Making a Wellness Journal From My Stash and the Appeal of Timeboxing

One of the challenges I have with paper-crafting is using up leftover materials from previous projects. Throwing large scraps away does not seem like a good idea to me. In all honesty, there are some things in my stash that have been long forgotten or have never even been opened. As I was thinking about making a new Wellness Journal, I realized that I needed to keep in mind my "mindful spending" goal.  With that as part of the plan, I used papers, washi, and a notebook that I already had on hand. I did buy some new stamps because I didn't have anything that would work well in my stash. If you want, grab a discarded notebook or extra sketch pad or an old book to alter and join me in making a wellness journal from your stash. Below, I'll talk about the appeal of timeboxing.

Goal Setting

Some people like to set goals and have trackers in their journals. Others like to use it as a kind of 'check-in' to see how they are feeling. This can be a good way to see how their sleep, eating, and energy levels are affected.  It can also be used for very specific fitness and food tracking. This can include lists and charts or narratives explaining what they did. The data can be recorded for the day or by each workout or meal. Mine is always a work in progress and is very different from one I made a few years ago.  My life is different now. So are my needs. That is also why making a custom journal fits me better than purchasing a generic one. Plus, it will be easy to alter it if it needs tweaking.

When life isn't all rainbows and unicorns, find your happy place

Seven Dimensions of Wellness

The University of California at Riverside explains the seven dimensions of wellness on their website. This may help you think of specific areas that are important for you to include in your journal. The outlined dimensions are here. Your journal is a personal document for you.  Craft it in a way that makes sense and adds value to your life.

Gathering Thoughts and Supplies

Looking around the house, I found a few notebooks that were purchased at Target a long time ago. I chose one that was big enough for me to write everything in, yet manageable enough in size that I can take it with me in a large purse.

The next step was figuring out what I wanted to include. Also, keeping in mind what type of format made the most sense for the type of information that was being recorded. This is where Timeboxing comes into it.

What is Timeboxing?

I didn't know that this time-management tool had a name until very recently. It is a technique that I have used for years to help me get through tasks that I did not look forward to doing. For example, exercising. Or calling the cellphone company's customer service department about an inaccurate bill. It can be used for all to-do list items. Last year, I started using it for a freelance marketing job. It helped me organize the tasks that I had to do and gave them each a place on my calendar.  By scheduling tasks and marking out the time that I would allow for each activity, it made me be more efficient with my time. It is unlikely that I will get rid of my to-do lists because I really like them! However, it is another way for me to make sure I am able to address all of the things that need to get done in a day, week, month and even over the course of a year.

Here is an example of my Timeboxing schedule this week:

Example of Timeboxing - Working from home

You may be wondering why I need a Wellness Journal if I already have a planner.  The planner is great and helps me to have a general overview of what is scheduled for me and the people for whom I am responsible, or to whom I am responsible.  It doesn't address my specific personal situation. Over the past couple of years, I have not been taking very good care of myself. It is time for me to have a way to record the things that I know I need to track. For example, my water intake used to be 10 glasses of water a day. Now, it is closer to four. I used to exercise regularly. Currently, nada.

As I set up my Wellness Journal, I decided not to include timeboxing. Organizing and customizing it to my needs makes this a more useful resource.  It seemed like a good idea to consider it, though.  Sometime in the next week, I will post the journal and how it is geared towards my current life. I hope that you find it useful as you travel your own journey towards well-being.

My Happy Place

Every week, I choose different, colorful, markers to record information in my planner. Some weeks it is artsier than the planner spread pictured above. But, this is the authentic me. 

These are the markers I used this week in my planner:  

Kelly Creates - Small Brush Pens - Multi Color
Scrapbook.com