Photo by Marissa Grootes on Unsplash
Bullet journaling is a popular form of organisation using the bullet planner system. It is becoming an even more popular planner with social media being flooded with spread and page ideas with beautiful intricate designs. More people are taking to create their own planner spreads for their needs.
If you are thinking about starting a bullet journal, you definitely should jump on the bullet journal bandwagon. Designing a bullet journal comes with so many benefits both for organisation and personal growth.
What Is A Bullet Journal?
If you are new to this, a bullet journal is a planning system that is a mix of a daily planner, to-do list and diary, typically using a dotted journal. It can also be referred to as a Bujo. The bullet journal is an analogue journaling system created by New York-based designer Ryder Carroll. He says that the bullet journal is to ‘help you track the past, organise the present and plan for the future’. Read the bullet journal website to learn how to use the system effectively and see more tips.
Related: How to set up a bullet journal
I have compiled a list of 11 reasons why you should start using a bullet journal and how it can benefit your life.
1. Gives You A Creative Outlet
Bullet journaling is a great way to experiment with your creativity. You can design various themes, page ideas as well as practising different lettering for your titles. You can bust out your brush pens, felt pens, coloured pencils, washi tape and much more. Being able to sit down and allocate some self-care time.
When I am starting a new month, I love to draw and doodle a new spread as part of my self-care. It calms and relaxes me.
2. It’s A Personalised Planner
As a bullet journal is a blank canvas you are able to design planner spreads that are personalised to your needs. Buying planners are great, but sometimes they do not have enough space, certain features or is not in the colours or designs you like.
Having a bullet journal allows you to create the ultimate planner for your needs. You never need to compromise on any features.
3. Everything In One Place
With a bullet journal, you can record and rack all aspects of your life, which means you have all you need in one place. When you have everything in one place it is easy to remember.
4. You Want To Unplug From Technology
As a lot of things are digital in today’s society, bullet journals can be a great tool to be able to unplug. Putting pen to paper is a simple way to avoid screen time. Bullet journaling allows you to take a step back, put pen to paper to focus on what is really important.
5. You Want To Be Able To Reflect On Memories
As a bullet journal is so much more than a planner, you can keep memories for example, keeping a gratitude log. When you want to reflect you can pick up your bullet journals and have a flip through. It can remind you of fun memories as well as showing you how you have grown over the months.
6. Can Improve Your Health
Using trackers can be a helpful tool in looking after your physical and mental health. You can use bullet journaling to track your medications, water intake, periods, self-care, exercising and much more. It allows you to highlight any patterns in your physical or mental health to ensure you stay healthy and have positive wellbeing.
Photo by Pure Julia on Unsplash
7. Will Keep You Organised
With the use of to-do lists, trackers and other spreads, it can help you keep organised in all aspects of your life. You have a planner that is holding you accountable and helping you to be successful.
8. You Want To Remember Your Appointments
Research has shown you are less likely to forget information when you have written it all down – that is the case for all your appointments as well. Using a weekly spread can help you record al your appointments and plan your week.
9. Increases Productivity
When you have planned and tracked areas of your life, it can help you work out how you will achieve your tasks and goals. Also, using habit trackers for example can actually motivate you to check everything off the tracker and your to-do lists and you are far more likely to be productive.
10. You Want To Achieve Your Goals
Using a bullet journal planner enables you to plan and manage your time effectively. This means you have enough time to work on tasks that will mean achieving your goals. You can also use brain dump pages to jot down ideas and tasks to help you achieve your goals.
11. You Want To Streamline Your To-Do Lists
Bullet journals can aid you in making more effective and productive to-do lists to achieve your goals and be successful.
12. You Want To Live In The Present
A key feature of bullet journaling is that you rapid log your daily log. Rapid logging just means brain dumping all your tasks, reminders, appointments etc. You will do this everyday in your daily log, which means you can live your life day by day, being more present and aware of your obligations and how you are using your time.’
13. You Want To Take Time For Yourself
The positive thing about using a bullet journal is that you in charge of your to-do list and how you prioritise it. Using your bullet journal for self-care is a great idea, you can jot down something in your daily log to ensure you are making time for yourself everyday!
