Bullet Journal - Not Just a Diary

Posted on the 20 February 2018 by Mummyb @mummyb_kw
Bullet journals, not just a hipster trend that I'm following but a tool that is really helping me to take control of my life and transform it for the better. There are so many ways of using a bullet journal and it's not just a glorified diary.

Today, I thought I would explore with you the ways in which you can use a bullet journal to take control and organize so many different parts of your life, in one convenient and personalised place.

Monthly & Weekly Spreads


Each month I create new sections to organize my life, these will include a monthly overview where I can jot down any important dates, big tasks that need completing and goals for the month. I then go onto creating weekly spreads, where I can plan, in finer detail, activities, tasks and goals for the week.
The wonderful thing about bullet journals is that you can tailor them to your own needs. Perhaps you want a grocery list section or a sleep tracker in your weekly section - designing your own journal gives you the freedom to get exactly what you're after. Plus, each month or week can be different as you experiment with layouts or changing priorities. 

Work/Blog Planner

I love that I can plan and organize my life, blog and work in one handy journal. Doing what I do, I can have a lot of stuff floating around in my mind and having a place where I can dump, organize and reflect on these different parts of my life is one of the main reasons I love my bullet journal. For my blog, I have a monthly spread to track my income and expenses. I find this really helpful when I come to do tax returns and it's easy to quickly jot down when a payment has come in, rather than remembering to log onto a computer and fill in a spreadsheet.
I also have a content spread so I can plan when and what type of content is going live. It's good to get an overview and then plan future content too. For example, this month I feel there has been too much sponsored content and I would love to write much more personalised posts, which is going to be a goal for March.An ideas section is also useful, so I always have a "go to" if I'm struggling for content ideas.

Finance

For many, including myself, staying on top of finances and debt is difficult. If you don't stay on top however, you may find yourself spiralling out of control. You can create many spreads that will help you keep on top of finance including, income and expenses spreads, savings spreads, paying off debt spreads. You could also have a payment tracker so you can log where your debt is and when you need to pay it off. For example, you may have a store card or a payday loan like Cash Lady, where you want to keep track of day's payments need to be made and the amounts. It's a much clearer and easier way of making sure you're staying on top of your game when it comes to your finances.
I’m slowly but surely (but mostly slowly) setting up my “collection and trackers 2018” journal. And I’m keeping it mostly simple. This journal will be with me all year so don’t want to risk getting bored of a spread after a while (which I easily get when there’s too much going on). Anyways, here’s my bills-tracker, where I keep track of whether I’ve paid a bill or not. The amount and when it’s due/paid goes into my monthly finance-pages. This has worked really well for me so going to keep going with the same set up. A post shared by Sandy (@abulletandsomelines) on Jan 18, 2018 at 3:30am PST

Habit Trackers


Habit trackers is a fantastic way of keeping motivated on particular areas of your life you'd like to improve. It could be a water consumption tracker, workout log, the possibilities are endless. Tracking a habit over the course of a month/year helps to build a positive more motivated outlook on tasks that you perhaps previously struggled with.

Mood Tracker


Dealing with anxiety my mood can impact my outlook daily. I like to keep a mood tracker as it offers an opportunity to reflect on the day and keep an eye on anything that may act as triggers.
One thing I really love about my bullet journal is that at the end of the day I get a chance to sit down and reflect on the day. Time to check in with myself and take stock. This year is shaping up to be a good one, so much to be proud of, thankful for and smile about. How's your day been? . . . . . #lovethelittlethings #thehappynow #love #livethelittlethings #liveauthentic #nothingisordinary #documentyourdays #lifestyleblogger #mytinymoments #momentsofmine #happy #wanderlust #documentlife #livecolorfully #seekthesimplicity #goodvibes #our_everyday_moments #theartofslowliving #loveauthentic #lifestyle #life #littlestoriesofmylife #loveyourself #enjoythelittlethings #morningslikethese #bujo #bulletjournal #bujolove A post shared by K Elizabeth (@mummyb_kw) on Feb 8, 2018 at 12:44pm PST

These are just 5 simple way I have used my bullet journal to keep on top of my hectic and busy life. Do you use a bullet journal? What do you use yours for?
K Elizabeth xoxox

*Collaborative Post