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Starting a bullet journal is intimidating, especially since there are so many bullet journaling myths out there. The good news is that the most common myths are also the ones that least likely to be true.
Here are 9 bullet journal myths that you can dismiss with confidence!
You have to start on January 1st
I personally fell victim to this myth before I starting a bullet journal for the first time.
I found the system in April and waited until the following January to start.
Think of all that time I wasted just to finish the planner I had but that wasn’t fulfilling its purpose.
It doesn’t matter what time you start! You design your spreads as you go. This is hard to get your head around at the beginning but as soon as you embrace it, it’s
I’ve written an entire post about why NOW is the best time to start a bullet journal because, honestly, there is no time like the present. If it’s going to help you, just do it.
It doesn’t matter if it’s March or September, the 16th of the month or a Wednesday. Just start today. You’ll thank yourself later.
- Related: 11 Bullet Journal Tips to Start off Right
- Related: How to Start a Bullet Journal for Beginners
There is a “right way” to do it
The thing about bullet journaling is that there is no real “right way” to do it.
It’s supposed to be flexible.
You’re supposed to customize it to fit your needs and to incorporate all the things that are important to you in terms of tracking your past, organizing your present and planning for the future.
What works for one person won’t work for another and that’s ok. Experiment, try different trackers and spreads until you find the perfect layout and combination to be your most productive.
I’ve really found that my setups have evolved so much since starting a bullet journal. As I’ve gained confidence, and a deeper understanding of my habits I’ve been able to create a system that works best for me.
It’s a process and one that doesn’t have just one destination or one set path.
Mistakes are the end of the world
When I started my bullet journal I HATED the thought of making a mistake in on a spread. I didn’t want it to look messy or not be insta-worthy.
But at the end of the day, my bullet journal is a productivity tool that I use to get my act together. If I have to cross something out or put a sticker over it, that’s ok.
Everyone makes mistakes and it would be silly to think otherwise. Don’t let your fear of creating a terrible spread or a ridiculous drawing stop you from trying out a bullet journal.
There are lots of ways to fix mistakes. Check out this post to see some of my mistakes and to learn about how to fix them or cover them up.
You need a ton of supplies
When it comes down to it the bullet journal method is really minimalist. It’s all about decluttering your mind so that you can be more present and focused on tasks at hand.
If that’s your goal, all you need is a notebook (any notebook) and a pen.
The myth that you need a ton of stuff comes from our social media crazy culture that shows us all the beautiful creative journalers that use the bullet journal method.
See what I said?
Creative journalers that use the bullet journal method.
The bullet journal system isn’t inherently creative and creative journaling isn’t automatically bullet journaling.
If you want to draw, scrapbook, stamp, stencil, or sticker your journal that’s awesome. You do you! Here’s a supplies
But if you want to write stuff down so you don’t forget and then move on with your life, that’s cool too.
You need to be artistic
On that note,
You don’t have to be an amazing artist to be a bullet journaler. You don’t have to add any art at all.
And if you do choose to, it doesn’t have to be painting or drawing. You can use pictures, magazine clippings or washi tape.
Just like with supplies, the bullet journal method is a way to get organized and by more productive. No art necessary.
It takes a lot of time/ makes you less productive
This is probably the biggest myth of all.
Bullet journaling doesn’t have to take hours to do. Even when you first start.
Don’t believe me?
I have an in depth post about how to bullet journal in just five minutes a day. Give it a look over!
Bullet journaling can take a ton of time but only if you want it to.
But that’s because it’s something that I enjoy and like adding into my schedule. If I didn’t like to doodle in my journal it would take me 5 minutes to do my weeklies and maybe 40 minutes to do my monthlies.
You can incorporate as much or as little into your journal as you like and the time will change according to what you do.
If you are really concerned about your time, try a printable bullet journal. They come with a ton of different options for collections, trackers, and monthly and weekly planning like the Wundertastch journal.
You need to do a bunch of stuff in advance
One of the great things about the bullet journal is that you can do it on the fly.
This means that after you set up your future log, as long as you keep it up to date, you don’t have to do anything else in advance.
You never know when you’re going to need more room for something or when you’ll want to add in a new tracker or collection. This is why you have an index!
Once again the bullet journal method is based in flexibility. Arrange things so that you have what you need readily available for you. If you’re creating spreads super far in advance you’re missing out on some of the benefits of the system.
- Related: 2019 Bullet Journal Set Up
- Related: Minimalist BuJo Set Up
It’s impractical to set up your own planner
Yes, setting up your own planner can seem like a ton of work but it can be SO worth it.
I used to have a traditional agenda and I was always adding boxes, lists, post-its and all sorts of stuff to it. There was never enough room for all the stuff I wanted and I didn’t have a way to track progress on important projects.
I also had 5 different notebooks with a bunch of different information to keep track of.
Creating a bullet journal and a system within the method allowed me to get control and organize everything in a way that was easier to understand and required less upkeep. But most importantly, it saved me time by keeping things accessible.
You have to bujo daily
When I started planning I was really worried about my ability to do it daily. I didn’t think it was going to happen.
And I was right. I didn’t.
But after I really gave it a strong go and I started to see the results in terms of reduced stress, higher productivity, better sleep, and I knew I was on to something.
If you’re only creating your spreads a day or a week in advance there is no risk if you don’t journal daily. You can just start where you left off. No blank pages.
That is so freeing.
So bullet journal as much or as little as you like. With as many or as few things in it as you want.
The important part is that you find a productivity system that works for you.
