If you have read our other blogs, you should now know what a Bullet Journal is and how to use one. In this blog we look at why do you need to Bullet Journal and who can use one.
5 Reasons you should bullet journal.
Why do you need to Bullet Journal
Bullet journaling is a habit and it can be daunting to start one. It is after all a commitment but it is so worth it. Let me convince you, by giving you five reasons you should bullet journal.
- Setting Goals
Bullet journals are one of the best places to set goals within. You will check your bujo regularly which means you will be checking in on your goals and working towards achieving them! Here is how to make sure you set good goals –
Goal setting seems so obvious but actually the more work you put into setting goals the more likely you will be to achieve them.
I start setting goals by creating a vision board. I ask myself questions like:
“What would I like to achieve this year?”
“What do I want my year to look like?”
“Why do I want to achieve the goals I have set?”
I separate my vision board into simple sections, work and personal. I collect pictures that represent what I would like to achieve and use this as a ‘blue-print’ for my goals.
Next I write my goals down using the SMART method (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound). I make sure they meet the above requirements. Once I have done that, I am ready to start creating my bullet journal goal spread (we will have a blog that teaches you how to create a goals spread very soon).
After doing those two steps you might be thinking, do I even need my bullet journal? The answer is yes! You use your bullet journal everyday and seeing your goals in it will remind you to keep pushing ahead. It is also a great tool for checking in on your goals which is a very important step!
2. Allow your creative side to flow.
Let’s get something straight, everyone is creative, just creative in different ways! Take a moment to think about all the ways you are creative?
Here are some way’s I am creative:
- I am good at creative writing
- I like taking photos
- I like creating lovely spaces in my home
I asked you to think about the ways in which you are creative because it is easy to get caught up with ‘imposter syndrome’ when you start bullet journaling. When I started my journal I spent hours looking at everyone else’s spreads and set ups, thinking that I could never re-create them. In the end I just started creating and I loved it! Even if you are following a bullet journaling tutorial on creating a page, what you create may be very different to what the maker creates. It’s not wrong, it’s yours..how boring would the world be is we were all the same.
Bullet journaling is a great way of exercising the creative side of your brain. Enjoy it, express yourself and relax because the only thing that is perfect is imperfection.
3. Look after your mental health.
Our lives are now so different compared to what our parents lives were like. We are surrounded by Social Media and we are living in a digital age. I find myself constantly absorbing information and comparing my life to others. This year I have been making a real effort to switch off and have more analogue time.
Bullet Journaling gives you a chance to put pen to paper and block out the world for a little. I have found that my mental health has really improved because of my bujo habit. I am more organised which makes me less stressed, I spend less time on my phone, I track my habits which help me make healthy changes and I sleep better at night because I have everything in one place.
While 2021 is looking up, we are still faced with many issues. For many this time has been truly horrible but it offers an opportunity for transformation. If you are looking to make some changes perhaps a career change, going back to studying or any other type of life change, your bullet journal can help. Set aside a page to ask yourself some important questions or to write what you are grateful for, here are some prompts:
- Write a bucket list and then figure out how you can start ticking things off your list.
- Write what is on your mind (e.g something that is bothering you) and then make it into a questions. For example – Why do I feel guilty about XYZ? and then answer that question. You may just find the answer you are looking for.
- Studies have shown that gratitude practises can improve your mental wellbeing. You could dedicate a section of your bullet journal to your gratitudes or you could write what you are thankful for in your daily logs every night or morning.
4. Start a healthy habit
I love that my bullet journal holds me accountable. I am able to track my habits and make sure I am following through with what I have promised myself. I will show you in some later blogs how to create a habit tracker like the one above.
Bullet Journals allow you to be really specific about the habits you would like to track. I often take my big goals (that we have spoken about above) and break them down into little habits. I then put those within my habit tracker so that I can make sure I am making progress daily towards my goals. Let me show you what I mean.
Goal – I would like to be able to run 5k in three months
In my habit tracker I would break this down into smaller K’S and work my way up to 5K. If I had three months, my first months goal might be to walk 5k twice a week, and do one smaller run a week. I would then slowly increase the amount I run and decrease the amount I walk, until I met my goal.
You can use a habit tracker for almost anything. Some examples from above are, increasing water intake, increasing sleep, meditation, journaling and cleaning.
5. Be more organised
This is my top reason for keeping a bullet journal but I have put it at number five because I think it’s important to end a list on a high. We are all busy, we all have a never ending to-do list whether it is work things or personal things. A Bullet Journal offers you multiple ways to get organised and to stay organised. You can use a daily log to write your immediate to-do’s and then a future log to note down things you need to do in the future or events you need to attend like meetings. You can add in pages for separate lists or notes that you need to keep. The possibilities are truly endless but if you would like to be more productive and more organised then you need to start a bullet journal.
Who can use a bullet journal?
Drumroll please……the answer is, that of course anyone and everyone can use a bullet journal. No matter who you are or what you do, you can benefit positively from keeping a bullet journal. You start with a blank notebook and only you can decide how it is filled. That is the beauty of bujo, it is fully customisable to your wants, needs and desires.
I was thinking about what everyone uses their bullet journal for. I use mine mainly for work but other’s might use their journal for university or for house work. I thought it might be helpful if I noted down some features that would suit bullet journal users the most. Please let me know if it has helped you in the comments below.
University Students
- A deadline tracker for when work is due.
- A movie wish list to watch with friends in your dorm room.
- A mood tracker so you can see when you have the most energy and when you have the least.
- The future log to note down all of the social occasions you have been invited to.
Stay at home Mums and Dads
- A meal planner and shopping list spread.
- A chores list for everyone in the house to follow.
- A separate monthly log for play dates, school events and birthdays.
- A self care tracker. To look after others, you must look after yourself.
For Work
- Daily logs where you can write your daily to-do’s.
- Note pages for meeting minutes.
- Monthly calendars to mark in meetings or work related deadlines.
- A goal setting page so you can smash your work and personal goals in one.
Creatives
- Doodle a day page
- Habit tracker – gain new artistic skills by tracking your progress
- In your daily log make time for a walk to clear your mind.
- Make a list of any supplies you need so that you can keep creating.
Those are just some ideas I had. Let me know some unique ways you use your bullet journal below?
Thank you for reading this blog. I hope it gave you a clear picture of why you should have a bullet journal and how anyone and everyone can use a bullet journal (and should!). If you do not have a bullet journal yet, make sure to check out our other blogs which show you what a bullet journal is, which supplies you need and how to start a bullet journal. The next few blogs will be diving deeper into how to create some fun spreads. I am so excited to take you along on this journey.
Happy Bullet Journaling,
Dr Hema
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