Many people get a little overwhelmed when it comes to creating their own bullet journal - I think it might be as there are so many options on who you can include, what the layout and content can be, that it can be a little daunting. But fear not! Once you know how to approach it, the world of bullet journaling will open up to you in the most wonderful way. Let's look at some tips and tricks to get you started.
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Of all the journaling methods around, the bullet journal is the easiest but with the most confusion surrounding it. You may have seen a bullet journal before and thought that you could do it, only to find they require more work than you can deal with at the time.
The truth is, once you know how to make your own bullet journal and use it properly, you can create an effective way to organise your life. Here are some simple steps to making and using a bullet journal effectively.
A bullet journal is different to most types of journals. The initial setup is to determine what you'll track in your journal and what symbols you will use.
Deciding your Bullet Journal Key
A bullet journal is different to most types of journals. The initial setup is to determine what you'll track in your journal and what symbols you will use.
A bullet, for example, may simply be to log something you need to do. You may then want to use an asterisk to mark something that is a long-term goal. This will continue until you have a symbol for everything you want to track, such as your daily to-do list, long-term goals, short-term goals, and even financial goals.
You will need to put these symbols in a Key to track what you are doing.
An excellent way to get started is to sit down and say out loud what kind of things I want to track in my journal, and then take a moment to think about what symbol I would like to use for it. Once I've brainstormed, I will then write down the list and make a Bullet Journal Key outlining what I will use. You' be creating codes for things like this:
- To-Do List
- Long Term Goals
- Self Improvement
- Important Actions To Take
You get the gist. Of course, you can assign whatever symbol you like but make sure they really resonate with you - and are easy to draw!
Awesome Blank Daily Journals you might like
Other things you might like to add to your bullet journals
One of the reasons people love bullet journaling and choose to use it over a standard planner is flexibility. You'll be using a blank notebook for your journal, which means you can add pages and spreads for literally anything you wish. Here are a few of the most common things people add to their bullet journals:
- Daily log
- Weekly spreads
- Daily Spread
- Monthly spread
- Habit tracker
- Meal planning
- Monthly goals
- Task list
- Future log
- Monthly calendar
- Gratitude log
There are so many more things you could add to your bullet journals. I'll be adding a massive list with lots of ideas very soon.
When do I use my bullet journal?
Like everything else, this is up to you, but the more you use it, the more benefit you will get from it.
Strive to use this daily, most likely at the start of the day, so you can plan and get those proverbial ducks in a row.
Bullet journals are a great way to stay productive while staying on the go. You can get started if you have something to write with and have some paper! There is no need for fancy accessories if you don't want them; all that matters is the contents of your bullet journal.
Schedule time to update your journal. After all, no productivity method works unless you put effort into it. Cross off items on your daily and monthly logs as you complete them. Write page numbers on the bottom of each page, and update your Index. Many BuJo enthusiasts do a monthly or quarterly review, reflecting on what they accomplished and their future goals and transferring items from one log to the next.
Great, but how will a bullet journal help me?
Your Bullet Journal will not replace your smartphone. I might die without immediate access to podcasts, but phones can't contain everything, not in one visual place anyway. And you can't save the information on your phone as you can within a book spine. Once a Bullet Journal is complete, it lives on your shelf with what will eventually become a lifetime of others, and you'll have the best bird's eye view of your life that no technology can match.
Really, your journal will help you feel more organised. When you feel more organised, you feel more in control, and when you feel in control, you feel less anxious, overwhelmed and stressed and well... who doesn't want that?!
With a well set up bullet journal you will:
- Declutter your mind
- Organise your goals, tasks, and anything you need to accomplish!
- Feel more in control
What have you got to lose? I will mention that a bullet journal is typically used to organise and meet your goals. You can also use a bullet journal for other things, but you might find it easier to start with this in mind.
This has been a super quick introduction to bullet journaling. I do have a huge 101 bullet journal blog series coming up soon. So, keep an eye out for that!
