Hello, readers and writers!
Sorry I have been MIA for a few weeks! I’ve been doing everything I can to launch my Kickstarter campaign for my next release which has taken up most of the free time I had for blogging and reading. Honestly, it’s bee a tragedy, but this campaign is very important, and I’m excited to keep pouring more of myself into my manuscript so that I can share Melissa and Alex’s story with you all!
This week I’m here to talk to my friends who struggle with keeping organized as I often do. I’ve tried keeping a multitude of planners, but I always end up forgetting about them and not finishing them out. My weeks change so often, and it’s been hard to find a format that fits to my specific needs. And then I found out about bullet journaling, and it has changed my life!
On Pinterest, you can find all kinds of helpful links for ideas on how to keep a bullet journal and what you can use it for. I mostly use mine for lists and daily to-do lists. Sometimes I get a little too crazy and plan too far ahead which makes me avoid even looking at my journal, and that’s not good for anyone.
Here are some reasons to get one:
Creativity
For many people (me included), it’s hard to find time to be creative. I have a good friend who also happens to be my roommate who is a painter. Sometimes we paint together, and she’s been a huge help in opening up some of my creativity. But without pulling out all the dang art supplies, I find using my journal to create different designs and doodle has been an amazing experience. It makes me think of the week differently. As someone who doesn’t consider herself particularly artsy,I enjoy finding the space to draw without all the extra supplies or pressure.
Schedules
My bulletj journal contains monthly and weekly schedules that I attempt to stick to. I give myself a few to-do items for each day and then use my Google Calendar as a way of blocking out time to complete these tasks. I plan each week ahead of time, sometimes writing things in almost a month ahead so that I won’t forget about them. Using these two tools together really helps me complete my projects on time, and I would recommend it for any other lost souls out there looking for a new way to keep a schedule.
Lists
Instead of keeping a million different journals around for different lists, I’ve started compiling my lists into one place: my bullet journal. There’s a table of contents at the front of my journal, and I take advantage of it by writing in different lists and keeping track of where they are. I even have my monthly expenses marked so I can add items or take a look whenever needed. This makes the journal better longterm as well because I can keep it on my bookshelf and pull it out when I know I need a list from it. This is all thanks to the table of contents, and I’d suggest creating one for yourself if you don’t have a journal that has one.
Organization
Sometimes life is one crazy mess where you’re torn into a million places. You’ve made promises on top of promises and sometimes you might have to disappoint someone or come up short. Using a journal to keep organized can make a huge difference. Not only are these things scheduled in, but you can also add small to-dos on different days and keep checking your monthly schedule to make sure you’re able to keep those deadlines and keep those promises.
Goals
Last but definitely not least is goal-keeping. When I make my monthly spread, I have a column for goals and even one for goals to keep in mind for the following month. I keep the monthly calendar marked as well as moving another ribbon for each week, and this helps me stay reminded of those goals. Small steps get me closer and closer to those goals, and right now my biggest one is the release of Not Ready later this year.
For whatever reason you’re finding that your current way of keeping track of your life isn’t working, consider the bullet journal. They’re fun to work on when you’re in class, in meetings, or waiting on appointments. It’s nice to recognize and categorize the priorities in your life to ensure you’re getting everything done. Even if that small win for the day is just taking the chicken out of the freezer to thaw.
Thank you so much for reading!
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Madison Diaz Writes 