There are many methods and tips that promise to improve productivity, and one of the most fashionable of them is the bullet journal. Both stylish and practical, go onto Instagram and you are guaranteed to see endless photos of journal pages so beautiful that they could be considered as A5-sized works of art. But bullet journals are more than just an art project. They’re a tool that can help encourage mindfulness and make even the chronically scatterbrained at least a little more organised.
What Are Bullet Journals?
The bullet journal method revolves around bullet points – hence the name – a simple key system to keep things organised. Using the bullet point system, you can write down anything and everything: tasks, notes, events, anything you can think of.
The three main pages are the daily log, for everyday tasks (e.g. to-do lists), the monthly log, for planning in the month (e.g. appointments), and the future log, for planning on a scale of the next 6 months (e.g. birthdays). Of course, most people don’t stick to just those pages. You can dedicate pages to any number of things. Popular page ideas include mood trackers, habit trackers, and pages for random thoughts.
Why Are Bullet Journals So Popular?
One of the biggest advantages of the bullet journal is its simplicity. All you need to start is a notebook, a pen, and maybe a ruler if you want to be tidy. Forget fancy-pants moleskine dotted journals – a grid or lined notebook will do just fine.
Another advantage is its flexibility. You can add or change the system to suit your liking. I like to see my day laid out, so instead of making a to-do list, I prefer to make a timetable for each day, and a single to-do list for the whole week. The biggest reason for the bullet journal’s social media success is definitely the potential to get creative. The beautiful pages that people make are perfect for sharing on social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.
A bullet journal can do wonders for your organisation. It is so flexible that anything can go in there, from reading lists to random thoughts, keeping everything neatly contained in one notebook. It has allowed me to work more efficiently, as I can easily see what I have planned for the day.
Bullet journaling can help your mental health. By tracking your days, you can identify patterns, and writing in the journal is a very mindful activity, as you can consider your actions and priorities and see them laid out on the page, instead of all your thoughts getting muddled in your brain.
How To Make a Bullet Journal Work For You
Although a bullet journal can be beneficial, many people find it difficult to maintain one and end up quitting. The beauty of bullet journaling is that it’s personal to you, workout your own unique method and run with it. Here are some tips to keep in mind when starting a bullet journal.
KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid!
It’s easy to be drawn to bullet journaling by photos of meticulous and elaborate pages, the kind you see all over Pinterest, but in reality, it is near impossible to keep up with such standards. The pressure for every page to be a work of art and the fear of making a mistake are two of the most common reasons that people quit their bullet journals. So, when starting out your journal, remember KISS. If a bare and boring journal page fills your heart with sadness, get some stickers or washi tape to beautify a page a little bit, but leave the fancy stuff for later. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Remember, mistakes can be easily concealed with Tippex or a strategically placed sticker.
Start With The Basics
In addition to not getting too carried away with decoration, avoid making loads of pages of lists and habit trackers when starting out. You can go nuts later but start simple and get the hang of the bullet journal system first. Start with the basic pages first, then add and adapt things as you go. There’s nothing wrong with trying out a new layout from one week to the next or drawing up a page and not really using it. A bullet journal is designed to work for you, so you can change things to suit your own needs. Here is the most basic setup for you to get started with and adapt as you see fit.
What do you think?
Do you keep a bullet journal? Do you prefer to keep things aesthetic or austere? What kinds of pages do you have in your bullet journal? Leave a comment and let me know!
Abbie is a content creator, who is passionate about disability and queer rights. She also enjoys reading, watching films, and art.
