This may seem crazy to some of you, but up until my 33rd year, I never used a day planner. Somehow, I was able to juggle my tasks in my head, combined with notes I jotted down on random pieces of paper, and a few iPhone reminders sprinkled in.

But within the last year, that suddenly changed. It’s not that I couldn’t remember my appointments and tasks, but I started feeling anxious. Running my own business, owning a home and writing a blog began to overwhelm me, and I needed to find a better way to manage my day to day life.

Enter the Bullet Journal. The Bullet Journal took the world by storm a few years ago, but I adopted it in January 2018. In brief, it’s an analog system to help you track the past, organize the present, and plan for the future. The best resource I can share with you is this video which will teach you how to set up your journal.

Since using the journal, my anxiety has drastically decreased, and my organization and productivity has increased. I thought I’d share a few tips from my experience with the Bullet Journal if you’re considering using one.

ONE: Pick a durable journal. The first Bullet Journal I used was a flimsy notebook that ultimately fell apart. Because of this, I stopped using it for a few months, and once again, my anxiety mounted. I highly suggest the notebook I’m using now. TWO: When you google search Bullet Journal, you ’ll be inundated with artistic images. I felt intimidated and overwhelmed when I saw them. I knew mine would never look like that, and, it doesn't! My journal is basic AF. There are no fancy fonts, stickers, washi tape, or complicated graphs. THREE: Use it for three months consistently. FOUR: Make it the first thing you look at before anything else in the morning. FIVE: Constantly review your pages. Make sure you’re checking your monthly log, monthly tasks, and future log once a day. SIX: Bring it with you everywhere. SEVEN: Use it for everything. It should be the only place for writing notes, making lists, and scheduling your day to day life. Do not have separate iPhone lists, as it defeats the purpose of the journal. EIGHT: The Bullet Journal can be used to keep track of anything, i.e. TV shows to watch, restaurants to try, books to read, etc. However, I use mine for the following: my blog schedule, house projects, a place to keep track of my goals, my clients' projects, birthdays, and my month to month, day to day activities. I suggest that you start slow, and prioritize the things that you need the most help organizing in your life.

After using the journal for several months, I cannot recommend it enough. It’s saved my sanity, and I cannot live without it anymore. 

If you have any questions about using the journal, send them my way!