Monday, May 4, 2020
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Growth through Reflection: Bullet Journaling
We've heard it again and again, these are unprecedented times. I wonder if you, like me, have stumbled a bit on trying to find a path through the debris that is a busy personal and professional life pivoted fully digital, contained within a single building, and hyperfocused on the relationships with those closest to us. In that hyperfocus, I've been trying to wear all the hats while listening to others (and admittedly, myself) preaching to: keep it simple, focus on the next right step, be gentle with myself and others, and practice patience and grace. Patience and grace have been my mantra. I can't say I've been consistently successful. Through these stumbles, I've found that the only consistent thing I have done is to maintain a notebook.
One of the blessings about our jobs as Teacher-Librarians, as Instructional Coaches, is that we get to submerge in research, we get to be surrounded by communities of thinkers who are eager to share, to help us grow, and help us frame those learnings for others. One of those learnings that has come upon my desk time after time has been bullet journaling. I firmly believe that there is a time for everything, and bullet journaling was just something that wasn't hitting me at the right time. Until it was. Until now. Until I became such a professional and personal mess that there was really only one option: simple lists, check-boxes, organization and clarity. If I maybe start to practice what I preach: simplicity, focus, gentleness, patience, grace, I might find a way out of the debris. As I started saving articles on bullet journaling (still in the "read later") folder, I happened to, in my rush, catch a line here, a line there, a sentence, an image. I slowly began to realize that this was actually what I was already doing in my messy notebook... Just not in such a refined way. Maybe if I stepped back a second and listened to the advice, if I slowed down and read, I might find a better way.
And I started. The only way out is through, right? Just start.
Setting up your Bullet Journal:
- Find an empty notebook. There are actual notebooks designed for this. Like this one-- they have dotted grids instead of lines, but any blank notebook will work. Because I was just starting, I started with what was in front of me: my messy notebook.
- Gather supplies. I like to work with thin, brightly colored markers. I know others like stickers, sticky tabs. It can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be. I have always been a doodler, so my notebook will most likely be filled with doodles that help me make sense of my world.
- Take the first page and create your Index. This is the base of your bujo (look how cool I am, using the vernacular!). You will continue to add to this index as you build your journal. Each page gets numbered and is referenced in this index. It will act as your table of contents.
Start your Logs:
- Set up logs that you will use. I started with the following
- A Future Log-- I set up the two pages after the index to be future
- Monthly Logs-- Start with the month overview-- a listing of dates that will allow you to quickly jot things down or log things like workouts or times that you were able to write for your own purposes. Think about including a page with this that covers goals, tasks, and other general items that need to be thought about for each month. I have a section for kids and school.
- Weekly Logs-- Then you start your weekly logs. At the start of each week, I add a general week overview where each day is broken out and tasks are added.
- Daily Logs-- This then moves on to daily logs for me. I like for each day to have a log that has checkboxes I complete, thoughts I need to pursue, meal plans I need to prep, and so on.
Add Collections:
- Think about adding pages that are collections. Possible collections you might want to include:
- A gratitude list
- Books you want to read
- People you want to re-connect with
- Movies or series you want to watch
Flexibility:
- For me, flexibility is key. After each Daily Log, I have notes sections where I keep my notes from my interactions that day.
- Make this work for you-- what do you need?
Why?
Could you do this digitally? Sure! You could use your google calendar, or a list app (I have those, too!), but there are real benefits from journaling this way, and these benefits are needed in times like these-- times that might feel messy.
- First, this practice helps to externalize thoughts. I have a million thoughts in my head every moment of every day. If I don't get them down somewhere, it is very likely they will just be gone. This practice gives me an organized way to store those thoughts and return to them later.
- We know as educators that when we engage multiple senses, we store our memories in a more permanent way. This practice engages you visually, kinesthetically, and tactilely.
- We know through mindfulness that we can train our brains. When you signal to your brain that a goal is important by writing it down, you have a much greater chance of reaching that goal.
- We are all so busy. Bullet Journaling gives you a tangible life record. It helps you to reflect upon your goals, your accomplishments, your day to day realities, the way you choose to spend your time.
- Finally, we know that taking the time to self-reflect, to appreciate what is going well and create a plan for the future is good for our mental health and for our well-being. We preach this often as educators, don't we?
Resources
Want to know more? Check out these journalers and articles for more tips!
Hannah Emily Jane-- her entire blog is wonderful, but check out her tips for students, especially!
Sunday, April 5, 2020
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