I have been an avid journaling person for years now. I use my journal for work and beyond. I keep calling this combination Business Journaling as for many folks it still seems unimaginable to use a journal (a paper diary!) in a work context. 

It all started with pre-print journaling and for over 4 years I am into a Bullet Journaling inspired approach now.

Bullet Journaling (BuJo) is like a toolbox with ideas and a very (very!) lightweight framework underneath.

There is no such thing as THE right way to do BuJo. I would even argue there are more BuJo inspired approaches than “pure” Bullet Journals.

Common prejudices

Unfortunately when you search the internet for it, the hits you usually get are different. First of all you mostly get beautiful pictures, almost like artwork. 

Second – of course – most of it looks perfect and the content around also suggests to you that the BuJo people lead a happy, joyful and VERY organised life.

Well, I can tell you two things about MY BuJo inspired journaling journey: 

1. My handwriting almost deteriorated a bit more.
   (Which is no problem as the journal is for me and only for me. If I can read it, it’s fine!)
2. Yes, I STARTED journaling to get my life organised better. And: it still keeps me serving in that matter because there are ups and downs in my life, like it is in almost every life of a human being

So if you…

• want to try writing to organise your life 
• you worry you don’t have beautiful handwriting
• you’re curious and not sure you want to commit to BuJo
• you have a gut feeling that some change is needed

… then my guided-freestyle Business Journaling approach is a perfect starter for you. 

Start right away

Get yourself a blank book (I prefer one with very tiny dots over completely blank pages as the dots help my hand-writing to still stay readable). 

If getting the blank book is already a hurdle for you, then grab yourself 10 pages of same sized writing paper (I use DIN A4 in my journaling workshops). Take that paper stack and fold it one time in the middle.

Now you have a small booklet with 20 pages to start with. Yeah! 

The next piece will introduce you into your first days of guided-freestyle Business Journaling to see what’s in it for you.

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( This article first appeared on RespectAndAdapt.rocks and it’s part of my Substack Newsletter on Business Journaling. )