Bullet Journal: A beginner’s guide to being organized

If you have been hearing the term “bullet journal” thrown around, scroll below to know everything about it.

When you have heaps of tasks to complete, everyone tends to make lists at various places. But what if there was an easier system? Read on to find out how!

What is bullet journaling?

The bullet journal, devised by Ryder Carrol, is a planner and a diary that keeps your life organized under one notebook and helps you reach your goals and increase productivity.

It tracks your past, plans for your future and, most importantly, make the most of the present. Additionally, it encourages reflections on your goals, tasks and responsibilities.

Tools you need to get started

All you need is a blank notebook and a pen. If you would like to make it fancier, you can buy the official bullet journals. However, it is not necessary.

Key elements of a bullet journal

Before you start, you need to ask yourself a question: “What do you want the bullet journal to do for you”. Once you know the answer, you can get started.

The next step is setting up your bullet journal. Below are the four main elements to include:

• Index

A table of contents page put at the front of your notebook, it includes page numbers, descriptions and a symbol key. Add items that will need referring back to and not every single page that you add in your journal.

• Future Log

It is a yearly calendar that comprises of all your long-term goals, tasks and future events.

• Monthly Log

A two-page spread for each month, it contains your monthly events on one page and the tasks to complete on another page. You can use traditional calendar format also and add other tracking pages like finance, books, movies etc.

• Daily Log

The heart of your journal, it includes your daily tasks, events and any other daily notes.

To make things simpler, you can use rapid logging, wherein you use short phrases or keywords instead of full sentences.

Also for greater organization create a key that suits you or use the key recommended by Carrol, which are: Tasks (.), events (o), Notes (-), Priority (*) and Inspiration (!).

You can always look online for inspiration and ideas on bullet journaling. However, do not get overwhelmed or pressured into getting extremely creative at the beginning. Start with the basics, and as you get more acquainted, you can add more elements. And soon enough you will be a pro!