Are you in the zone?7:00am – wake up. 7:45am – catch the bus. 8:15am – school starts. 3:30pm – rush to practice. 5:30pm – home, shower, dinner. 7:00pm – homework. 10:00pm – bed. …wake up and start all over again!
If this schedule looks too familiar, you’re not alone. To get the most out of your hectic schedule, you might consider taking stock of your focus. Focus in school. Focus at practices or games. Focus at home. It all matters.
It doesn’t take long…ask yourself, “Where’s my head at?” “Am I in the zone?”
Over the last couple of months, I’ve been hearing about this new “fad” — BULLET JOURNALING. I was first introduced to the concept by a few clients who were using the journal for varying purposes. One athlete was using it as a planner and another to keep track of tasks around the house. One athlete even had her grocery list and meal planning for the week in one creative list. However, there was one use that I was particularly drawn to – mood tracking. I quickly realized how this tool could translate to other mental skills realms: focus, motivation, confidence. A simple color choice or distinguishable mark could track how your days varied from one to the next.
This is one example of a mood tracker…
Instagram: @fischrjournals
And this is how a mood tracker can transform into a focus tracker…
If you look back on a week and see too many ## or !!, maybe you want to take the time to revisit your current schedule and assess what tools you have to use to shift into the @@@ [focused and ready]zone.
Being able to identify and acknowledge your focus and concentration, amongst other mental skills, is the first step in making changes. If your focus is off because you’re too hyped up, maybe take a moment to do some deep breathing on the sidelines. If your focus is off because you’re tired, try using music to get your head in the game.
Don’t forget – you are in control.
Take the time. Take action. Get in the zone.
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Are you interested in making your own mood or focus tracker but aren’t sure how to get started? Consider these steps:
Print a few pages from this grid page template: https://www.waterproofpaper.com/graph-paper/graph-paper-quarter-inch.pdf
Make a 12 (months in a year) x 31 (possible number of days in a month) grid
Decide which key works for you!
Examples:
Color
Green – energetic, focused
Orange – overly energetic, not focused
Red – angry, frustrated
Purple – lazy, tired
Blue – indifferent, not overly energetic but not feeling down
Symbols
!!! – overly energized
@ – focused and ready to go
# – distracted, not in the game
Letters (similar to the grading system)
A
B
C
D
Want to explore more options for bullet journaling? You’ve guessed it; the internet has so many resources. Here are a few that I find to be particularly helpful.
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