When I started my bullet journal in 2016, I had two goals: a centralized place to store my drawings and to create some self-imposed structure for learning web development. But those goals morphed quickly. Just as I have changed through the years, the reasons I keep a bullet journal have changed too.
A lot has happened in the last four years, and keeping a bullet journal has resulted in some unexpected benefits.
1. Thankfulness
Every year I create a “things I want to do” list. I was looking through my first bullet journal recently and realized that I have actually done 4 things on my 2016 bucket list! Those four items didn’t get transferred into more recent journals and I had forgotten about them. But the realization that there were four things I was working towards in 2016 that I am either currently doing or have done in the last four years made me incredibly thankful for the life that I get to live.
2. A documented personal history
Writing down information about your days and weeks creates an incredible record of your life. I tend to forget past events easily. But whenever I flip through one of my old bullet journals, memories come rolling back. When an important event occurred is easily remembered because everything was recorded when it happened.
5. Insights on what makes you happy
Do you have a 5-year plan? I did. I was going to be a self-taught web-developer digital nomad who traveled the world. It was going to be so exciting! After reading “The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and join the New Rich” by Timothy Ferriss, and following blogs by people who were successfully digital nomads, I decided that it was the life for me. If other people were successfully traveling and working, I figured I could too.
But just because someone else thrives in a trendy lifestyle, doesn’t mean its right for you. Fortunately, I found this out early in my 5-year plan. After multiple trips that left me mentally and emotionally exhausted, I realized that solo longterm travel was not for me. For someone with my personality type, routine and stability are necessary for happiness.
4. Mindfulness
Keeping a bullet journal makes me pay attention to my days, weeks, and years. At the beginning of each week, I always create a new weekly spread. This makes me really think about what is happening that week, taking note of how I feel, what I need to do, the places I need to go. Every day, I write down what is important for that day. Focusing on one day at a time has made me more conscientious about how I live out my days. There is a quote by Annie Dillard that I love and beautifully illustrates the importance of how we structure our days.
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time. A schedule is a mock-up of reason and order—willed, faked, and so brought into being; it is a peace and a haven set into the wreck of time; it is a lifeboat on which you find yourself, decades later, still living.” – Annie Dillard, The Writing Life
5. Peace of mind
I don’t have to worry about forgetting important events. Everything is recorded in the bullet journal. By taking the time to plan each month, I know exactly what events are coming up. Nothing that can be schedule takes me by surprise anymore. All my bills are paid on time, birthdays don’t sneak up on me, and I don’t have that nagging feeling that I am forgetting something important.
6. More productive
Productivity should be a given when it comes to keeping a bullet journal but wasn’t my goal when I started. I love making lists and getting that dopamine release when I cross off an item. But before using a bullet journal, I lost most to-do lists before finishing them. Keeping all of my to-do lists in a single place, organized by month, week, and day helps me get way more done.
7. Goal Tracking
I like to have a list of micro-goals, smalls things like daily habits, and macro-goals that are perhaps a bit more lifechanging. Keeping track of my goals has been insightful because it has shown me what I actually find valuable. This, in turn, has lead to more impactful goals.
8. It’s a great traveling companion
On trips, I always take my bullet journal. Before the trip, I also use it to create packing lists and keep my travel itinerary. While waiting in airports or taking a break at a coffee shop, I love to write down notes about my experiences. Sometimes I will illustrate some of my favorite things about the trip. Writing down even a line or two about the trip helps me remember it more clearly in the future.
9. Better Health
A bullet journal is a great way to track health issues. I have quite a few food allergies. While working with a doctor, I was able to use my bullet journal to track food intake and symptoms. By keeping a meticulous health log for a year, I was able to improve both my physical and emotional health.
10. Helps prevent boredom
In my bullet journal, I keep a list of things that I think are fun or know I enjoy. Things like books I want to read, local places I have never visited, and sewing projects I would like to do. Whenever I find I need something to do, a quick look at my journal gives me plenty of inspiration. If that fails, I can always take those quiet moments to add to my bullet journal and create something beautiful.
Happy bullet journaling folks!
maryghawley 