Many of my clients with ADHD find that using some form of a bullet journal adds structure to their lives, introduces time for reflection and planning, and allows a single place to keep track of things without the distractions that a smartphone adds.
This article describes one journalist’s experience with a bullet journal: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/how-one-woman-uses-bullet-journaling-make-life-more-manageable-ncna1134986
“Bullet journaling was originally intended to be a minimalist endeavor. But on social media, the bullet journal has become a canvas of sorts. On Instagram, the hashtag #bulletjournal conjures over 5 million posts of artistic journal spreads interspersed with calligraphy and colorful illustrations. Portorreal says she felt pressured to make her journal a similar work of art, inscribing pictures of sunflowers (easy for a nonartist like her to draw), for example, within the margins.”
Social media has millions of posts on various uses of bullet journals, making the experience competitive and overwhelming for some.
Simplified Bullet Journal
I like using a Bullet Journal to track the research and the trainings I do for my practice – always growing my expertise in my specialty areas. I limit my usage to these 3 key features in order to streamline the experience:
- Reserve the front 5-10 pages for the index;
- Number the pages after the index;
- Start every subject on a new page (to make it easier to find in an index), date the page, and write the subject name on top of the page.
That’s it. Simple, with nothing to remember. After completing your first bullet journal, you will get a better idea on what your subject areas are, and what features you may want to add in the future to enhance your journaling experience.
Counseling with Elaine Korngold
I specialize in working with clients who have executive function challenges. You can learn more about how I work with my clients, offering ADHD Counseling; and to learn more about bullet journaling check my earlier blog post – https://askcounseling.com/bullet-journal/.