39-year-old digital designer Ryder Caroll invented the bullet journal. He was diagnosed with an attention deficit disorder when he was a teenager and in college, he would jot down his thoughts at random times of the day to calm him down. The bullet journal came together when he was working as a web designer in New York. In 2013, he released a video on his website explaining the method slash productivity system he has developed. This is what millions have come to know today as Bullet Journaling or BuJo.
Bullet journaling is the method of grouping together ideas, words, and thoughts into a similar category and writing them down with bullet points, dashes, or other graphics for a streamlined journal entry that’s easy to look at, follow, and update. The purpose, Caroll says, is for people to live more productive and meaningful lives.
Even before the pandemic, journaling of any sort has been long associated with mindfulness. So when COVID-19 restrictions took a toll on people's mental health, people searched for ways to fight the depressive and anxious thoughts that haunt their days at home. If you’re still struggling, here are some bullet journaling ideas that might just help bring positivity back into your life despite the crippling uncertainty that continues to loom over us.
Bullet Journal Ideas to Start this Pandemic
1. Long-lost Friends
Make a list of your long-lost friends with who you haven’t caught up with for a while. It could be someone you met in the gym or your former officemate. Below the person’s name or sketch, write down where you met and the last time you talked to each other. Put boxes beside the names and tick them off once you’ve left them a message. Chances are the person has also been thinking of you! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain if a former connection becomes a present friend.
2. Hobby Tracker
With all the time spent at home, you’ve surely picked up a new hobby, whether it’s playing the piano or binge-watching historic periodic films. Write them all down and be proud that you have the energy to try and learn something new during these dark times.
3. Daily Affirmations / Quotes
Have a section in your journal for daily affirmations you see online, you hear in your conversations with your housemates, you read from a book, or a realization that came up during meditation. These would come in handy when you’re feeling low and need a quick pick-me-up. If you feel there’s no one who hypes you, you can always do it to yourself. Remember you are amazing, you are loved, and you are enough.
4. Something that Made You Smile Today
In today’s times when we don’t know what’s going to happen next for sure or things seem to be more out of our control, it’s harder to live a grateful life. Start simple by listing down at least one specific thing that made you happy during the day. It could be your mom calling to check up on you, your dog approaching you for cuddles, or you cooking the perfect scrambled eggs for the first time. Write it down to savour the feeling and you’ll have something to look back to when you’re feeling low.
5. Challenge for the Week
If you’re missing excitement in your life, write a list of weekly challenges you’ll commit to doing each week of the month. It could be a social media detox for three days or finally finish the book you’ve been reading for so long. It doesn’t mean that travel and movement are limited that you can’t live an exciting life anymore.
6. Progress Tracker
We often forget our progress in our becoming journeys because we tend to always focus on what’s lacking at present. If you keep a progress tracker, say your body measurements before you committed to a 30-day exercise program, you might not necessarily see physical results when you look at the mirror after 30 days, but the measurements would tell you how far you’ve actually come since Day One.
You may track your progress in your fitness goals, new hobbies, or art projects. Appreciating the process is always better than imagining an ideal future that doesn’t even exist yet or may not even happen.
7. Pandemic Spending
Manage your purchases by keeping track of everything you’ve spent on this pandemic. You might be saving up for something once the world opens up but you’re having trouble keeping up with your online shopping checkouts. List them down and make sure everything is still within your monthly budget.
Journaling Station
Inject a little movement in your journaling practice by using a desk bike. The All-in-One Desk Bike of Flexispot comes with a whisper-quiet pedalling system and a spacious desktop. It has easy-rolling casters to move the bike around but also has gravity sensor wheel locks to keep it still while cycling. The seat height is adjustable as well as the resistance levels to customize your cycling experience based on what you need.
Opt for comfort when you jot down your thoughts by choosing an ergonomic chair that prioritizes just that.
Organize your pens, washi tapes, pencils, stickers, post-its, and erasers in a desk organizer.
Add a small potted plant to uplift your mood even more as you make that beautiful journal entry of yours.
