Sunday 15 October 2017

Why do I bullet journal and should you start?


Google 'how to bullet journal' and a whole host of hits come back at you, telling you why you should do it, the best ways to do and what you can get out of it.

But what actually is it?!

In its crudest form it's essentially a glorified to-do list (but anything that involves an excuse for buying new stationary is absolutely a-ok with me). You basically 'quick log' all your thoughts, stresses, to-do's, pressures, appointments etc etc etc in no particular order, allowing your mind to 'empty' and get a sense of everything going on around you.

Anyway, I've been bullet-journaling once a week for a few months now and found it's helped me in a lot of ways. It helps me keep organised and I can prioritise things I need to do that week, as well as feeling less stressed about things that are going on in my head.

If you love a good old list, I think you'll be able to get on board with this. Here are 3 reasons I bullet journal.

1) There's no right or wrong way of doing it

Given that I initially Googled how to do it, and given that it's a bit of a personal admin 'buzz word' at the moment, you'd be forgiven to think that there's one set way of doing it. There's not. Do it however you want. Find a way that works for you.

For me, I do a weekly journal over three pages.

Page one is a literal mind-spewing list of everything and anything that's in my head at that time - from needing to do a dark wash, to certain career development goals, blog posts I want to write, things I need / want to do at work, people I need to call, things that are bothering / upsetting me, articles I've bookmarked, recipes I want to try, workout goals, things that are making me happy, weekend dates, things I need to buy - the list is endless.

Page two and three are then a double spread. My week is listed out by day at the top, with tasks and events listed out by day underneath the corresponding day. An attainable, achievable weekly 'to-do' list sits bottom left of the page. Then, my finances and people to call / meet up with are in the middle, and on the right hand side, I have a list for goals for the week, and then a list for specific meals or workouts I want to try and incorporate.

Naturally, some things carry over to future weeks, but that's fine - I like to be able to see everything on one page.

This might not be your preferred way of doing it, but it works for me.


2) It helps clear my mind 

I feel so at ease and 'cleansed' when I've noted everything down, got it off my chest (so to speak), and worked out how I'm going to solve / achieve / fit stuff in for the week ahead. I'd even go so far as to say it's like a conscious mindful meditation, mulling over every little thing in my head. We are bombarded with so much information now, it can be hard to find focus, and I find this brings me clarity.

3) I can see all my priorities and assess where I'm going to make a difference

Some weeks are quiet, some weeks I'm out for dinner four times a week and working long hours. My goals might be the same but different things going on in your life can affect what's realistically achievable. Some weeks work is the top priority, some weeks it's my own hobbies, some weeks it's about just doing the bare minimum! I love seeing what the main priorities are and finding ways to move myself closer to my goals.


I love how all-encompassing bullet-journaling is. It's not just about tracking personal admin, fitness, food, work, self-development, social life - it's a way of combining them all.

Essentially: I love lists. I love stationery. I love writing notes. So it's a win-win for me!

Thanks to luxury and designer stationery company Rooi, for sending me this gorgeous Kate Spade notebook for me to log away with :) It's been a dream to write in!

I'm by no means a bullet journal expert, and if you are looking for more in depth info on bullet journaling - definitely give it a Google and find a tutorial that resonates with you, if you fancy it. Would also recommend my lovely friend Kat Horrocks who's amazing at helping with goal setting and personal development (she's a life coach!).

This Buzzfeed article sums it up pretty well, ha!
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