By: Leah Prescott

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved using lists. It’s not because I am an organized person….quite the opposite. In fact, I tend to get overwhelmed and forget things which lead to me wasting time. Lists have always been a tool for me to gain control of tasks, even if I don’t always complete them.

Late last summer, I starting seeing a lot of cyber talk about bullet journaling. If you like lists, you will absolutely LOVE this planning method. Called “an analog system for a digital age,” bullet journaling is a system of organizing lists so that nothing falls through the cracks. are different variations of the method; it’s flexible, forgiving, and customizable. I immediately knew it sounded like the perfect method for me. I love the feel of a pen and paper, but I struggle to consistently use rigid calendar systems. I always fail at digital calendars of all kinds. The best part is, all you really need is a pen and a notebook.

Since I have started bullet journaling in August, I have done much better at staying on top of my to-do lists. I always know where to find important information and I find my planning time to be so much more effective than it ever was before. The best part is that I finally have a spot for all the random ideas and questions that pop into my head throughout the day and I can actually retrieve that information at any given time. Talk about a game changer! For example, if I am suddenly struck with the perfect gift idea for my brother for Christmas, I will add it to the Christmas 2016 page. If I want to remind myself to look up a homeschool deadline, I will add it to my homeschool planning page. If I make a new recipe that’s a hit with the family, I will add it to the Meal Rotation page. I finally feel like my obsessive list-making is working for me!

If you are interested in Bullet Journaling, you can read all about it here: http://bulletjournal.com/get-started/.

Happy listing!