plugins, workflows, and even a few templates I made as I started linking my notes together. Forte’s system of PARA (Project, Area, Reference, and Archive) made all the sense in the world to me and, best of all, works with just about any app, from Notion or Obsidian all the way to something unobtrusive and utilitarian like Apple Notes.

In short, I wanted my second brain to do anything and everything. I even coughed up $10 per month for Obsidian sync features because it felt otherwise like I was stealing such an excellent piece of software by not giving back to the developers. In fact, Obsidian is a rare piece of software where the longer I use and tinker with it, the more amazing features and optimizations I discover to make my note taking that much more effective.

Digging Up My Notebook Again

When December 2022 came around, I saw a video from Ali Abdaal about journaling frequently. The concept appealed to me and I realized, after doing some searching on DuckDuckGo for “Morning Pages,” that there was some genuine merit to writing my thoughts with pen to paper rather than typing. The overall gist emphasized the slow speed, the very bottleneck that forced me to be more mindful over what I actually wrote down. My mind would have to slow down and see what was appearing in ink before my eyes. What seemed like an inconvenience was, by design, an advantage. After trying for myself, I could see the difference compared to typing my thoughts.

What better notebook to start journaling with than the bullet journal I had abandoned? While I was at it, I took up bullet journaling again with the morning pages and, after realizing what I was missing, I can’t imagine giving it up ever again. I know it’s a thing for people to fall off the supposed bullet journal “wagon,” but my brief time away from the practice and my return to the journal made me feel fortunate for trying again. I finally understood what Ryder Carroll said in a video about a key way that a bullet journal differs from a traditional planner:

Planners have layouts for days, weeks, or months already printed on their pages. It’s easy to feel guilty about skipping a day or two and leaving blank pages in a planner. Those blank pages serve as a subtle, nagging reminder that you weren’t as productive as you thought. The blank page of a bullet journal, on the other hand, waits for you without judgement, without the resulting guilt of not writing regularly. All you really need to do is pick it up and try again.

Bringing The Two in Harmony?

Of course, the whole idea of building a second brain with an app isn’t without merit. I learned so much from both Carroll and Forte. Besides, the systems aren’t exclusive of one another simply because of their natures. Carroll himself even discussed the very idea before [emphasis mine]:

“So are the Bullet Journal method and apps mutually exclusive? Of course not. There are many apps that make my life easier in ways that a notebook never could. All tools, whether digital or analog, are only as valuable as their ability to help you accomplish the task at hand.”

Ryder Carroll, page 46 of The Bullet Journal Method

There’s also the fact that the Bullet Journal has its very own companion app. I haven’t tried it, but it looks useful for backing up existing bullet journals or jotting quick ideas or reminders down when you can’t reach your bullet journal right away.

As for Forte, something tells me he would agree with Carroll’s statement. In fact, the two collaborated with one another in two videos on their YouTube channels discussing both the second brain and bullet journals. In case it isn’t obvious by now: The idea that one system is digital and one is analog doesn’t mean you have to go “all-in” with one or the other. I can recognize the advantages of both and wanted to reap all the benefits possible.

I sat down at some point and, with enough careful thinking, figured out how to make the two work in perfect tandem.

But how exactly did I do that?

The Comparison

I sat down with a new note in my Obsidian second brain and the opportunity to be frank: What did I want from both systems? How could I reduce any possible friction or unnecessary redundancy? I mean, sure, people who argue in favor of trying to make both work have cited using the Medium Method, but I couldn’t get everything to work in the ways I read about this method the first time I tried it. It also doesn’t really help that there’s no 100% “vanilla” or “approved” way to do the method either, so it looked like I had to carve out my own method to make this work for me.

I decided I needed to plot out my personal pros and cons for each system. This way, I could decide what to do with each system consistently instead of impulsively deciding to use one or the other for whichever task popped up.

Pros and Cons: Bullet Journal

PROS	CONS
I can make it do nearly anything with the right layouts.	Editing can be a little cumbersome, especially with ink.
It is easy to use and understand once you get the hang of it.	Some of the “fancier” layouts are harder to replicate and maintain.
Slowing down to write by hand makes me more mindful.	It’s not as fast at getting information captured right away.
It doesn’t make me feel bad about missing days like a planner can.	I have to start a new journal entirely once I run out of pages.
Threading, the Future Log, and community features like the Calendex solve issues I have with planners.	No syncing or easy means of backup compared to something digital.
They give me a good excuse to use a nicer pen or pencil.	Archiving isn’t as easy as it is with a second brain.
They give me an excellent place to write my “Morning Pages.”	Searching isn’t anywhere near as good as using a second brain.
No batteries or devices required to access a bullet journal.
Can’t be hacked over wifi and no passwords to remember.

