I am a lover of “The List”.
What I mean is: I love making LISTS
(and I love scratching items off of my list even more). I’m making them all the time. During meetings, I’m jotting down information
in list formation. I start my day with a
list of what needs to be done at work, at home, and with the kids’ extracurriculars. When I sit down to my desk at work, I check
over the previous day’s priorities and make a new list. Throughout the day, whether at home or at
work, I’m jotting down ideas that come to mind and things to remember to
research or do later. On my breaks and
lunch hours, I’m making budgeting plans, grocery lists, bill schedules, fitness
and eating logs, Christmas lists for shopping, and meal plans for the week for
my family. Each evening, I journal quotes
for inspiration, short term goals, and lists to stay organized and uncluttered. At times you’ll find me listing home
projects, seasonal plans and traditions, recipes, books (both read and
to-read), must see-movies, Netflix and Hulu series to watch, and Bucket
listing. As a woman and as a mother,
making lists and writing down the thoughts of my constantly multi-tasking mind,
is a way to screenshot my ideas and to keep my many roles, responsibilities,
and passions straight and orderly. If
not for my constant list-making, I’m certain that I’d have myself continually
screened for early onset Alzheimer’s, as I could never freely remember even
half of what enters my brain.
I’ve found that it’s easiest to keep the collection of my many
lists in one area and it’s easiest to list out all of the details of my
overly-active mind in bullet points, hence the name Bullet Journal. This is not
a new concept. It’s everywhere if you
google it. And everyone who adopts this
style of organization develops a style and method that works for them, so keep
that in mind while I tell you how I journal.
Why a bullet journal?
Why not try a fancy online system or keep it all on a computer or
phone? Because our brains behave
differently when we go analog. “Whether
they realize it or not, many people approach computers and tablets with a state
of mind less conducive to learning than the one they bring to paper”-
Scientific American Online Journal.
Think about it—when we write a paper or a manuscript on the computer we
always end up printing the whole thing in order to edit with a pen in hand,
right? The act of writing something down
engages our brains and encourages more thorough thought processes.
So what do you need?
That’s the great thing about using a bullet journal to get
organized. Supply list: 1) A sturdy journal 2) A Pen. Easy Peasy.
Run to the store and pick up a cute, colorful, durable (moleskin is my
favorite), and small enough to fit in your purse journal or planner, as well as,
a great pen (a good pen makes all the difference…. It’s no fun to write with a
crappy bic). Another beautiful thing
about a bullet journal is that IT CAN BE WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE. You can dress it up with tabs and stickers
and stencils and positive quotes or you can keep it plain-Jane. I love to make things pretty and unique, but
the point of a bullet journal for me is EASE and EFFICIENCY. I have no time for frills and ruffles when it
comes to tasks and schedules and keeping organized. Set yours up however you’d like—there are
millions of ideas on UTube and Instagram on some very cool ways to make it
artsy and eye-pleasing.
Once you have your journal and pen in hand, think about what
you want to get out of a bullet journal.
I start with writing in mine every Sunday. I outline:
1) Work priorities 2)
Meals 3) Family schedule for the week 4) Fitness and workout plans 5) Errands 6)
Bills 7) Projects 8)
Brain dump page (this is where I can bullet anything that comes to mind
and it doesn’t have to fit in a category). And then I add and adjust daily throughout the
day/week. Some weeks I also add a
section to list goals and another for habits.
It just depends on what I’m focused on. I may use it to outline Easter dinner 5 months
out. Or I may make a guest-list for a
community event that I’m planning next year.
That’s what I love about it… It is the sketch of my mind, plans, and
ideas in one place. Also, some add calendars to their journal. I keep my calendar with all appointments on
my phone, mainly because it buzzes and dings as an added reminder, however I
add the calendar items to my weekly bullets on Sundays when I am setting up my
week. This works well for me. If you need to add a written calendar for a
visual, print a week-at-a-glance or monthly calendar (whichever you prefer)
that fits your journal and glue them in the journal, leaving plenty of blank
pages in between each month for weekly and daily journaling.
In short, if you are like me and if your mind is running
24/7 and you need to capture and retain as much as possible along with saving
precious time, adopt my list-loving mentality.
Start small and try it. Figure
out what you need to track and prioritize and start writing it out. Change the format and ditch what isn’t
working—remember, there is no right or wrong way to do this. If pretty designs and colors motivate you,
then spend time accessorizing. In the
end, I think you’ll find that this journal will be as valuable as your phone
and your wallet. Well… maybe not your
wallet, but close. J
Happy listing!
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