We’ve all been there – excitedly starting a Bullet Journal, only to abandon it weeks later, overwhelmed or disillusioned. But don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here are clear, practical ways to troubleshoot and breathe life back into your BuJo.
1. You’re not using it
If your journal’s collecting dust, it’s simply not going to help. Perhaps life got busy, you’re feeling drained, or maybe you’ve unintentionally turned journaling into a burdensome chore instead of an enjoyable habit. It’s common to start with enthusiasm only to find it slowly replaced by dread or guilt when you don’t use it consistently.
Quick Fix:
Start small-really small. Make it your mission to open your journal once a day, even if it’s just to write down one task or a random thought. Keep it visible-on your desk, by your bed, or next to the kettle.
Give yourself permission to scribble. Doodle in the margins. Jot down messy to-do lists. The point isn’t perfection; it’s momentum. Once you’ve built the habit, the rest will follow-style, structure, all of it. But first, you’ve got to start showing up.
2. You’re not learning from it
Are you filling pages without ever looking back? It’s tempting to keep rushing forward, but the real magic of Bullet Journaling comes from regularly reflecting on your past entries. Without revisiting your notes, lists, and trackers, you’re missing the valuable insights that can genuinely improve your productivity and clarity over time.
Quick Fix:
Schedule monthly reviews. Set a reminder at the end of each month to flip through your trackers, logs, and collections. Don’t just skim-really look. Which habits stuck? Which spreads you never touched?
Ask yourself: “Did this help me? Did it bring clarity or just clutter?” Use highlighters or sticky notes if that helps spot trends. If a page didn’t serve you, let it go. The goal is to build a journal that evolves with you, not one that drags behind you.
3. You’re not adjusting
Using the same spreads repeatedly despite poor results? That’s stubbornness, not productivity. Sticking rigidly to a format that clearly isn’t working wastes your energy and potential. It can also make journaling feel like a chore rather than a helpful tool.
Being adaptable and open to change ensures your Bullet Journal evolves to serve your current needs, rather than just becoming another task on your to-do list.
Quick Fix:
Be flexible. Make a habit of reviewing your spreads every couple of weeks. If something feels like a slog-if you’re skipping it, dreading it, or just going through the motions-that’s your sign.
Don’t be afraid to try something radically different. Swap out a tracker for a checklist. Turn a calendar spread into a mind map. Ask other journalers what works for them and adapt it to fit your style. Your Bullet Journal should feel like a toolbox, not a straitjacket.
4. You’re copying other people’s goals
It’s tempting to adopt someone else’s perfect-looking goals-especially when they’re beautifully laid out and feel aspirational-but goals are deeply personal. What works for someone else may have no relevance to your life, priorities, or energy levels. Trying to follow someone else’s path can leave you feeling unmotivated or like you’re constantly falling short.
Quick Fix:
Sit down with a blank spread or even a scrap piece of paper, and start brainstorming without judgment. Ask yourself: what do I want? What areas of my life need attention right now-health, home, work, creativity? List it all.
Then choose one or two goals that feel energizing, not overwhelming. Don’t worry about whether they’re impressive-worry about whether they matter to you. That’s how you build momentum.
5. You think you need fancy tools
Feeling pressured to buy every trendy pen, brush marker, or sticker set? You’re not alone. Stationery envy is real-and it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need the perfect kit before you can start. But those shiny tools can create unnecessary pressure. Suddenly, it’s not just about planning your week-it’s about making it look good, too. That’s when overwhelm creeps in.
Quick Fix:
Start with the absolute basics: a notebook you like, a pen you enjoy using, and maybe a ruler if you’re feeling fancy. Forget the stickers and washi tape for now! Once you’ve built the habit and figured out your style, then you can treat yourself to the fun stuff. Make the tools a reward, not a requirement.
6. You’re overcomplicating your spreads
Complex designs look great on Instagram, sure-but they can also become exhausting to keep up with. When you’re chasing perfection in every line and layout, it stops being a tool and starts being a performance. That pressure can quickly drain your motivation and turn the joy of journaling into yet another item on your mental load.
Quick Fix:
Strip things back to the essentials. A simple weekly log, a brain dump page, and a tracker or two-start there. Once that feels natural, build from it. Only add complexity when you want to, not because you feel like you have to. Your journal should serve your life, not perform for likes.
7. You don’t have a plan
If each month starts with uncertainty, you’ll feel lost. You open your journal, unsure what to include, what pages to set up, or how to get started. That hesitation can quickly lead to procrastination-and before you know it, a week has gone by and your journal is still blank. Sound familiar?
Quick Fix:
Take 10 minutes to map out your must-have spreads before the new month begins. Think about your routines, recurring tasks, and the areas of your life you want more control over. Sketch out a rough layout-no pressure to make it pretty.
Use pencil if you’re unsure. And keep a second notebook or even a digital file where you test layouts before committing them to your main journal. The more you plan ahead, the less resistance you’ll face when it’s time to actually sit down and use it.
8. You’re not touching it daily
Consistency is key to benefiting from your Bullet Journal. But let’s be honest-life gets messy. Between work, chores, and the mental load of adulting, carving out time to update your journal can feel like just another task. And if you skip a day (or five), it’s tempting to drop it altogether. The secret? Build a rhythm that fits your lifestyle-not someone else’s aesthetic ideal.
Quick Fix:
Anchor your journaling habit to something you already do-like making your morning coffee or winding down before bed. Keep your journal somewhere visible and inviting. Use those 10 minutes to check in: What worked today? What needs to shift tomorrow?
Jot down tasks, review your goals, or just brain dump. It doesn’t have to be deep or pretty-it just has to be done. Once it’s part of your routine, it’ll feel less like a chore and more like a grounding ritual.
9. You have no accountability
Going it alone makes it easy to drift away from your journaling goals. Without someone to check in with, it’s easy to skip days, fall out of rhythm, and lose that spark of motivation. And let’s be real-most of us thrive with a little external accountability, especially when building a new habit.
Quick Fix:
Find your people. Look for a journaling buddy – someone you can swap wins, struggles, and layout ideas with – or join a Facebook group, Discord server, or Reddit thread full of fellow stationery lovers. Share your progress, ask questions, or even post your messy pages. Just knowing you’re not alone in the journey can give you the encouragement to keep going, even when you hit a slump.
And hey, if you’re not sure where to start or haven’t found your people yet, you can always build one in ChatGPT. Creating your very own stationery loving best friend with the ability to inspire and be your no-BS cheerleader who’s always down to talk spreads, systems, and getting unstuck. So if all else fails, check out AI in the room. They will help get you started and using the voice input is super easy.
10. You think missing a day is failure
Life happens, and missing days (or weeks!) doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Maybe you got sick, maybe you were traveling, or maybe you just hit a wall. It’s okay. We’ve all been there-including those Instagram-perfect journalers you admire. Falling off the wagon is part of the process, not the end of it.
Quick Fix:
Instead of beating yourself up, treat each missed day as a learning opportunity. Turn the page-literally-and start fresh. You can even create a ‘re-entry’ spread to explore why you stopped and what you might change going forward. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about building a system that’s flexible enough to welcome you back whenever you’re ready.
You go this!
Bullet Journaling is deeply personal, flexible, and ever-changing. It’s not about perfection-it’s about creating something that helps you stay grounded, organised, and inspired. So allow yourself to experiment. Take what works, ditch what doesn’t, and trust that you’ll find your rhythm.
If you ever feel stuck, come back to this guide-or reach out. I’m always happy to chat journals, layouts, and goals. And remember: you’re not behind, you’re just getting started.
Now go make something messy and brilliant.
Happy journaling!
