Bullet Journal for ADHD – Rant first
Do you remember those recipe blog sites, that start with a 2 page intro before it moves on to half page recipe. Well, this is exactly that. Just so you are totally aware, I have clarified in the title that this is a rant post. mmm, let us get started.
I came across somewhere in internet that bullet journal is very good for planning, maintaining todo list and what-not. Also read the summary of Ryder Carroll Bullet Journal book. It was intriguing and sounded so simple. Hence I made the mistake, a huge one at that, of googling Bullet Journal in well, google search and also checked out couple of videos on this topic.
What I encountered scared me off and scarred me for life. Okay alright, that is an exaggeration, but the outcome was similar. The resources that I saw completely intimidated me and I swore never to try it, ever again.
What was it that I saw that had such an impact? Well let us start with an analogy again >>
Imagine you are doing a google search on “how to boil water” and the search results takes you to blogs or videos that shares (sells) you this information:
- What type of vessels to use for heating water – which brands of utensils are ooo so good for heating water – I mean if they covered the type of materials that at-least would makes sense – e.g. don’t heat water in plastic – would makes sense of course, but no, that was not the point of discussion at all, it would instead go on lengths about brands of utensils that are 100% costlier than regular utensils you would get in a nearby market or utensils store or online – which once you buy you will severely repent especially after realizing they are exactly same as those other utensils.
- What type of stoves to boil water on – and again venturing into costliest brands that is out there in market – who are btw conveniently sponsoring that post or video
- A fridge to store any left over water that is not heated – are you wondering this is ridiculous – well it is – and again which brands of fridge to buy.
- Now that you have a fridge, what groceries to buy to stock the fridge
- Now that you need to buy groceries, you definitely need a vehicle to transport those – and hence best cars out there – preferably the race cars or luxury brands, because why not?
Are you now confused what heating water has to do with a race car? That is how ridiculous some of the bullet journal tutorials are. Instead of covering the topic of what bullet journal is and how to use it to make your life better most of these resources discuss the following:
- how to draw
- how to do hand-letter or calligraphy
- how to watercolor and other expensive painting methods – the focus is on expensive supplies
- how to cut pages to make more designs (and also mention how they are going to run out of pages, obviously ) – this hurts me the most – I wince every time someone
Let us be crystal clear, there is nothing wrong with being artistic or being your true self as bullet journal main purpose is that – make bujo your own, and make it work for you.
However, if it is called a bujo “tutorial“ and you are trying to sell everything else but explain what a bujo is, it is like trying to sell a race car on a how-to-heat-water-tutorial.
End rant.
Now of course, if you are stressed and want to relax and hence want to look at some artistic pictures, do go ahead and look at these – they are quite beautiful indeed. However you have been warned! That is artists work, it is bujo + art, and if you are not artistic and yet want to bujo, don’t let those pinterest worthy images stop you from bujo.