When was the last time you sat down and wrote in a journal?
In a world that is constantly growing more technologically advanced each day, the practice of using paper planners and journals has actually increased. Bullet journals especially have risen in fame over the last couple of years as journaling becomes trendy all over again.
No longer are they your simple diaries of bound lined paper to take your plain black pen to every night. These days bullet journals can truly be pocket-sized works of art. With all the details that go into creating a bullet journal, it can be somewhat intimidating to start for a journaling newbie. This article provides a complete guide to bullet journals, how to get started, and some ideas to inspire your creative spark.
What is Bullet Journaling?
Bullet journaling refers to a planner system that was developed by Ryder Carrol. Essentially a bullet journal is a blank notebook that provides a space to organize your work in a creative manner. When Carrol displayed this concept to the world, he explained it as a distinct methodology for organized planning while also flexibly practicing mindfulness.
Bullet journaling is a way to practice mindfulness
The original concept behind bullet journals was to provide a way to promote reflection and mindfulness while also getting things checked off your to-do list. Similar to simple journals, bullet journals are a way to record your thoughts and reflections in a detailed and organized manner. Whether you choose to add on a daily or weekly basis, writing in a bullet journal forces you to take the time out of your day to sit down away from the computer screen and rhythmically plan your days. They are the art canvases for organized minds.
Bullet journals help expand your flexibility.
A major difference between planners and bullet journals is flexibility. Many planners come already pre-designed with month and day layouts where you only need to fill in the space. On the other hand, bullet journals are completely blank giving you the freedom to design and customize it as you would like. This lets you decide what you want to track in your journal and how you want to display it. As a new journal enthusiast, when you have this much freedom with your work it can either be completely relieving or somewhat overwhelming. Starting small is a good way to dive into bullet journaling and learn what will work for your own personal life.
How to Get Started
So now that you’re convinced to go out and buy your first bullet journal, where do you go from there? Easy, just follow these first steps.
Decide on your intentions
The most important aspect of a bullet journal is that it benefits you. So the first step you should take when you are starting off is to really think about what you want from it. Are you looking to generally plan your days? Did you want to track habits throughout the week? Were you hoping to incorporate more reflection into your daily life? Once you decide what you want out of your bullet journal you can better plan for how to make it happen.
Now is also the time to plan how you want to use your bullet journal. Determine whether you want to add to it daily or weekly, or even just monthly. Once you know what your intentions are you can also choose a bullet journal layout that will best fit your needs.
Gather your supplies
Bullet journaling doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. At the most basic level, all you need is a journal and a pen. From there you can expand the creative possibilities with different colored pens, highlighters, markers, and Washi tape.
Learn the rapid logging system
The official language of bullet journaling is the rapid logging system. This is where you capture information in short, bulleted lists. Trade sentences for short keywords and abbreviations to make your information as concise as possible. Key to the core of bullet journaling, there is a collection of symbols that help you quickly and efficiently classify tasks, events, notes, and so on.
Start the basic collections
Collections refer to the sections of your bullet journal that will help you organize your planning. As a base for bullet journaling, the collections that every journal should have include:
- Index – This serves as a table of contents as well as an index of the symbols you use in your journal.
- Future Log – A four-page spread of the entire year for laying out future events, goals, birthdays, travel plans, and major holidays.
- Monthly log – A two-page spread of a traditional calendar’s month view.
- Daily log – For tracking your daily to-do lists and activities.
Bullet Journaling Inspiration
There are plenty of options for layouts to make your bullet journal work for your needs. Here are just a few to give you some inspiration when looking at that first blank notebook.
- Log your bills: Keep an eye on your budget more colorfully and less gloomily.
- Meal plan: Stick to a healthy diet by planning and organizing your weekly menus.
- Track habits: Start trying to stick to waking up with yoga and reading a chapter a day with a daily habit tracker.
- Lay out your goals: Plan the next ten years or even just the next few months and stick to your path to better reach your goals.
These days there are extensive Instagram accounts solely dedicated to planner layouts and journal design inspirations. If you are looking for some inspirational ideas for starting your first bullet journal, social media is an inspiring resource for jumping on the trend.
Whether you’re looking to get a better grip on the organization of your life or are just wanting a creative and mindful release, a bullet journal is a great way to start. The perfect combination of creative flexibility and organized precision, a bullet journal should be first on the list for any organizing guru.
Don’t worry about the details or designs, the most important characteristic of a bullet journal is that it’s effective for your own lifestyle. So grab your book and colorful pens, and start journaling!