What is it about writing on paper that is so fascinating? Writing in a journal, even if for pure function, has an appeal I can't explain that is fun in and of itself. Then there is the pragmatic value of bullet journaling: you keep track of stuff you need to get done. But what if you keep forgetting to even use the brilliant bullet journal system? Or what if you've lost the joy you once had using it?
There are myriad reasons people may neglect using their bullet journal. I don't know your situation and maybe the following is useless to you. But let me mention a few ideas that might help keep the habit.
You may need to continue that alarm tactic for a while, or maybe not. I'm not talking about a medical condition like dementia, I'm only talking to the scatter-brained people out there. Maybe you don't need an actual alarm. The trick here is to make a reminder for yourself, something hard to forget. Having a specific time set for journaling may be what you need. This tactic works best if you can keep it consistent from day to day.
I spoke with someone who said she was in the habit of spending 10 hours to set up her journal. I can't imagine spending that much time setting up something that's supposed to save me time. A minimalist, functional approach to journaling would reduce set up time to well under an hour each week. And who knows, maybe a basic bullet journal approach could spark a reevaluation of what you really need in your journal.
"But, but, I need my journal as a creative outlet". You can designate some pages to do that, and you can do your artistic thing when you have some down time (if you already add a lot of decoration in your journal, guess what: you have down time). Maybe you can set up the functional aspects of your journal at first and leave room for embellishment later - in a less time sensitive moment. If you feel journal stress trying to get it right and get it done, that seems to suck the fun out the journaling experience. Surely there is a less stressful way of doing what you want to do with your journal.
Setting up months in advance is also likely to feel burdensome when you run out of all the stuff you've prepared and have to set up a lot of pages once more. This sounds like unfun to me. I want the payoff of having completed something useful without pressuring myself, and I get that after spending 10 minutes or less setting up my monthly spread during the last couple days each month. My future log or a master list helps me set up each month when it's time to do so. Returning to a basic bullet journal style may be the solution for you.
Lugging around multiple supplies may also sap some of the fun out bullet journaling. If you adopt a style that makes room for that at a certain time, but during the hustle and bustle of the day requires only one pen, that can reduce the burden of maintaining your journal.
The trick here is not to transfer your mind to paper so you don't have to think; quite the opposite. It's meant to help you think through your schedule and keep it straight in your head. This is especially helpful for scatter-brained people, like me, myself, and I. All three of us appreciate it.
A lot of keeping your journal habit is just finding solutions to problems. Let's do that together with other journalers. What problems keep you from journaling? Comment here, and remember to subscribe!
There are myriad reasons people may neglect using their bullet journal. I don't know your situation and maybe the following is useless to you. But let me mention a few ideas that might help keep the habit.
Forgetfulness - Pick a time
For those who neglect your journal because you keep forgetting, set an alarm right now. Pick a time either today or tomorrow (or maybe later in the week) when you expect to have a few minutes to think about this. You may need to tap the snooze button a few times, but keep that reminder active until you can sit down and go through your journal. You know being so busy keeps you distracted. And stuff often doesn't get done for a simple reason: because you haven't set aside a time for it. So do that. Set aside some time for your journal.You may need to continue that alarm tactic for a while, or maybe not. I'm not talking about a medical condition like dementia, I'm only talking to the scatter-brained people out there. Maybe you don't need an actual alarm. The trick here is to make a reminder for yourself, something hard to forget. Having a specific time set for journaling may be what you need. This tactic works best if you can keep it consistent from day to day.
Forgetfulness - Keep it with you
Never leave home without it. If you're out and about, you might have a to do list or two. If you've written down these lists, but left the journal at home or locked away somewhere, what good does it do? What if you're discussing something and someone else brings up a good idea, or mentions a source you want to check out, or you agree to do something? It sure would be nice to have a good place to write that down, wouldn't it? Especially if you don't lose or forget the note before acting on it, right? Just make the journal part of your everyday carry and keep it with the stuff you bring with you everyday.Burdened - Keep it simple
For those who neglect their journal because it's too burdensome or overwhelming to keep up with, you must be doing more than what we could call minimally necessary.I spoke with someone who said she was in the habit of spending 10 hours to set up her journal. I can't imagine spending that much time setting up something that's supposed to save me time. A minimalist, functional approach to journaling would reduce set up time to well under an hour each week. And who knows, maybe a basic bullet journal approach could spark a reevaluation of what you really need in your journal.
"But, but, I need my journal as a creative outlet". You can designate some pages to do that, and you can do your artistic thing when you have some down time (if you already add a lot of decoration in your journal, guess what: you have down time). Maybe you can set up the functional aspects of your journal at first and leave room for embellishment later - in a less time sensitive moment. If you feel journal stress trying to get it right and get it done, that seems to suck the fun out the journaling experience. Surely there is a less stressful way of doing what you want to do with your journal.
Setting up months in advance is also likely to feel burdensome when you run out of all the stuff you've prepared and have to set up a lot of pages once more. This sounds like unfun to me. I want the payoff of having completed something useful without pressuring myself, and I get that after spending 10 minutes or less setting up my monthly spread during the last couple days each month. My future log or a master list helps me set up each month when it's time to do so. Returning to a basic bullet journal style may be the solution for you.
Lugging around multiple supplies may also sap some of the fun out bullet journaling. If you adopt a style that makes room for that at a certain time, but during the hustle and bustle of the day requires only one pen, that can reduce the burden of maintaining your journal.
Reflection
I can't stress enough how valuable reflection is. Whether you set up daily, weekly, or monthly, reviewing what you've got in your journal will help keep your mind synchronized with your schedule. From what I've gathered, reflection was intended to be done at the end of the day. That's when I do this. I review the stuff from the daily log and review my schedule for the next day, and set up a quick log for tomorrow. I may also start doing a weekly log at the beginning of the week.The trick here is not to transfer your mind to paper so you don't have to think; quite the opposite. It's meant to help you think through your schedule and keep it straight in your head. This is especially helpful for scatter-brained people, like me, myself, and I. All three of us appreciate it.
A lot of keeping your journal habit is just finding solutions to problems. Let's do that together with other journalers. What problems keep you from journaling? Comment here, and remember to subscribe!
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