Here’s what I do: Every day I first write the day and the date at the top of the page. Next, I draw a bullet (•), note the time, and jot down my first activity. This practice helps me to choose what I will do and to follow though on the commitment to finish it before doing anything else. When I complete that activity, I mark another bullet (•) on the next line, along with the time, and choose the second activity. When I’m done with that, I draw the third bullet (•) and progress to the next activity. This method is what Ryder Carroll, the creator of the Bullet Journal method, calls “rapid logging.” I call his method a miracle!

Now, you might wonder why I prefer to follow Carroll’s method of writing by hand in a paper journal rather than using a computer program or an app on my phone. The simple answer is that technology is the greatest harbinger of distractions for my squirrelly, energetic mind! When I first started bullet journaling, I was shocked at how much more time I spent on social media, diverted by the sounds of pings and dings, than I thought I did. Other distractions in my environment lay in wait to pounce on me, too, including grocery deliveries, pets chirping and meowing, household chores in my path, tempting snacks, and so much more. Somehow bullet journaling helps me to stay on task in an orderly, peaceful manner, so that the most important activities of my life don’t get squeezed out by non-essential time wasters.