Planning for Yourself
When you start a bullet journal you start to plan everyday to the hour. By analyzing how we spend our time we can become more efficient human beings. You realize wasted time on social media or extra long breaks before studying or working. As you record these things you start to find extra hours you didn’t know you had. People that advocate for journaling, including myself, will spout the benefits to your life from finding these extra hours in the day.
But why stop there?
My Extra Time
As a college student I found most of my hours were in the morning before class. I would typically sleep in or go for a bike ride. Starting a journal changed my way of thinking about this surplus time.
I was always worried about pushing myself too hard and burning out. Through journaling I found I was only spending half my day productively and decided to face my fears. I started to fill my previously unused mornings with tutoring my friends in subjects I’m skilled in and visiting my neighbors. I didn’t burn out. So, I kept expanding.
My goal was simple, spend my unused hours on something other than myself.
Deciding How to Use These Hours
I made a new journal entry and titled it “Causes I’m Passionate About.”
This isn’t very difficult. If you love animals visit or give donations to a local animal shelter. Maybe, if you feel so inclined, you can visit with elderly people at a home or through a certain organization that brings meals to them. I was drawn to helping a nearby organization that helps people facing domestic violence. Make a list of what interests you.
Then you need to research. There are countless resources to help you find opportunities in your community. I tried helping at multiple groups until I found a place to commit to. When you shop around organizations to help you can find some you didn’t even know existed.
So if you are journaling and have found extra time in your week, consider pulling your head out of your notebook and going out into the world.
At the beginning of the year I set myself up a sort of journal, which was supposed to be a bullet journal but I quickly realised I don’t have the patience or the artistic flair for it. But this journal I did create has really helped keep me organised and on top of things.