Journals are everywhere. Some are bigger, some are HUGE, and some only have the basic necessity (according to someone somewhere working for a company). Late in 2015, I came across something called a Bullet Journal. The original bullet journal can be explained by the creator at www.bulletjournal.com (and no, this is not an affiliate link by any means, I just enjoy this product). But, essentially, it is used for bulleted tasks, events, and items to look into at a later date. It is a way to plan out your day, week, month, or even year.
Because you start with a blank dotted notebook, you can really customize it to fit your needs. For me, I mostly plan my week, keep track of tasks I want to accomplish during that week, write down gratitudes daily, use a habit tracker, and write down up to 3 goals that I want to work on for a week. Lately, I have been adding a motivational phrase that I think would be beneficial for the week ahead, that way, I see it daily and remind myself that I am a badass and can a
ccomplish anything I set my mind to. Additionally, I have a daily spread, where every morning, I write down the events/appointments for the day, which does include my workouts, and certain tasks that I want to accomplish for the day.
This has been so instrumental in me getting done what I need and WANT to get done. For me, it helps to see what all I want and need to get accom
plished in order to budget my time better. I have heard of some people even scheduling into their day when they are going to work on certain tasks, however, that method does not work for me. But, if it works for you, then you do you, boo.
We are each unique individuals, and I think that is why I like the bullet journal so much for my organizational needs. There is probably not one person that utilizes the same journal the same way. If we can agree on one thing, it would be that planning your day or your time is the best way to accomplish your goals. Another journal that I have come across from, was created by Chalene Johnson, and is called a Smart Life Push Journal. That link is www.smartlifepushjournal.com (and again, no affiliate link for me). She is author of the best selling book “Push,” which is a unique process for creating goals and implementing small changes and habits into your life in order to accomplish those goals. Now, while I have not read her book (yet), I did purchase her Smart Life Push Journal in order to learn that goal setting process.
I did use her journal for a few weeks, but most of the stuff I was putting into that journal, I already was doing with my bullet journal, or with fitness tracker apps on my phone. I did not see the need to redo everything I was already doing in an app. However, I am still glad that I purchased this journal as it taught me how to set real, measurable goals that are attainable. And, it taught me how to take steps in order to reach those goals.
I guess what I am trying to convey is that we are all different and have different needs. We need to be our best advocate to research what is out there and investigate what works best for us. This is true for every aspect of our lives: organization, fitness, nutrition, fashion, and whatever else I may be missing. Don’t just do something, or use a certain product just because “someone said it was good.” Investigate it and figure out if it would be beneficial in your life. And if it’s not, then try something else. One never really FAILs, as it could mean First Attempt In Learning. Life is an experiment and we are all testing our way through it.
I challenge you to plan out your week. You can start with one goal and one day, but start planning. Get yourself organized. It’s amazing what can be accomplished with just a little planning.