My bullet journal saved me from a work mess I made last Tuesday

I forgot to write down a client's change request three weeks ago and it almost cost us the project. Last Tuesday, my boss asked for proof of when they asked for it, and I had nothing. I went back through my old journal from that month and found my daily log. Right there, on April 12th, I had a note about the call with the exact detail. I showed my boss and it fixed everything. I used to think my daily logs were just messy scribbles, but they turned into my backup system. What's the most important thing your journal has saved you from?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivanscott1mo ago

Followed the same path as you last month when I thought I paid a bill twice. Went back to my daily log and found the scribbled confirmation number from the phone call. @wood.eric hit it right when he said the raw notes tell the real story. My messy handwriting showed the agent's name and time I talked to them, which helped me prove it was just a duplicate charge. Now I keep that journal closer than my own phone because those scribbles have saved me more times than I can count.

wood.eric1mo ago

You saying your daily logs were "messy scribbles" that saved you is the whole point. It saved me from myself, not just a work thing. My journal has the raw, angry notes from a fight with my sister. Reading them a month later, I saw MY part in it clearly, not just hers. That messy emotion on paper stopped me from blowing up the relationship for good. The journal didn't fix a project, it fixed my own memory of being the victim.

the_jana1mo ago

Guess your boss learned not to mess with someone who keeps better records than they do. My journal saved me from buying the same book twice, which is less dramatic but still a win. I get what @wood.eric means though, sometimes you need to see your own messy writing to get the real story. My scribbles have talked me out of sending some truly stupid emails. That notebook is basically a cheap therapist that also knows where I put my keys.