By now, you’ve seen it all over the places. These elaborately designed and drawn planners and notebooks where people plan their days out, tracking things like goals and moods, and even use them as their diaries, all in one. People can’t stop recommending “Bullet Journaling”. Now, the truth is, it can be ALL of those things, some of those things, or none of those things.
Bullet journaling has become a popular trend in recent years and for good reason. Bullet journaling is a highly customizable method of personal organization that uses a system of bullets and other symbols to help you keep track of tasks, events, and notes at daily, weekly, or monthly intervals. Overall, bullet journaling is a flexible and adaptable system that can be tailored to fit your own personal style and needs. Now the question becomes, is it something that’s going to help me or hurt me? I’m here to give you a breakdown of some pros and cons of the system that I’ve seen after using it in my everyday life for the past 7+ years. Of course, everyone’s experience may vary so keep that in mind when scrolling through this list.
Pros:
1. Improved organization and productivity
One of the main ways bullet journaling can increase productivity is by helping you prioritize your tasks. By using symbols, you can differentiate between tasks that need to be completed, events that are coming up, or notes that you need to remember. Using your symbols, you can easily identify which tasks are most important and which can wait. It will help focus your time and energy on the most critical tasks. Bullet journaling also provides a way to track progress and monitor goals. By setting up a page or “spread” for each project or goal, you can break it down into smaller tasks or milestones to keep track of progress and help with motivation toward the final outcome. One of the best aspects of having a bullet journal is the fact that it becomes a central location for all your notes, ideas, and reminders. By keeping all of this information in one place, you can reduce the likelihood of forgetting important details or missing deadlines. Having a bullet journal was an absolute lifesaver for me when I first got to college.
2. Customizable to individual needs and preferences
The nice thing about having a bullet journal is the fact that it provides a flexible and adaptable system that can be tailored to your specific needs and preferences. Unlike pre-designed planners or calendars, a bullet journal is a blank canvas that you can personalize to fit your own unique needs and preferences. You can customize your bullet journal in a plethora of ways such as creating and using different layouts and colors or adding decorative elements like stickers and drawings. The layout options are endless and you will find yourself constantly experimenting with new methods and layouts. This aspect alone allows you to create a system that works best for you to help you stay motivated and engaged. The customizable nature of a bullet journal makes it incredibly versatile which leads us to our next pro.
3. Encourages creativity and self-expression
Bullet journaling is not just a tool for productivity and organization, but also a means of encouraging creativity and self-expression. By giving you complete control over the design and content of your journal, bullet journaling provides a platform for exploring your own unique style and artistic abilities. The bullet journaling system itself fosters creativity. Bullet journals are completely blank, allowing you the flexibility to explore and experiment with different layouts, tools, colors, and designs. In my opinion, a bullet journal is a direct extension of your personality, interests, and goals. The layouts, pages, and designs you decide to explore will usually revolve around things you enjoy or are passionate about.
4. Can improve mental health and well-being
One of Bullet Journaling’s significant advantages is its ability to foster mindfulness and encourage regular self-reflection. The act of sitting down to document thoughts, tasks, goals, ad feelings can create a meditative moment in a busy day. A lot of my personal bullet journal spreads were also designed to track things that I could later come back to and identify some kind of pattern in behavior or feeling and be able to use that data to gain a better understanding of myself. I wasn’t really big into mood tracking when I first began bullet journaling. After a significant amount of time tracking something like that, you begin to notice things like triggers and events that could impact your mood. It’s one of the most important trackers I use now.
The very idea of organizing your tasks and responsibilities in a bullet journal can help reduce your stress and anxiety. It can help alleviate the overwhelming feeling of uncertainty and disarray.
Cons:
1. Can be time-consuming
While bullet journaling is often touted as efficient and customizable, they are often unexpectedly time-consuming. Let me detail a few reasons why that happens. Setting up a bullet journal requires a significant amount of time upfront. Creating different sections, designing your initial spreads, and choosing layouts is overwhelming at first. Not to mention that if you aren’t someone who is naturally inclined towards being artistic or creative, this is going to be the most difficult and the most time-consuming part. Second is the fact that keeping a bullet journal requires continuous maintenance to remain effective. The beauty of this system is that it will evolve along with you in whatever you’re doing but the only way that happens is if you are continuously updating your logs, spreads, and trackers. A lot of people can end up feeling like this is a chore, especially during busy periods of your life. I abandoned bullet journaling for a year for this very reason. On average, I spend about 3-4 hours setting up a new month with everything I need to track and do in order to make it an effective planning system for my life. You may not have the time to sit down and invest it into your journal.
2. Requires discipline and consistency
In order to get the most out of your bullet journal, you need to be disciplined and consistent. I would say it even demands it to remain effective. This requirement can become a drawback for people who struggle with adhering to strict routines or find it challenging to stay committed over the long term. For the bullet journal to serve its purpose effectively, consistent updates are essential. Skipping entries or neglecting the journal for a period can lead to disorganization and reduced efficacy, especially when trying to track habits or goals. Also, the benefits of consistent bullet journaling, such as improved organization and mental clarity, might not be immediately apparent. This delayed gratification can deter individuals who seek instant results or have difficulty envisioning long-term benefits.
3. Can become overwhelming
While bullet journals offer a highly customizable system for organization, this very flexibility can sometimes lead to over-complication. It can become overwhelming if you try to do too much at once. If you’re not careful, you can quickly find yourself with multiple pages and spreads that need to be updated regularly. When I first began to bullet journal, I was a little too eager and enthusiastic about building my system. Overambitious planning if you will. I started taking inspiration from everything I was seeing online and ended up making intricate layouts with too many details and inadvertently created a system that was more complex than necessary. Pretty much defeated the purpose of having a simple organizational method. Complex bullet journal systems can increase cognitive load, making it harder for individuals to focus on the tasks at hand. The mental effort required to navigate a convoluted system can take away from the benefits of efficient organization.
4. May not be suitable for everyone
While bullet journaling can be a highly effective method of personal organization, it may not be suitable for everyone. This system might not align with someone’s individual preference, lifestyle, or organizational needs. Some people thrive in highly structured and organized environments, while others prefer simplicity and minimalism. A bullet journal’s potential for complexity might overwhelm individuals who prefer streamlined systems. Also, the bullet journal is often associated with artistic elements like doodles, calligraphy, and drawings. People who lack artistic inclination or find these activities unenjoyable might not find the visual aspect of bullet journaling appealing.
In the realm of organization and productivity, bullet journaling stands as a versatile tool that offers both advantages and drawbacks, each with its unique implications for different individuals. As we’ve explored the pros and cons of this popular system, it becomes evident that bullet journaling isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Rather, it’s a canvas onto which individuals can project their personal preferences, needs, and goals. As for me, I could not recommend it more if I tried. I’ve centered my life around this system and plan to do so for many years to come. Its value in my life cannot be quantified but you deserve to see both sides of it. In the end, whether bullet journaling becomes an invaluable asset or a source of stress largely depends on one’s personal inclinations, routines, and goals. The key lies in recognizing what works best for you and adapting the system to suit your unique needs. As with any organizational approach, there’s no universal prescription for success, but by weighing the pros and cons thoughtfully, you can make an informed decision about whether bullet journaling is the right fit for your journey toward enhanced productivity, creativity, and well-being. Thank you for reading.
