I love stationery more than is normal or healthy, and never need an excuse to buy a new pen, notepad or diary. I have always looked forward enormously to January, when I could buy a new planner and FINALLY get organised, but I always found that my enthusiasm tailed off by April, and I always seemed to end up with a drawer full of notebooks that were either half empty or were waiting for their perfect destiny.
When I heard my business coach mention bullet journaling as a new way to get organised, I was intrigued. I ordered a journal and a pack of ten pens immediately, and started to research the story and techniques behind the system. On my seventh journal, I now have a pack of forty pens and am constantly resisting the urge to add more to my collection.
Started in 2013 by Ryder Carroll, a digital product designer and author from New York, the bullet journal (bujo) system organises schedules, reminders, to-do lists, and other tasks into a single notebook. Diagnosed with learning difficulties early in life, Ryder decided to find his own way to bring structure and organisation to his life.
Bullet journaling has since become a global phenomenon, taking Ryder's original idea and adding even more to it by making it a creative process too. People create monthly designs and themes that are truly spectacular, but you can make it your own and keep it neat and orderly, or vibrant and spectacular.
The great thing about bujo-ing is that it really grounds me when I am feeling overwhelmed. Running a shop, website, social media, workshops, and creating my own products, (plus trying to have a bit of a life outside work) can be incredibly overwhelming, and spending an evening planning with an analogue system makes me feel so much calmer and in control. There is a real sense of accomplishment too, seeing the six full journals, full to the brim with lists, plans, brainstorms and doodles. It's a real testament to how easy the system is to use - as it's the first planning system that I have ever stuck with for any length of time!
We spend so much time on screens these days, that it also feels like such a lovely thing to get back to basics and use beautiful stationery to organise your life. There is a theory that the physical act of writing lights up different neural pathways in your brain, creating stronger and more meaningful memories, which can only be a positive thing.
If you are interested in learning this colourful, mindful way to organise your life, you can come to my Bullet Journaling workshop in the shop, Canterbury on Tuesday 13th June. Let me guide you through the basics of bullet journaling and make this your most beautifully organised year yet!