Bullet journaling is a tool to know yourself and better your daily habits. While bullet journaling, I have realized that I come across many words that I don’t recognize. Instead of looking them up once and moving on to understand a text, I have started a habit of writing down words I don’t know.
I started this habit in my test bullet journal and really enjoyed it. Not only am I taking time out of my day to deeper my knowledge, but I am also working towards embedding a habit to create a snowball effect of positivity in my life and career.
I jot down words I have never seen before, words that I can’t spell and anything that I think would be useful for the future. Often times, I will come across words I have already written down. When this happens, I challenge my brain to remember the definition. If I succeed in my small test, I am not obligated to rewrite anything. If I miss the definition, then I will force myself to rewrite the word and definition.
This system of writing down definitions over and over is the same concept as snapping your wrist with a rubber band to break the habit of bitting your nails. It sucks at first but after a month of practice, you notice your nails starting to grow in stronger and faster than ever before.
This brain exercise is time consuming, especially if you are reading a scholarly article, but it is worth it. You become more intertwined in the reading and commit to knowing as much as you can about the text. In my research, I began to make deeper connections from a book to other books or real life situations that helped me widen my prospective of anything I do.
Despite much of its benefits, there is always going to be the blackhole of the internet. Never let your definitions be the procrastination of reading or studying something important. There have been many times when I found myself lost on the internet because of all the words I didn’t know and a paper I refuse to start.
There are so many words in the English Dictionary and it would be impossible to write down everything. Don’t make your goal writing down any and every definition you come across. Instead, focus in on what you hope to get out of writing out definitions. Let’s say your goal is to get into medical writing as a freelancer. As you research your topic, you come across a new prescription you never heard of before and think it will come in handy when writing your assignment. Jot it down.
Now, let’s say you have about two hours left for an essay due on the reproduction of bumblebees. You have been on the internet for about three hours already “getting your research.” You come across the specific named for a bee’s left wing and look for a pen to write it down. Don’t. In this example, bumblebee reproduction has more important components other than the specific name of wing. Plus, you only have two hours left! If you really find the need to jot it down, do it. While writing down the definition you should be thinking to yourself, “Why is this important” or “How does this word reflect my goals?”
Writing down words you don’t know is a beneficial habit that sets your brain in a mindset that welcomes challenges and entices knowledge over time. Always remember that learning never stops, unless you do. If you start writing down definitions in your journal, please don’t forget to share them with me on social media by tagging me! All my social media is below. Don’t forget to subscribe and like!
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