Bullet Journals Becoming the Time Management Platforms of the Future

4/07/17- Elena Goldsborough                                                                                                                                                                                   In recent months, news sites and social media have been abuzz with praise for bullet journals. The question is, why? We have a multitude of technological options to organize our life and business that claim to be user-friendly, quick, and convenient. However, time management doesn’t need to be linked to a fancy device. The same result can be achieved through the low-tech art of bullet journaling.

The creator of the bullet journal, Ryder Carroll, defines the method on his website as “a customizable and forgiving organization system. It can be your to-do list, sketchbook, notebook, and diary, but most likely, it will be all of the above. It will teach you to do more with less.” Ironically, Carroll is a designer of digital products, yet he has chosen an old-fashioned, screen-free method to manage his time.

A great number of you have likely written a to-do list. A bullet journal is no different.Having a customized method unique to your personal needs is pivotal in organizing oneself, and a bullet journal allows this tailoring. To begin, just get out a notebook and your favorite pen. Then, on a page, start by writing a title. You can begin listing with bullets “●” or whatever symbol you like best. Anything that pertains to the title could be included in your bullet journaling. Tasks, details, events, reminders, and pictures all could have a place in your journal. Just think, a user would certainly not have this freedom of style and formatting with the Google Calendar or iPhone Reminders app. These types of applications require you to use a specific template to set times, reminders, and alarms, but it’s unclear if these digital programs actually help you remember everything better than a simple bullet journal note?

Psychologists Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer would advocate for a simpler time management method. In 2014, they published a study, which found that “students who took notes on laptops performed worse on conceptual questions than students who took notes longhand.” The same is true in a business setting. We all know the feeling of adding a multitude of events and tasks to our virtual work calendars yet somehow, we still forget. From personal experience, I know that I remember my schedule and important tasks on a more frequent basis if I have handwritten them in my planner.  We could all benefit from starting our own bullet journals today.

Still, the best way to make sure everything in your business is done on time and precisely is by calling Officense. We will find a customized method that works for you and helps simplify your front end business processes. Whether you like using a high-tech scheduling app or you prefer a good old-fashioned phone call, Officense will be here to make sure you are never concerned with setting appointments but have the freedom to focus on the work that’s important to you. If you find your business in need of organizational assistance, give Officense a call! We have Executive Assistants to answer your call, schedule appointments, handle your mail, track leads, and so much more.  (410-814-7500)

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