Traveling with a Bullet Journal has made all the difference.

I have very wise, very resourceful, very on-top-of-it female friends. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have a bunch of women smarter and stronger than me around at all times! One of these awesome women in my life recently introduced me to the idea of a Bullet Journal. This particular bestie is always developing and refining the best methods for productivity that work for her and when she first told me about the Bullet Journal, I wasn’t that into it, because the Bullet Journal system is analog and I’ve always been a digital girl. But then, two important things happened: the first is that I saw her using it and I was majorly intrigued. Even though my system has always been digital, I’ve done much long-form journaling in a notebook. And I like notebooks. And pens. And pretty papers.

The second was that she told me to look up some “Bullet Journal porn” – which is totally a thing – on the net. BuzzFeed had a few articles about it and Pinterest has LOADS of BuJo (the slang, of course) images. So, I listened to her, because she’s a wise lady, and I did look it up, and I got obsessed.

Before I go on, the first thing you should do is hop on over to the site of the creator of the Bullet Journal system, Ryder Carroll, at BulletJournal.com. Ryder has a brief but really informative video giving the basics of the system. I could explain it myself, but who could do better than the founder of the whole system? Jump over and take a look!

….waiting….waiting….eating chips while waiting….

Okay, now that you’re back, I can tell you why I love the system so much for travelers! As you saw in the video, the Bullet Journal system isn’t complicated. At its core, it’s about using a notebook as the ultimate customizable planner and task management system. You use a series of notations to distinguish tasks, events, notes and whatever else you may need and you create calendars for yourself based on what you want.

Pre-made planners never did it for me, because they never had everything I needed (hence why I was a digital girl – the internet actually does have everything I need!). But the beauty of the Bullet Journal system for me was that I could not only create a planner and task management system, I could also use it as my long-form journaling notebook when I go traveling. And I could keep EVERYTHING travel I wanted to in it. This is why I think the Bullet Journal is the best thing since sliced bread for travelers – we’re notorious memory makers and we also have to be at least a bit organized to hop from place to place. The Bullet Journal is a traveler’s best friend!

Because the Bullet Journal is totally, 110% customizable, it can become exactly what you want. Let me show you some of the ways I use my Bullet Journal (which is now the love of my life and goes with me everywhere) to keep my sanity on the road.

How I use my Bullet Journal to stay sane while traveling

1. I log simple, daily tasks

Excuse my terrible writing (you’re going to get a headache if you try to read it). As you can see, this is an entry for Friday, January 13, 201. In the middle of the page are my simple tasks for the day. When something came in my head, I wrote it down, and it helped get it OUT of my head. Which helped CLEAR my head. Which helps me not lose my shit all the time on the road.

2. I track habits

This is something a lot of Bullet Journalers do. It’s a simple grid with days of the month going across the top and habits goign down the side. As you get through each day, you check of the habits you managed well that day. Some of mine include “Meditate” (which I suck at), “Exercise” (which I don’t even know why I put on the list because I do it every day anyway – it’s who I am) and “Read” (which forces me to read something other than work-related stuff, if even just for a few minutes a day).

3. I have a place for gratitude

I couldn’t show you my completed gratitude log from last month (because it said things like “cute boys” and “chocolate all the time”), but this is what my gratitude log looks like – as you can see, it’s really simple! Just days of the month down the side, and then I write in each night a little thing I was grateful for that day. It works wonders for making me feel calm and centered and happy, and, well, grateful!

4. I have random pages of things that make me happy

Places (yet) to travel, books to read, movies to watch. I have spaces for all this stuff in my Bullet Journal – so I can get it out of my head! And it’s nice to have a book that’s my “everything book!” That’s one of the reasons its become the love of my life.

5. I calendar

I create the most basic calendars for my future planning in my Bullet Journal. It’s actually kind of calming and relaxing to sit down at the end of every month and have everything I need in front of me for the next one. I also really like the clean lines (cuz I’m a nerd).