Pros and Cons: Second Brain

PROS	CONS
It’s digital and syncable.	Sync features can be flaky at times.
It’s easy to search through, even compared to a fully-indexed bullet journal.	There is less of an element of mindfulness present.
It’s extensible and lets me add new features.	The extensibility can sometimes turn into procrastination if I’m not careful.
Reordering and moving notes around is easy.	I can lose track of things whenever my organization isn’t perfect, especially once my second brain is large enough.
I can connect notes and ideas together easily to spur creativity.	I sometimes forget to connect notes together.
I type much faster than I can write by hand.
Embedding and shortcuts make navigation between notes so simple.
I can update existing notes and pages easily in case something changes.

What Exactly Do I Want?

What I want and what somebody else wants from either system will likely differ from person to person. As a result, I’m going to write what functions I expect for myself in particular.

Although my priorities could match what somebody else wants, my criteria isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution and will largely be subjective. In fact, I encourage anyone else trying to make the two work together to sit down and decide what matters when using a bullet journal or second brain.

For now, here are the points that mattered to me:

Criteria

• Which is easier for adding information with less “friction”?
• Which is easier at letting me edit said information later?
• Which is easier to reach when I need to reference an existing note?
• Which is easier to reach when I want to add something right away?
• Which lets me remember relevant details more easily?

What Do I Want To Track or Add in Either System?

• Tasks
• Dates and Appointments
• Projects
• Reference Materials
• Intermittent Packs (part of the second brain system)
• Idle or Creative Thoughts
• Taking Notes and Making Them More Useful Later
• Therapeutic Activities (Morning Pages, gratitude, etc.)

Round 1: Task Management

Which method is superior for letting me keep track of what I want to do or get done in a given day?

Criteria	Second Brain	Bullet Journal
Easier to add to		✓
Easier to edit	✓
Easier to reach when adding		✓
Easier to reach when searching		✓
Better at letting me remember		✓

The Bullet Journal is easier to come back to for simple to-dos and other tasks I need to get done. Writing a task down right away feels smoother to me than having to open up Obsidian and find a page with my tasks, get a Kanban board working (a great system, but didn’t suit my needs), or getting something overengineered to work with me like the Todoist plugin.

Round 2: Dates and Appointments

Which method is better for serving the same functions as a calendar for me?

Criteria	Second Brain	Bullet Journal
Easier to add to		✓
Easier to edit	✓
Easier to reach when adding		✓
Easier to reach when searching		✓
Better at letting me remember		✓

The Bullet Journal comes out on top once again in this category. I still can’t find a good way to make Obsidian take over as a dedicated calendar without interference from other servers or services. I also would rather not rely on Google Calendar due to personal reasons, so syncing the two is not an option for me. Any attempts to use other calendars within my second brain have always felt like they didn’t suit my needs as easily as using a Monthly Log every so often in my bullet journal. The only real advantage the Second Brain had on this category was how easy it is to edit something due to the lack of ink.

Round 3: Projects

Which method is superior at letting me track progress on larger tasks like projects?

Criteria	Second Brain	Bullet Journal
Easier to add to		✓
Easier to edit	✓
Easier to reach when adding	✓
Easier to reach when searching	✓
Better at letting me remember		✓

When I first sat down and thought about this a while back, the Second Brain was still the winner, but it was more clear-cut at that time. However, I have tracked projects again as of late in my bullet journal depending on the nature and scope. I tend to gravitate to my notebook if the project is simpler overall or only lasts for a few days. I’ll lean on my second brain if a project feels more long-term or involved.

Round 4: Reference Materials

What suits my needs best when I want to keep track of materials I want to remember for later? This is more for solid ideas I need to look up again sooner or later rather than idle thoughts or musings.

Criteria	Second Brain	Bullet Journal
Easier to add to	Draw	Draw
Easier to edit	✓
Easier to reach when adding	✓
Easier to reach when searching	✓
Better at letting me remember		✓

This is the only category where I reached a tie between the two system on a criteria. It feels equally easy to add something to my second brain just as it does write a note or new “Collection” in my bullet journal. However, the second brain still reigns supreme in the other criteria except for the memory that comes from physical tactility.

