For several years, I kept two journals. One was a small dot-grid Bullet Journal that eventually morphed into a daily logbook — a place to track my runs, my meals, and sometimes my mood. Somewhere along the way, I let it go. Life got busy, the dots blurred, and the routine slipped through the cracks.
But here I am again, notebook in hand, pen ready, restarting the habit. Why?
Because I know — and let’s be honest, I’ve known for a while — that I likely have ADHD. It’s never been formally diagnosed, but I know the feeling of 137 thoughts trying to speak at once, of starting five things and finishing none, of opening a cabinet and forgetting why I’m standing in the kitchen.
So how does journaling help?
- It externalizes my thoughts. When my mind is racing, writing helps me slow it down and make sense of the noise.
- It creates visual order. A checkbox. A line across a page. A timeline. These simple things calm the chaos.
- It helps me follow through. A to-do list I can see is better than the one in my head that keeps getting drowned out by distractions.
- It gives me clarity. I start to see patterns — when I run, I feel better. When I skip meals or skip rest, I don’t. It’s all there in ink.
- It reduces guilt. Instead of beating myself up for not doing “all the things,” I can see what I did do — even if it’s “survived the day and had a decent snack.”
This time, I’ll try to keep my Journaling simple.
I’m not designing fancy spreads or tracking seventeen habits at once. I’ll be using what has worked for me in the past. I’ll keep a log of exercise and runs in a Bullet Dotted Notebook. I’ll also use a Quad Ruled Notebook for tracking my morning and evening to-do lists, a record of my library books I have checked out, and maybe even some genealogy and blog notes.
Finally, the Quad notebook will also be a place to unload whatever’s floating around up there — because heaven knows, there’s a lot of traffic.
This isn’t about being consistent every day. It’s about having a place to return to — a way to reconnect with myself, my goals, and my sanity when I need it most. (Okay, maybe my thoughts have already moved beyond “simple”… but at least I’m writing them down.)
So yes, I’m journaling again. And if you’ve ever thought about doing the same, ADHD or not, maybe this is your sign to start fresh too….
Here are some of the best articles I found about using bullet journals to support ADHD:
- Bullet Journal for ADHD – bulletjournal.com: How to ADHD creator Jessica McCabe shares how BuJo helps reduce her mental load.
- Work Brighter – Bullet Journaling for ADHD: A very ADHD-friendly take on why this flexible system works.
- Verywell Mind: How to Use a Bullet Journal: Great overview of how it improves focus and memory.