There is no disputing that at some point or another in our journey with bullet journaling, all of us will experience a lack of motivation. My personal experience has been that there have been days, and even weeks, when I haven't even opened my bullet notebook.
The times when I wasn't using my bullet were periods of disorganization and lack of productivity for me. When I thought about it like this, I understood how essential my bullet journal is to me. Even after a period of inactivity lasting a few months, I was fortunate enough to be able to rejoin the game.
In this article, I will discuss the top seven reasons why individuals stop using bullet journals as well as some solutions to the problems that these causes cause.
There are 7 main reasons why people stop using bullet journals.
Why people quit bullet journaling button
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1. An obsessive need to achieve perfection
You place an excessive amount of importance on producing lines that are absolutely straight, margins, beautiful calligraphy or lettering, and other details like these.
I see where you're coming from; if you go to the #bujo tag, you'll find spreads that appear like they were taken straight out of a magazine among the most popular postings. If you are just starting off with bullet journaling, you could believe that this is the standard practice. You won't be as motivated to use your diary if you set the bar so high for yourself that it's impossible to achieve, and this could eventually lead you to want to give up bullet journaling completely.
The truth of the matter is, though, that perfectionism slows down both your production and your journaling. You shouldn't be devoting hours to preparing the perfect spread; rather, you should devote only a small portion of that amount of time to the process.
Instead of fixating on the pursuit of perfection, remind yourself that it is acceptable for your bullet journal to be disorganized.
Take into account that it is acceptable for you to make blunders.
Make yourself feel better by purchasing less expensive supplies.
Try to keep your journal entries as brief and simple as possible
2. Complicating matters with the bullet journal too much
You get the picture: complicated tables and charts, sophisticated bullet journal spreads, and dozens of various trackers to keep track of everything. If you have to recreate this in each spread or journal, it is going to be a very time-consuming process for you. Forcing most people, including myself, to repeatedly redraw intricate grids is a surefire way to drive us crazy.
If you add too many items into your journal, you will start to feel overwhelmed, so limit the number of entries you make. When you reach a certain point, maintaining your bullet journal will begin to feel more like a burden than a helpful resource and instrument.
Keep it simple. You might have a look at the printables I have provided in the VIP Library if you still want your bullet journal to have a pleasant appearance. It is not necessary for you to spend the time writing up the charts because there are printables that you can incorporate immediately into your bullet journal.
Make your spreads as straightforward as possible, and try to take a more minimalistic approach to your journaling.
Maintain a consistent approach. As soon as you feel comfortable with that, you can go on to more exploratory activities.
3. You are putting too much pressure on yourself by taking on too many responsibilities.
Many of us in this room have lofty goals for ourselves and wish to accomplish a great deal. On the other hand, it is essential to maintain a healthy dose of self-realism and to avoid packing too much into your agenda. When you set yourself 20 tasks and only manage to do three of them, it can be really discouraging.
4.When you give yourself an excessive number of chores, you reduce the amount of motivation you have to even touch your bullet journal.
If I were in your position, I wouldn't want to open a diary that has an overwhelming number of responsibilities that need to be completed.
Instead of doing this, you should concentrate on: putting the most important things first.
Getting rid of activities that aren't as vital as others
Allowing yourself a sufficient amount of time to do anything is step number four. Putting an excessive amount of emphasis on aesthetics
It's tempting to get caught up in the idea of creating the ideal spread for your bullet journal so that you can share it on social media. On the other hand, if you get too far down this rabbit hole, you can find yourself spending hours making the planner seem nice rather than concentrating on activities that are more effective.
You shouldn't put yourself under unnecessary stress by trying to make your diary or your social media profile look great for other people. Your bullet journal is for you.
In addition, making use of your bullet journal should not be a laborious endeavor. The primary purpose of it is to assist in increasing your productivity and reducing the amount of time you waste.
Maintaining a simple bullet journal can help prevent this from happening.
Make use of printable rather than manually putting together tables.
5. experiencing feelings of depression after an absence of several days or months.
There is this widespread misunderstanding that if you skip an entry in your journal, the entire thing would be ruined. This statement couldn't be further from the truth if it tried. The approach of keeping a bullet journal is adaptable and forgiving.
Because I am someone who occasionally forgets to keep a bullet journal for days or even weeks at a time, I do not set up my entire journal all at once. As time goes on, I record both daily and monthly events in my logs. If I haven't written in my journal in a few weeks, I can easily pick up where I left off and continue as usual.
If you're feeling down, keep in mind the following:
Practically everyone has, at some point or another, neglected to pay attention to their bullet journal.
Maintaining a flexible bullet journal can help reduce some of the burden, and getting back into the swing of things won't be a problem.
It's not fair to be overly critical of yourself when life is so challenging.
When it comes to bullet journaling, there is no such thing as failure.
6. Examining their writings beside those of others' journals.
It is simple to fall into the trap of making comparisons. It is difficult to avoid comparison when there are so many posts and other content related to bullet journals available online. However, doing so can cause you to attach negative thoughts with your bullet journal because it will look inferior to the other person's notebook.
When you compare yourself to others, you're setting yourself up for failure. It's not only tiring, but also pointless to do so. It is not important in the long run whose bullet journal looks better or who has better typography; what is important is whether or not your bullet journal is functioning effectively for you. Are you able to get more done as a result of it? Are you experiencing a greater number of beneficial effects as a result of it? Your bullet journal needs to function properly solely for you. You should not bring it down because it is a personal keepsake that belongs to you.
If you feel that you are always comparing yourself to others, keep in mind the following:
There is no single bullet journal approach that is superior; each individual has their own preferences.
Do whatever helps you stay organized the most, because it's YOUR bullet notebook.
There is no such thing as a terrible bullet notebook; in fact, if your bullet journal serves its purpose for you, it is already a fantastic bullet journal
7. Finding a fresh approach to planning that is more effective for them is a priority.
I would like to close by stating that the bullet journal system might not be suitable for everyone, and that's perfectly fine with me. You can plan by using a standard planner, an online planner, a calendar application, or any of the many other possibilities that you find. Planning can be done in a variety of different ways.
There are many different approaches to organization and planning; bullet journaling is only one of them.
Other possibilities for planning:
Utilizing a planner that is already prepared and arranged Trello.
Google Calendars Reminders
Employing the use of a digital journal
Simply making use of your phone.
I recommend that you read our post on how to properly plan your day if you want more information about how to organize your day.
Conclusion
If you're going through a rough patch in your journey with bullet journaling, simply keep in mind that you're not alone; many other people, including me, have been there too. You're not alone. The practice of bullet journaling isn't always going to be a bed of flowers and sunshine, and that's okay.
The bullet journal is not intended to be a flawless system, and there is no one option that will work for everyone. It's the only way to grow and advance if you give yourself permission to mess up and make mistakes.
If you are having any of the issues that were described before, it is imperative that you give the solutions that were provided a go. It's okay if you decide that bullet journaling isn't the appropriate way for you if you've tried it already and are still having trouble getting things done and staying motivated. You are in luck since there are literally hundreds of efficient planning approaches that you can employ.
Have you ever considered giving up using your bullet journal? Share your thoughts with us in the section below!
If you find the information in this post to be helpful, please consider sharing it so that others can read it. Thank you!
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