Bullet Journaling Beyond Organization

In the past few years, using a bullet journal in lieu of a planner has boomed in popularity, particularly among adolescents. This is partly due to social media sites such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (often found under the #bujo or #bulletjournal hashtag), where people can turn to for ideas and where to start, if not an aesthetic to hopefully achieve. They’re colorful, creative, and an opportunity for people to have their journal truly be a reflection of them. However, though it is mostly used as a means of writing down homework assignments, future goals and tasks, and an organized place to jot down ideas and sketch, more people are finding that it can be used as an aide with their mental health.

While journaling in itself is often associated with stress relief and mental health, free writing what goes on in your head, bullet journaling takes a slightly different approach. Bullet journaling is ultimately used as a tool for organization, and having a place for decluttering your mind can help ease your anxiety. Once your tasks and assignments are laid out in a way that feels achievable, it can give a sense of comfort and security.

Bullet journaling can also be used as a habit tracker. Here, you can list what you did that day, from the mundane as coffee intake to the accomplishments such as working out. In conjunction, you can also have a section for a mood tracker for the day, making a note about how you’ve felt that day, maybe on a scale from 1-10, maybe with a simple smiley or frowny face. You can use either or both to detect patterns in your behavior or mood, possibly finding out if anything is specifically triggering your anxiety or depression.

Of course, as a journal, it can also be used as a place to write down how you’re feeling that day, and a private space to let your thoughts run free. You can also use it to sketch or even doodle, where you can use the space to keep your hands busy doing something if you find yourself getting anxious.

Bullet journaling is meant to be used as a journal without restrictions, giving the user the freedom to use it for whatever they want and need. While the options of what you choose to use it for are limitless, there are just as many ways that it can help with your mental health. Whether that is through an intentional mood tracking chart or unintentional relief with planning out important dates and due dates, starting a bullet journal can be a tool that you can incorporate in your daily routine. It’s important to keep in mind however that it may not be for everyone, and if you feel pressured to upkeep a journal, whether bullet or otherwise, you don’t have to continue.

Interested? Check out the social media links above or the ones below if you want a place to get started:

https://bulletjournal.com/pages/learn
https://www.buzzfeed.com/annaborges/all-the-bullet-journal-ideas
https://medium.com/@melodywilding/bullet-journaling-for-beginners-and-impatient-unartistic-people-like-me-6efd7ee97f0e

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Do you bullet journal? Would you consider bullet journaling? What do you think are the benefits of having one?