6. I food log (and keep track of how I feel based on what I eat)

I’m a delicate fucking flower. It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is. I get really tired or dehydrated or cranky if I’m not carefully watching what I eat. I’m still not very good at it, but the BuJo helps a LOT! All it took was creating a simple page like this to jot down what I’m eating and how I’m feeling. (Please don’t judge me for my shitty, all-over-the-place diet this week!)

7. I journal my heart out

At the end of every day of logging tasks, I sit down and write long-form journal entries with my Bullet Journal. This is one of my favorite things about the system: it’s built however you want! I don’t know a lot of other Bullet Journalers that do the long-form thing, but to me, it feels perfect to have everything I need or want or think right there!

As you can see, my Bullet Journal LITERALLY contains my life. I also have travel plans and doodles and loads of other things in it (but NOT doodles that say “Mrs. Anjali Timberlake or anything…). If you are at all a journaler or planner or even traveler looking for a new system, I’d highly encourage you to try it!

Essential oils are life. No, really, they are. I’m a big believer in natural and holistic medicine versus traditional western medicine, and essential oils play a huge role in my regular care routine. I use them for pain, stress, insomnia and so much more, but recently I’ve learned to love them all over again for travel. We already talked about how getting an oil diffuser necklace can help you calm your nerves on your next flight, but which ones should you carry with you? You don’t want to pack on extra pounds in your luggage, so picking the most essential (pun-intended) oils will help you travel light. Below are the six oils I think will serve nearly any purpose you’ll have on the plane, when traveling, or even when you’re hanging out back at your home base.

1. Peppermint Oil

Did you ever have a teacher tell you to suck on a peppermint before a big exam? That’s because peppermint is excellent at improving focus. It’s also known to relieve tension headaches, and it is my personal favorite oil for this exact reason. Just massage a few drops of the oil on your temples to help mitigate the symptoms of your pain. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, peppermint’s active ingredient, menthol, has been known to thin mucus and loosen phlegm, making it a perfect sidekick for alleviating the symptoms of a cold or flu. It also has a soothing effect when applied topically to the skin, which can come in handy if all that traveling irritates your skin.

2. Lavender or Sandalwood Oil

It’s no secret that lavender oil is excellent at promoting relaxation and melting away your stress, but it can also promote deep restful sleep when used in aromatherapy. The compounds in lavender make it naturally antifungal, which means it is great to have on hand to ward off any on the road fungal infections, and can also be used to combat the symptoms of eczema and acne. Another essential oil that exhibits similar properties is sandalwood oil. This oil has been known to have strong antiviral and antiseptic properties, and is often touted as being one of the best first aid oils for travellers to carry around. Sandalwood also has antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties, making it great for anyone suffering from regular muscle spasms or nerve pain, or anyone who might experience regular skin and joint inflammation.

3. Cinnamon Oil

Cinnamon is one of my favorite smells in the entire universe, mostly because it reminds me of snickerdoodles and chai. But, it’s also pretty great to walk around with a little dab of cinnamon oil behind your ears and neck instead of a chemically-laden perfume. Aside from the smell benefits, cinnamon oil used in a diffuser or ingested orally can be beneficial in boosting heart health, controlling blood sugar and improving insulin resistance, fighting parasites, soothing a sore throat, and acting as a natural deodorizer for your person or your personal belongings more prone to icky smells (think: running shoes).

4. Clove Oil

If you hate bees and other buzzing, whizzing insects, you are going to love clove oil. Bees, wasps and even flies tend to hate the smell of cloves and will do anything they can to stay away from them. If insects aren’t your concern but you have been suffering from tooth pain, good news! Cloves have long been an ayurvedic remedy for gum disease and toothache. The oil also has tons of antioxidants which when absorbed via diffused molecules in the air can help fight off free radicals. For me, just like cinnamon oil, clove oil naturally makes me feel a little less homesick because it reminds me of the chai my dad used to make for me growing up. It smells amazing, and it will definitely help you with nerves if lavender isn’t one of your favorite scents.

