I\u2019ve always loved journaling and I can\u2019t count how many notebooks I have spread all over the house. If tasks are not on a list, they simply won\u2019t get done. So when I found Ryder Carroll\u2019s bullet journal system (BuJo for short), I immediately fell in love. <\/p>\n
So just what is a \u201cbullet journal\u201d, anyway? I\u2019d love to summarize this super-easy system here for you and show you some of the basics. You can also find links to Ryder\u2019s official Bullet Journal resources below! <\/p>\n
Ryder calls this the \u201canalog system for a digital age.\u201d That right there hooked me. I\u2019m tired of using multiple apps on my phone to track and organize my life (which actually made things more chaotic), I want less screen-time and I adore writing by hand. Perfect, perfect, perfect.<\/p>\n
Before we dive into the \u201chow\u201d, let\u2019s take a quick look at the \u201cwhy\u201d. On the surface, the BuJo is simply a system to allow you to rapidly track and organize your life using a simple bullet system in any notebook. <\/p>\n
But it\u2019s SO much more than that. When I say this system has changed me, I don\u2019t mean it\u2019s made me more organized (although it\u2019s definitely done that!). I mean I am more \u201cinto\u201d my life, more mindful of myself, more grateful<\/a>, and more connected to my goals for the future. I\u2019m no longer walking through life reacting to things — I\u2019m purposefully and intentionally planning, dreaming and reflecting. I\u2019m truly happier and feel more positive about my life.<\/p>\n Ryder started this system out of a desire to reduce distraction and lead a more intentional life. Listen to him speak on this topic here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Here\u2019s where I send you over to the best \u201cGetting Started\u201d guide out there — Ryder\u2019s website at bulletjournal.com<\/a>. Click on \u201cStart\u201d at the top and scroll through that page. I also highly recommend watching his overview video here<\/a>!<\/p>\n The Bullet Journal has a couple of key concepts: Rapid logging, Modules and Migration.<\/p>\n Rapid Logging<\/b> Modules<\/b> The Index is exactly what it sounds like and keeps all of your important collections and logs organized so you can find them later. The Future log is a great way to capture all of the events, tasks and other entries that are coming up a few months down the line. When you capture them here, it\u2019s really easy to move them over to the Monthly log when that month comes up. Here\u2019s how my Future Log looks before I\u2019ve added entries:<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Your Monthly log is a simple page with the dates and days of the week listed down the left-hand side. You will add any big tasks, events, appointments and so on here so that you can then refer to it when you\u2019re making your Weekly log and Daily logs. (Note – the \u201cWeekly log\u201d is not something that was originally described with the Bullet Journal system, but many people use it so I\u2019ve included a photo of how mine is laid out below.)<\/p>\n Monthly Log: <\/a><\/p>\n The Daily Log is the heart of the BuJo and where you\u2019ll spend most of your time. I want to stress that when you start your BuJo you really should stick to a simple layout (the header\/date and your bullet list). As you discover patterns to your day, you could add things like a daily tracker, a gratitude section, a place to jot down memories from the day, etc. Here\u2019s how mine has evolved. It takes me very little time to draw this out and fill it in, but sometimes I revert back to the simplest format if I am pressed for time or not feeling well.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Collections<\/b> <\/a><\/p>\n Migration<\/b> You just need a notebook and a pen. That\u2019s it. Any notebook and any pen will do.<\/p>\n That being said\u2026 many of us have become quite enamored with specific types of notebooks, pens, markers, planners, washi tapes, etc. You can check out the tools I personally use here<\/a>, but just remember that you don\u2019t need all of this. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The BuJo has sparked an amazing community of all types of bullet journalists using this system in countless ways and supporting one another by sharing ideas. College students may use it for scheduling and studying, small business owners may use it for goal planning, parents may use it for creating memories and reducing stress. Many people use it for all these things and much more. It\u2019s useful for anyone and adaptable for anything.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll find thriving communities on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook where photos of spreads are inspiring eye candy. Many bullet journalists get very creative with their journals — others revel in being as minimalistic as possible, sticking to the very bare-bones basics of the system. No matter how you use your bullet journal, you\u2019re sure to find like-minded bullet journalists from all over the globe to connect with.<\/p>\n Everyone does this differently, but it\u2019s best to try to use your BuJo every day, especially for the first few weeks to get into the groove. You just need a few minutes! I write in mine at night, documenting things that happened during the day and then setting up the next day (or week if it\u2019s Sunday). I find it calms me and is a great way to end my day.