It can be really easy to push self-care to the side when tasks are piling up and you have more deadlines. But it is important to avoid burn out that you schedule self-care activities for yourself.
14. You Want To Keep To A Budget
You can use pages that are collections (a collection page, is an idea that is not part of your daily or monthly logs), you can create a monthly budget and expenses tracker. If you are trying to get your finances in check, creating these trackers will keep you up on everything money in your life.
These are some of the reasons why you can benefit from using a bullet journal as your form of planer an organisation. There are so many other reasons and benefits to using the bullet journal method.
This is an interesting concept. I wrote a diary for only a few months. I plan and mostly never implement those. Maybe, this can give a different perspective and accountability.
Thank you for reading and commenting. X
I’ve never used a bullet journal but I use a planner and have a separate journal. Maybe I’ll try this when I need a new one. Great post!
Thank you for reading and commenting x
I’ve used a bullet journal in the past, and I really liked it. I’ve since switched back to using a traditional planner, but I’m thinking of incorporating more charts and trackers like a bullet journal to the planner. Organization is my life, and bullet journaling is definitely a good way to keep organized both short-term and long-term.
That’s great! It is great you have an planning system that works for you. Thank you for reading and commenting.
So true!!! These are the benefits of using bullet journals. It gives you good memories and gel you to be creative. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for reading and commenting. X
I don’t use a bullet journal but I really want to start doing so. Point 9, 10 and 12 really got to me. I really appreciate this list. Thanks for sharing x
You should give it a go! Thank you for reading and commenting.
When I first start journaling, it didn’t feel any difference. But as I kept doing it. I feel like my life is not complete without it now haha. I do agree with all the benefits and reasons you mentioned.
It is great you have found a benefit. Thank you for reading and commenting x
This is great. I have a bujo/to-do list/daily planner system that I use, but I’ve been thinking maybe I should be shifting to a bujo fully! I think one of the things I like most is how it gets you to review your goals regularly. I think we all set goals but don’t necessarily follow up on them, and having an easy way to track my progress like this would be soooo motivating!
Colleen|ChooseYourUni
Thank you for reading and commenting. X
I only use my BuJo for planning my blog posts and recording my stats. I have a separate Gratitude Journal to record good things as often as I can. I’ve never thought about using my BuJo for budgeting though, that’s a really good idea. Thank you for sharing these tips, Lauren xx
Thank you for reading and commenting Lisa. X
These are good reasons. I started one during my pregnancy, but sort of lost direction/wasn’t sure what to do with it from month to month but I have been toying with starting it again. Might be a good reason to buy some stickers 😀
Thank you for reading and commenting. Love stickers. Can you link your blog? X
Great tips! I’ve started using a bullet journal in work to keep track of stock etc and it’s really helping. It’s making things less overwhelming.
That’s great you have found it works for you. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Great tips. I would love to track progress using a bullet journal. It’s one thing I haven’t yet started and you always inspire me to want to!
Definitely give it a go. Thank you for reading and commenting. X
Ooh I love this! I tried bullet journaling a few years ago but never fully got into it, and now I’m thinking I should give it a try. I really love the idea of it working as a personalised planner – I already have so many ideas from your previous posts, like blogging pages for example – and reflecting on memories. Thank you so much for sharing x
You should definitely give it another go. Thank you for reading and commenting. X
I love how journals are these wonderful books that stack up and preserve one’s life experiences and mindset in writing! It is truly lovely to be able to benefit from a practice not only in the present but also in the future as a gateway to the past.
Here is one small suggestion to improve this post: You say “11 great reasons” in your introduction header, when it should be 14, as in accordance with the title of this piece. 🙂
Lovely tips Lauren, I have to say that bullet journaling has definitely helped me with creativity and organisation! In fact, it also makes me relieved too. Thank you so much for sharing, I loved reading this post x Penny | http://www.whatdidshetype.com
Thank you for reading and commenting. It is great you have found it useful x
For anyone curious or not quite sure whether bullet journalling is worth it, I think you’ve just sold them on it! Fantastic post showing just how varied and meaningful the benefits of doing committing to this process can be. xx
Thank you for reading and commenting. It is awesome and doesn’t need to be expensive either xx
These are some great points. I agree that writing things down is a better way of remembering information. I don’t have a bullet journal but I do have notepads that I use for work and for personal that has all of my to do lists or important information in. I then have a separate yearly diary that I include my appointments or events or whatever I am up to in as well. I do use my phone too but I like writing it down more. But like you said writing it down does keep me more organised and productive too!
