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If you’ve been a follower of mine for awhile you know that I am totally ADD but also a multi-tasking octopus that likes to do twelve things at once. (Or, is that eight??!) Anyhoo, what this means is I’m all over the map and easily thrown off course! (Oh, geez, see I’m already mixing metaphors!) To help with this problem, I also have a rockstar assistant named Kirstin! Look, we all have strengths and weaknesses. I’m pretty good about exercising everyday but not good about other stuff without reminders, prompts, and a little motivation. That’s where Bullet Journals & Trackers come in handy! Journaling has been a great productivity practice for decades. As you might imagine, over time people have found ways to improve journaling techniques! Yay, us! And while there might be a bit of a ‘duh’ factor here, using bullets is one of them! Especially when they are beautifully color-coded!

Ways Journals & Trackers Can Help You

Journals & Trackers help you stay focused by letting you see where you’ve succeeded and what you’ve let slip from week to week. One of my fave journal makers is Ban.do! Want to see how many times you exercised, meditated, flossed your teeth, returned all your phone calls, helped kids with their homework, watered the plants? If you end each day by visiting your journal and check off what got accomplished (or not!), you’ll start to see patterns in behavior, which you can then adjust accordingly. If you’re a procrastinator, this is an awesome way to kick your butt into gear. If you feel like there are never enough hours in the day, you’ll be able to see just what you’re doing morning to night and (hopefully!) find ways to rearrange your activities so that you save time to work on health and wellness as well as chores and business.

Check out this tropical-inspired beauty from Ceci New York, designed for a conference I recently attended in the Bahamas! Journals & Trackers provide peace of mind on some level. Speaking of which, know what else provides peace of mind? Hanging out with friends! If you haven’t had your besties over for cocktails and shenanigans lately, I highly recommend it for an automatic spirit booster. Our Super Secret Party Guide has mucho tips for parties, barbecues, and kick backs big and small!

Getting Started With Journals & Trackers

This is the fun part because you get to shop! 36-color pencil set, please! Or, markers! Take your pick. I think graph journals are the easiest to use because the gridlines are already on the page. Some folks prefer blank pages because they like to include a lot of artwork and inspirational quotes. You can also split the difference by choosing a journal that has a variety of pages all-in-one, including blank, graph, and calendar boxes.

Setting Up The Journal Key

If you haven’t visited Pinterest lately, there are hundreds of examples of bullet journals you can get inspiration from, including The Party Goddess Pinterest Boards! Find a look that feels right for you and what you want to track. A general rule of thumb is to a have a column for every day of the week (uh, that would be 7!) and a row for each habit or activity you want to track. Okay? So far, so good. Each habit/activity then gets assigned its own unique color from your amazing colored-pencil set. You’ll also want to create a “Key” of actions with their own symbol. It can be things like, “Did it!” “Missed it!” “Tomorrow Instead” “Cancelled.” If you’re using the tracker as a calendar as well, you might want to have separate icons for appointments, work, play, kids, etc. This is a very personal methodology so it isn’t one-size-fits-all! Set up your journal the way it’s going to work best for you!

Adding Artwork To Your Journal

I love doodling and writing down inspirational quotes. For me, pictures, song lyrics, and cute sayings are all a part of the journaling experience. I use my journal to compile ideas for events I’m working on just as much as I use it to track activities. If you run a small business, you’ll probably want to use your journal to record ideas as well, be it promotional concepts, thoughts on marketing, or observations about sales and services. Don’t worry if you think you’re not much of an artist. The more you draw, the better you become! If that doesn’t work, use stickers!

Mood Management

I talk a lot about productivity for small businesses owners (because I am one!) and ways for families to stay organized. But maybe that doesn’t apply to you and you think, Marley, I don’t need no stinkin’ journal tracker do-hicky! Wrong! Wanna know why? Because everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, can stand to have more peace and happiness in their life! Journals & Trackers are incredibly valuable when it comes to health and well-being. If you suffer from depression, a daily tracker can follow your moods and levels of happiness.

If you’re going through difficulties in your marriage (I do know something about that!) or with family members, trackers can motivate you to engage in activities that comforts the soul. Whether it’s meditation, yoga, listening to music uninterrupted for an hour, taking a walk outside, or devoting time to read something inspirational each day, trackers remind you to, first, take the time to pamper and love yourself, and, second, let you catalogue various well-being techniques so you can see what you’ve already done and what you’d like to try in the future.

It can be as simple as writing down an inspirational quote each day, or three things you’re grateful for even when things aren’t going well. For more ideas on how to soothe mind, body and soul, check out our Renew Your Spirit Energy blog!

Can you believe it’s already October?! This month we’re going to celebrate spooks and spirits with witchcraft, alchemy, and other woo-woo stuff like crystals for relieving stress and anxiety! Until then, remember that organization is nothing if it doesn’t bring you happiness. Find ways to smile and appreciate life! For me, a party always does the trick! Our Super Secret Party Guide has loads of entertaining tips for festivities big and small. Best of all, it’s FREE!