Many people don’t realize, the creator of the beloved Bullet Journal is an ADHD ‘Brain’. His system of rapid journaling has helped millions of neurodivergent people around the world, and many have further adapted the system to suit themselves – all very successfully.
“ADHD is a disorder that makes it difficult for a person to pay attention and control impulsive behaviors. He or she may also be restless and almost constantly active. ADHD is not just a childhood disorder. Although the symptoms of ADHD begin in childhood, ADHD can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Even though hyperactivity tends to improve as a child becomes a teen, problems with inattention, disorganization, and poor impulse control often continue through the teen years and into adulthood.”
The National Institute of Mental Health
This ADHD Awareness Month, we’d like to present a few tips, tricks and inspirations for your own system of planning, journaling and brain de-cluttering.
If you’re new to Bullet Journals here is Ryder Carroll’s official Bullet Journal site. We’d also like to introduce this instructional video, by a YouTube creator – Jessica McCabe whose channel How to ADHD is one of the friendliest, most enthusiastically encouraging guide to manage your attention challenges.
How do Bullet Journals help?
Bullet journals work with a system of creating rapid logs using bullets and review. Here are a few key points to remember when making your own! Remember your goal is to have a functional system that works for you.
Indexing – It’s important to find the information you need without wasting any time flipping through a whole journal. A few extra seconds writing in your index could save you hours.
Migrating – your tasks never get lost, they can get postponed, deleted and most importantly, completed. Which is why a daily review is important.
Restricts Space – Your time is limited, therefore it is valuable. Restricting the space you have to write lists in ensures that you only focus on what’s in priority and what’s possible. Being productive should be the goal, not busy.
Concise Points (Rapid Logging) – it encourages you to record your tasks in short, clear points. No clutter of information means less distraction.
Collections – you’re allowed to make lists, and gather ideas in your journal. Just make sure they’re added to your index so you don’t loose them.
Reviewing – spending a few minutes even twice a day can help you prioritize your work and help you get things done efficiently.
Digital Journaling
Analog vs Digital: The analog system helps your brain process and retain information better than just typing it onto a screen. That being said, there are always tools you can use to complement your Bujo, specially for long-term storage/archiving.
On the Go: Don’t / Can’t always have your Bujo with you? Get the app! The official Bullet Journaling app is available for a small fee for both android and apple users. It’s 48-hour task destruct feature will make sure you check in with your actual journal and add them.
A free alternative can be Microsoft To-do. The app has a few interesting features such as a ‘My Day’ category you can move priority tasks into and repeating reminders that can function as habit trackers.
Calendar Apps: these are a great way of keeping appointments, remembering dues and keeping up with occasions! Our pick is Time Tree, a free calendar app that is available on web, iOS and android. It’s best feature is that it has color coded calendars that you can separate and even collaborate on!
Remember that you are creating a system to help you manage your life and work better. Prioritize functionality over aesthetic – specially if you’re the kind who has many small things to do at a time; and always leave room for mistakes and creative expression.
ADHD can usually be managed with a little help but when sometimes you can’t, re-evaluate where you went wrong and try again – its not fair for you to be hard on yourself when everyone else already is. Here’s How to ADHD‘s Jessica to help you cope with all the difficult things that come with the condition.
Do you have ADHD? How has bullet journaling helped you cope? Share your stories with us in the comments!
The Ink Inquisition 