It sounds like you have a great organisational system to help you! Thank you for reading and commenting. X
Such a great list Lauren, thanks so much for sharing. I love journaling a writing lists, it almost feels like I’m decluttering my mind when I put pen to paper. And great to get off the screen!
Thank you for reading and commenting. Xx
Such a great post, thanks for sharing! I have a bullet journal and it works perfectly!
That’s great you use the bullet journal system. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I can see how useful a bullet journal could potentially be — it’s not something I’ve tried yet but I think there are many aspects of it that would be great to use. Thanks for this info!
It is definitely a benefit for your planning system. Thank you for reading and commenting. X
I have never heard of a bullet journal before, so thanks for introducing me to that concept! In your experience, how long does each journal last before you have to swap it out for a new one?
Crystal | http://www.amazingbaby.app
It can last a whole year, or longer depending on what page ideas you use. Thank you for reading and commenting. X
These are great reasons!!
Thank you
I found a good thing to track was my mood when trying different antidepressants, because sometimes you just don’t notice any changes unless you properly tack the information
That’s a really good idea. Thank you for reading and commenting.
A bullet journal is a great way to keep your life organized. I love that it also allows for a lot of individual creativity! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
These are all great reasons to use a bullet journal! I bought mine several years ago and it’s perfect for literally anything! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for reading and commenting. They are great aren’t they!
I like journaling but I am not creative enough for bullet journaling. Like my writing is messy and I cant make it look nice at all 🙂
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I’ve never had a bullet journal although when I was younger I used to keep a journal. If I had a bullet journal it would just be a scrawling mess!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love lists. So I agree with what you said about the bullet journal. I have been doing that in some form or other since childhood. But what you wrote made me want to do this thing for ny blog ideas. Thanks.
You should give it a go! Thank you for reading and commenting. X
I keep promising myself I’m going to make one yet I still haven’t got round to it so this is the post I needed to kick my butt into gear and get started! I love the fact a bullet journal can help in so many different areas and I especially love the fact you can be so creative with it. Thank you so much for sharing this with us lovely, great post Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
Definitely give it a go! Thank you for reading and commenting. X
These are lovely reasons to start a bullet journal. Like you said, it is like a personalised planner and it makes it so unique to yourself because you’ve designed it yourself! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I have never kept a bullet journal before, but I do keep a more basic journal where I just make lists of what I need to do each day. I love seeing people’s bullet journal designs though! I can see how designing the spreads would be a relaxing form of self care x
Thank you for reading and commenting. Xx
I have never kept a bullet journal, but you have surely given me enough reasons to start doing it now. I never knew it would have health benefits too. Thanks for sharing these points.
Rupali x
https://momkidlife.com
Thank you for reading and commenting. It has so many benefits!
I have a diary and notebook, but perhaps I should combine the two and try this out
Thank you for reading and commenting. If you have a blog please link it so I can read.
Awww thank you my new blog is hipsterdebbie2.wordpress.com
I like your book review, but you don’t have a space to comment
Oh no I never realised. I often do book reviews and country walks, as well as my recovery from many surgeries
I usually have space but maybe I waffled too much on that one
Great post! I recently started using a bullet journal to track my reading and blogging and it’s so useful!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Bullet journalling is such a great concept, and I see some amazing pages from people who use them! …I tried to once but making the pages made me anxious and was a bit too much work considering I’m not a creative person, so it didn’t work out. But I still love seeing other people’s and beloeve it’s an awesome thing to put time into!
Thank you for reading and commenting. It doesn’t have to be creative. If you check out the bullet journal website – it is about simplistic method. Can you link your blog if you have one? X