<\/p>\n Others start their day with the BuJo and then wrap things up at night. If your day is super busy and things are flying at you all the time, it might be best to keep it nearby to jot new appointments down, make notes of new ideas, or also just to capture a quick memory you don\u2019t want to forget!<\/p>\n The real beauty of this system is how customizable it is. You really can use any type or size of notebook, pens, and other supplies to make it truly your own. I learned early into the journaling process that I wanted to be able to have lots of different \u201csections\u201d and that it felt more natural for me to have removable pages. The Index method of bullet journaling is genius, but I struggled with it, so I moved to a disc-based planner and I have loved it! I still rapid log, create a future log, dailies, collections, etc — I just do it inside a planner. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I hope this introduction to the Bullet Journal system has raised your curiosity and sparked your interest to try it! I\u2019d love to hear if you have any questions! You can leave a comment below or email me at jess@pineconepapers.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n \nResources Linked in this Post:<\/b> I\u2019ve always loved journaling and I can\u2019t count how many notebooks I have spread all over the house. If tasks are not on a list, they simply won\u2019t get done. So when I found Ryder Carroll\u2019s bullet journal system (BuJo for short), I immediately fell in love. So just what is a \u201cbullet journal\u201d, anyway? I\u2019d love to summarize this super-easy system here for you and show you some of the basics. You can also find links to Ryder\u2019s official Bullet Journal resources below! Ryder calls this the \u201canalog system for a digital age.\u201d That right there hooked me. I\u2019m tired of using multiple apps on my phone to track and organize my life (which actually made things more chaotic), I want less screen-time and I adore writing by hand. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Why Start a Bullet Journal? Before we dive into the \u201chow\u201d, let\u2019s take a quick look at the \u201cwhy\u201d. On the surface, the BuJo is simply a system to allow you to rapidly track and organize your life using a simple bullet system in any notebook. But it\u2019s SO much more than that. When I say this system has changed me, I don\u2019t mean it\u2019s made me more organized (although it\u2019s definitely done that!). I mean I am more \u201cinto\u201d my life, more mindful of myself, more grateful, and more connected to my goals for the future. I\u2019m no longer walking through life reacting to things — I\u2019m purposefully and intentionally planning, dreaming and reflecting. I\u2019m truly happier and feel more positive about my life. Ryder started this system out of a desire to reduce distraction and lead a more intentional life. Listen to him speak on this topic here! The Basics – How to Get Started with a Bullet Journal Here\u2019s where I send you over to the best \u201cGetting Started\u201d guide out there — Ryder\u2019s website at bulletjournal.com. Click on \u201cStart\u201d at the top and scroll through that page. I also highly recommend watching his overview video here! The Bullet Journal has a couple of key concepts: Rapid logging, Modules and Migration. Rapid Logging The key is to get your tasks, events, ideas and the like down as quickly and easily as possible in bullet form. There are specific bullets for different types of entries, and you can add a little \u201cextra\u201d to your list with signifiers such as stars and exclamation points. Modules The four modules are the way to keep all of your entries organized. They consist of: The Index The Future Log The Monthly Log The Daily Log The Index is exactly what it sounds like and keeps all of your important collections and logs organized so you can find them later. The Future log is a great way to capture all of the events, tasks and other entries that are coming up a few months down the line. When you capture them here, it\u2019s really easy to move them over to the Monthly log when that month comes up. Here\u2019s how my Future Log looks before I\u2019ve added entries: Your Monthly log is a simple page with the dates and days of the week listed down the left-hand side. You will add any big tasks, events, appointments and so on here so that you can then refer to it when you\u2019re making your Weekly log and Daily logs. (Note – the \u201cWeekly log\u201d is not something that was originally described with the Bullet Journal system, but many people use it so I\u2019ve included a photo of how mine is laid out below.) Monthly Log: Weekly Log: The Daily Log is the heart of the BuJo and where you\u2019ll spend most of your time. I want to stress that when you start your BuJo you really should stick to a simple layout (the header\/date and your bullet list). As you discover patterns to your day, you could add things like a daily tracker, a gratitude section, a place to jot down memories from the day, etc. Here\u2019s how mine has evolved. It takes me very little time to draw this out and fill it in, but sometimes I revert back to the simplest format if