Bullet Journaling: Should You Skip this Trend?
4:47 PM
This month, I dived into the world of bullet journaling (AKA
“BuJo”). What’s up with this trendy journal thing? I wanted to see if a bullet
journal could work as a personalized planner for me. Is it an effective and
motivating planner method? Could I make my own crafty planner? Would this be my
new creative outlet? We shall find out together. Into the rabbit hole we go…
First, What the Heck is a Bullet Journal?
I know, it’s a weird term. BuJo is even more strange. A
bullet journal is basically a handmade personalized planner, diary, or
organizer. They can be used to keep track of weekly plans, to- do lists,
calorie intake, daily intentions, sketches… anything you want, really.
These
pages are designed and created using flair pens, washi tape, stickers, and
other craft supplies to pretty things up. It’s actually pretty similar to
scrapbooking, for those of us who remember that trend (Raise your hand if you're feeling old now).
Why Do People Do it?
Bullet journalists all have their personal reasons for getting
into it. Some find motivation with creating the pages. Some even use the page
creation time as a reward for completing their prior tasks.
BuJo enthusiasts feel that creating beautiful pages can make
the tasks on the list seem more
pleasant and less daunting. Some just enjoy it and find joy in creative design,
in the same way that scrapbookers do.
Are Bullet Journals an Effective Way to Plan?
It can be. Some use it like a positive reinforcement system
and create new pages as a reward for achieving goals in their journal. This
type of system can be very effective for those struggling with motivation and
looking for a creative outlet.
For others, it can be a waste of time. This is what I found
to be true during my very brief trial of bullet journaling. Hand me some flair
pens and washi tape and you just sent me down a rabbit hole of crafty
obsession.
Don't get me wrong though. I loved designing my planner pages! I got so into it. I was
digging up my old scrapbooking supplies, looking up fonts, thinking of
different layouts and designs to try. I had so much fun creating my planner
pages… until I realized the I spent the afternoon not getting anything
done. All this time planning and no actual doing.
Should You Do It… Or Wait for the Next Trend?
That depends. Are you someone who will get distracted by all
the washi tape and templates (like me)? Or will you use bullet journaling as a
creative activity to help you get things done?
Let’s be real: Time spent prettying up a planner is time
away from achieving your goals on the
planner. If you plan to use bullet journaling as a reward system or want to
try it out as a creative hobby, then you might love it! It can be relaxing and
fun to make new pages for your planner. If you’re crafty and creative, it might
be perfect for you.
But. If you’re short on time and just need a way to get
organized, maybe sit this one out. It’s a time sucker, a fun one, but a hobby
that will take up a lot of your time.
And bullet journaling is not for easily distracted people.
Some people get so wrapped up in designing and crafting, that they forget about
their actual tasks and plans! It’s easy to get consumed by the creative
process. When this happens, the focus shifts away from the goals… and turns
into a counter- productive cycle.
A Word from my favorite BuJologist…
It’s my blog post, and I can make up words if I want to,
right? Anyway, I chatted with the very talented Jill Bensimhon of Planning in Pajamas about bullet journaling. If you’re looking for inspiration, she has a whole Instagram account dedicated to her beautiful bujo pages! Most of the
images on this post are from her page (with her permission, of course).
Take one glance at her Instagram account and you’ll see that
Jill is a bullet journaling queen. But sadly, her BuJo days have fizzled out
over time. Why? “Honestly,” Jill says,
“It’s a waste of time. Briefly, I found it relaxing to make the pages but then
it just became stressful trying to keep up with it.”
Welp, folks, there you have it. Bullet journaling can be fun
and relaxing, but not if you have a ton of things to get done.
Ultimately, it comes down to time commitment. Do you have
the time to create the pages for a bullet journal? Make a few pages and see how
long it takes you. Then ask yourself if you could do that every week. If the
answer is yes, then you just found yourself a great new hobby! But if not, it
could become a potential source of stress and frustration.
I quickly realized that I don’t have the patience or time to
create pretty pages every week. I also learned that my handwriting isn’t cute
enough. I now have tons of respect for those who are able to keep a bullet
journal. Hats off, seriously. I was about to throw my journal across the room.
So it didn’t turn out to be a relaxing outlet for me, but I admire those who
are talented and patient enough to make it work.
Here’s What I Do Instead.
So you want a pretty planner, but don’t want to devote hours
each week designing it. I get that. Might I suggest an alternative to bullet journaling? I
like pretty things and I’m picky, so I made my own planner. Granted, it’s not a
bullet journal, but it’s super cute and helps me organize my life. I use it
every single day and am lost without it.
It took me a while to create it, but now it’s done. All I
have to do is print out the pages and -viola- instant cute planner pages. If
that’s more your thing, I offer two types of planners in my shop: a Teacher Planner and a TPT Business Planner for sellers. Print and go.
And if there’s interest in a regular daily planner, I can
create that too, so lemme know if I should. Seriously though, reach out to me
and let me know if that’s something
you would like me to offer, because as of now, I’m not planning to work on one unless it’s something that others want.
The Bottom Line (Which May or May Not Be Made of Washi Tape)
Whether you use a bullet journal or not, do what works for
you. Life doesn’t have to resemble Pinterest or Instagram. Maybe your planner
is a plain old notebook with notes scribbled all over it. Does it get the job
done? Then it’s perfect.
If you use bullet journals or have another way to stay organized, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Facebook or Instagram so I can see your ideas!
Visit my blog at https://teachingexceptionalthinkers.com/ for more fun teaching ideas!
Follow Exceptional Thinkers on TPT for freebies, discounts, and new products! Here's where you can find me:
~Christy D. from Exceptional Thinkers
Here are some other resources from Exceptional Thinkers you may like:
Here are a few of my favorite items from Amazon that you might be interested in. These are affiliate links from which I receive a small commision at absolutely no additional cost to you:
Here are some other resources from Exceptional Thinkers you may like:
Here are a few of my favorite items from Amazon that you might be interested in. These are affiliate links from which I receive a small commision at absolutely no additional cost to you:
by Christy from Exceptional Thinkers
1 comments
The delightful article you have posted here. This is a good way to increase our knowledge.engraved pens australia Continue sharing this kind of articles, Thank you.
ReplyDelete