5. Lemon Oil

Most commercial cleaning products are jam-packed with lemon or orange as scent boosters, and it isn’t just because they are aromatically pleasing. Citrus based oils act as nature’s natural disinfectants and help keep the things around you squeaky clean. Aside from giving the toilet seat a quick once over with a little lemon oil and a rag, this oil can be amazing as a natural boost to your travel detergent. It’s also great for skin (especially for those who have been looking for a natural astringent that really works!) and can help you get stronger, healthier hair. Internally, lemon oil can help alleviate the symptoms of nausea and can work to help you get rid of your cramps and indigestion. It’s a natural immune booster, too!

6. Eucalyptus or Tea Tree

There are two types of people in this world. Those who love eucalyptus and those who swear by tea tree. Whichever group you fall into, having one of these two oils in your travel kit will be an excellent decision. If you’re prone to colds and flus, eucalyptus might be a better solution for you than tea tree. It’s known to help open up your airways, reduce mucus, and fight off the microorganisms that attack your body when you’re sick. It is also perfect for those who regularly suffer from sinuses, and work wonders as a natural wound cleanser. On the other hand, tea tree oil is just as potent and has been making waves in the beauty world due to its natural acne-fighting power. But, more than surface level solutions, tea tree goes deeper to help you ward off cold sores, fight congestion and respiratory infections, get rid of fungal infections, ease irritation from psoriasis and other skin conditions like insect bites and sunburns, and relieve your earache. Overall, these two oils are perfect as all-in-one first aid and wellness solutions, and you’ll be glad you kept one (or both) of them with you.

Essential Oils Are All About You!

At the end of the day, any of the above six oils (okay, maybe eight – I couldn’t pick!) will be great additions to your travel wellness case. If you’re new to the essential oil game, I suggest starting with eucalyptus, peppermint, and clove for a compact, works-for-everything kit. But, of course, building your essential kit is all about picking the oils that will work best for you, so take some time to consider how you’ll be using the oils in your travels!

Have you ever wanted to quit your job and travel the world?

I’m assuming, if you’re reading The LITMO Life, the thought has crossed your mind. 🙂

Since I’m so passionate about this lifestyle, I’ve just completed my first book designed to give you all the resources you need to actually quit your job and travel the world – and start designing the exact life you want, not the life you think you should be living!

So, why did I quit my job to travel?

Because I thought there should be more to life than going into an office, going home, and doing it all again until we die.

Traveling was, of course, an important part of the reason I felt I needed to be free of my traditional office job. It didn’t make sense to me that out of every 52 weeks, most of us got just 2 weeks of vacation. It also didn’t make sense to me that we worked 5 days out of 7, and we were expected to cram the rest of our “lives” into our evenings and weekends. In the few nightly hours after work and on the two days of a normal weekend, we were supposed to: see friends and family, do household errands, pursue hobbies, work on side projects, and get enough rest and relaxation to be ready for work on Monday again.

If this was the system, I often thought to myself, the system was broken.

Was it any wonder, then, that so many of the statuses on my Facebook and Twitter feeds were about sleeping, crying, or drinking through the work week?

It seemed that so many of us were unhappy with the way we lived our lives, but so few of us were willing to do anything about it.

So after I quit and started living the life of my dreams, I really wanted to help other people do the same!

In this book, you’ll learn everything you need to know to quit your job & travel the world, including:

• How to leave without burning any bridges
• The preparations you should be making three months, two months, and one month out
• How to pack and what you’ll need
• How to choose your first destination
• How to make a sustainable income to keep traveling long-term
• And so much more!

If you’ve ever considered traveling the world, full-time, on your own schedule, this book is a must-have.

Check it out now on Amazon – you can get it in Kindle or paperback!