I am pressed for time or not feeling well. Collections Everything in your bullet journal is a collection. All of your logs are collections and you can index them as such. But other types of \u201ccollections\u201d make the BuJo really come alive. My favorites are usually lists, trackers and mind-maps. There are endless ideas for collections, but some of the more popular include things like a savings tracker, bucket lists, gratitude logs and meal planning ideas. Here are some of my recent collections! Migration Migration is just the act of moving tasks from one area to another so that they will be completed. Most migration happens monthly or weekly, while other tasks need to be migrated to the next daily log. BuJo Tools and Supplies You just need a notebook and a pen. That\u2019s it. Any notebook and any pen will do. That being said\u2026 many of us have become quite enamored with specific types of notebooks, pens, markers, planners, washi tapes, etc. You can check out the tools I personally use here, but just remember that you don\u2019t need all of this. \ud83d\ude42 Joining the Bullet Journal Community The BuJo has sparked an amazing community of all types of bullet journalists using this system in countless ways and supporting one another by sharing ideas. College students may use it for scheduling and studying, small business owners may use it for goal planning, parents may use it for creating memories and reducing stress. Many people use it for all these things and much more. It\u2019s useful for anyone and adaptable for anything. You\u2019ll find thriving communities on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook where photos of spreads are inspiring eye candy. Many bullet journalists get very creative with their journals — others revel in being as minimalistic as possible, sticking to the very bare-bones basics of the system. No matter how you use your bullet journal, you\u2019re sure to find like-minded bullet journalists from all over the globe to connect with. When to Use Your Bullet Journal Everyone does this differently, but it\u2019s best to try to use your BuJo every day, especially for the first few weeks to get into the groove. You just need a few minutes! I write in mine at night, documenting things that happened during the day and then setting up the next day (or week if it\u2019s Sunday). I find it calms me and is a great way to end my day. Others start their day with the BuJo and then wrap things up at night. If your day is super busy and things are flying at you all the time, it might be best to keep it nearby to jot new appointments down, make notes of new ideas, or also just to capture a quick memory you don\u2019t want to forget! Making the Bullet Journal Your Own The real beauty of this system is how customizable it is. You really can use any type or size of notebook, pens, and other supplies to make it truly your own. I learned early into the journaling process that I wanted to be able to have lots of different \u201csections\u201d and that it felt more natural for me to have removable pages. The Index method of bullet journaling is genius, but I struggled with it, so I moved to a disc-based planner and I have loved it! I still rapid log, create a future log, dailies, collections, etc — I just do it inside a planner. \ud83d\ude09 I hope this introduction to the Bullet Journal system has raised your curiosity and sparked your interest to try it! I\u2019d love to hear if you have any questions! You can leave a comment below or email me at jess@pineconepapers.com. Resources Linked in this Post: Visit bulletjournal.com Watch the overview video “How to Bullet Journal” How to Lead an Intentional Life – Ryder\u2019s Ted Talk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":273,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"yoast_head":"\nThe Basics – How to Get Started with a Bullet Journal<\/h3>\n
\nThe key is to get your tasks, events, ideas and the like down as quickly and easily as possible in bullet form. There are specific bullets for different types of entries, and you can add a little \u201cextra\u201d to your list with signifiers such as stars and exclamation points.<\/p>\n
\nThe four modules are the way to keep all of your entries organized. They consist of:<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/a>
\nWeekly Log:<\/p>\n
\nEverything in your bullet journal is a collection. All of your logs are collections and you can index them as such. But other types of \u201ccollections\u201d make the BuJo really come alive. My favorites are usually lists, trackers and mind-maps. There are endless ideas for collections, but some of the more popular include things like a savings tracker, bucket lists, gratitude logs and meal planning ideas. Here are some of my recent collections!<\/p>\n
\nMigration is just the act of moving tasks from one area to another so that they will be completed. Most migration happens monthly or weekly, while other tasks need to be migrated to the next daily log.<\/p>\nBuJo Tools and Supplies<\/h3>\n
Joining the Bullet Journal Community<\/h3>\n
When to Use Your Bullet Journal<\/h3>\n
Making the Bullet Journal Your Own<\/h3>\n
\nVisit bulletjournal.com<\/a>
\nWatch the overview video “How to Bullet Journal”<\/a>
\nHow to Lead an Intentional Life – Ryder\u2019s Ted Talk<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"