Round 5: Intermittent Packs

Which method allows me to use existing work again and get more tasks done with less effort again in the future? In case anybody doesn’t know, the concept of an “Intermittent Pack” (or Int Pack as I call them at times) comes from Tiago Forte’s Building A Second Brain book and concept.

Criteria	Second Brain	Bullet Journal
Easier to add to	✓
Easier to edit	✓
Easier to reach when adding	✓
Easier to reach when searching	✓
Better at letting me remember	✓

Considering the concept came from Forte’s book, this category was a no-brainer. The system shines in several ways, sure, but this is the one where the Second Brain reigns supreme for me. I can use notes from completed work or projects with little effort, and I can search for anything with a few keystrokes. I find it simpler than digging up a completed bullet journal and sifting through the pages to find something, even with something ingenious like “Threading” being a thing.

Round 6: Idle Thoughts and Inspiration

Criteria	Second Brain	Bullet Journal
Easier to add to		✓
Easier to edit	✓
Easier to reach when adding		✓
Easier to reach when searching	✓
Better at letting me remember		✓

My rationale for this decision is how easily the bullet journal lets me record idle thoughts and inspiration. I know PARA in the second brain addresses this with the idea of an “Inbox” with newly-created notes, but it just feels much simpler to jot down a “-” for a spontaneous note or a “!” signifier if it’s particularly inspirational. While a second brain may be easier to search through, the ease of adding and remembering gives a bullet journal the edge for intimate thoughts.

Round 7: Taking Notes and Making Them More Useful Later

This isn’t something to be confused with Int Packs. This category focuses on specifically how I can capture articles, posts, text, and annotate, highlight, or distill them for later. Int Packs, on the other hand, are for creating something that lets me get work done again at a later point in time. But which system does notes better?

Criteria	Second Brain	Bullet Journal
Easier to add to	✓
Easier to edit	✓
Easier to reach when adding	✓
Easier to reach when searching	✓
Better at letting me remember		✓

This was easy for me to see coming. When I read something I want to save, I can save the article in Obsidian to mark up (bolding, highlighting, summarizing) and make the information much more useful later. It was discussed in Forte’s book, the whole idea of having the summary to easily reference AND being able to read the full text again if necessary. It’s a brilliant workflow. Even Carroll, in a video he did with Forte, admitted that writing down URLs or entire articles again in a bullet journal seemed cumbersome and unappealing. I mean, I suppose Rapid Logging would be a possible way of summarizing key points, but said article or post wouldn’t be fully accessible in the same way.

Round 8: Therapeutic Activities

The final round comes down to which lets me feel better about expressing myself. Which method provides me with more mindfulness and reflection as a whole when journaling?

Criteria	Second Brain	Bullet Journal
Easier to add to		✓
Easier to edit	✓
Easier to reach when adding		✓
Easier to reach when searching		✓
Better at letting me remember		✓

Once I started doing my Morning Pages in my bullet journal, this became the clear-cut winner. The simple act of journaling by hand improved my life in ways I hadn’t expected. It brought me back to realizing just how beneficial the bullet journal can truly be despite how modest it feels compared to a high-tech and extensible piece of software.

The Verdict?

In case it wasn’t obvious by this point, this was never about pitting the two methods against one another to decide which one is the very best. Rather, the comparison was to help me decide what task I would delegate to which system, thus resulting in less friction and a more streamlined experience. These are my results:

Bullet Journal	Second Brain
Task Management	Large-Scale Projects
Smaller Projects	Reference Materials
Dates and Appointments	Intermittent Packs
Idle Thoughts and Inspiration	Taking Notes to Transform
Therapeutic Activities

As a result of this, I decided to use both systems for these given purposes. I now rely on my bullet journal for to-dos, small projects, keeping track of dates, idle thoughts, and mindful activities. Meanwhile, I depend on my second brain for large projects, referencing materials, Int Packs, and distilling notes or captured information. At last, I found a way to make both systems work together with the least amount of redundancy and friction possible.

The Big Takeaway

I would highly recommend sitting down and thinking about your priorities if you’re someone who’s on the fence about whether to use one system or the other. I also recommend the same exercise if you simply want to know how to make the two work together without a redundant and inefficient experience. It could take a little time sitting down and really thinking about what you want from a bullet journal or second brain, but the investment is worth it.

In the meantime, anyone out there feel the same way about the Bullet Journal and Second Brain systems? Have you tried one or the other? Perhaps both? What do you do to make them work?