What is Bullet Journaling? An Introduction to the System

One of the most common ways to improve efficiency is to keep a to-do list.

But you know how that goes.

You keep track of upcoming tasks in a digital planner, keep thoughts and ideas on post-it notes, and write out random notes in an open-ended journal.

The thing is, writing all your thoughts in different locations like this makes organizing your daily routine inefficient…which is the exact opposite effect you want!

Fortunately, there are other daily planning methods to help you stay focused, committed, and motivated💡

Enter: bullet journalling. In this article, learn how bullet journalling can take your daily planning routine to the next level.

What Exactly Is A Bullet Journal?

[define: bullet journaling ]

You can view a bullet journal as part daily planner, part diary, and a chance to practice some written meditation.

And how does a simple journal do all this?

Well, bullet journaling turns the stream of constant thoughts and the chaos of modern life into a streamlined practice, assisting you to be more productive while also helping you reach your professional and personal goals.

An official bullet journal is divided into different sections to make journaling easy and efficient, but any old notebook will do as long as it’s a practical size to carry around with you.

If you don’t want to fork over the cash for a bullet journal, then this guide will help you create your own and fill it full of what’s upstairs in that busy mind of yours.

What Should I Be Putting In My Bullet Journal?

When it comes to what is written down, you can use a method called ‘rapid logging’.

Traditional note-taking takes time. The more complex the entry, the more time and effort is expended to make that note. And the more time that is spent, the more of a chore note-taking becomes. And the more of a chore it becomes, the less likely you are to note-take or the more likely you are to abandon it altogether.

(You see where this is going). 

This is where rapid logging comes in. Rapid logging is the language in which bullet journaling is written in. It entails trading full sentences for short phrases or keywords, adopting this shorthand form of journaling ensures maximum organization and efficiency.

A good bullet journal contains the below sections in the following order, all notated with rapid logging:

• Index: A section at the front of your bullet journal that serves as a table of contents. Here you can index page numbers and a symbol key that you can reference and update as your journal evolves over time.

• Future Log: This section is made up of about 4 pages that give a general overlook of the year ahead, future events, future goals, resolutions, and long-term tasks You can also throw in people’s birthdays, vacations, and any special upcoming events in this section of your bullet journal.

• Monthly Log: This is a 2-page section that comprises a calendar with a bird’s-eye view of every month and a task page to outline the things you wish to tackle throughout the month. 

• Daily Log: Last and definitely most important is the daily log, a simple but concise and easy to read day-to-day to-do list.

As mentioned, a symbol key is a useful tool to organize your bullet journal. While it’s a great idea to come up with a key containing symbols that resonate with you, here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Tasks: ↠

Notes: ↝

Events: ⇼

Priorities: ⇴

Inspirations/Mantras/Insights/Quotes: ↯

Ideas: ↣

Add, change, and modify these symbols as required. You’ll get used to them and they help you immediately get a feel of what is coming up and where you need to direct your attention. Many people opt for color-coding their entries for the same exact reason. 

Now that’s sorted, let’s take a look at how bullet journaling can help you stay super organized.

What Are The Benefits Of Bullet Journaling?

There are many benefits to keeping a bullet journal:

• All-in-one solution for planning, sketching, and note-taking. Bullet journals provide a single place to write down all your thoughts, inspirations, upcoming, tasks, goals, and basically anything that matters to you. This may even be how you are feeling on a day-to-day basis.

• Condenses and organize to-do lists. If you are the type to keep to-do lists in all sorts of different places, then a bullet journal is a great place to condense all these lists into one single place. It makes it much easier to stay focused and on track to ticking off your most important goals. By having one place for everything, a bullet journal ensures that you aren’t likely to forget anything. It’s comforting to know that all you need to do is grab your bullet journal to see exactly what’s happening in your life. 

• Encourages prioritization. Bullet journaling also encourages you to get those hard-to-do tasks done so you can move onto more enjoyable pursuits. There are few things more satisfying than crossing tasks off a to-do list. And keeping a bullet journal gives you the opportunity to do this on a daily basis. Your to-do list can entail anything, from meager chores such as making your bed to more pressing ones like putting the finishing touches on a work project that is due to be submitted next week. And keeping all things in one place to tick off as you go is super encouraging and motivating.

• Sparks creative energy and self-expression. Writing in a journal is also a great way to tap into your creative mind. It encourages flow and inspiration that otherwise can be hard to access. As you write out whatever is on your mind during the day into the various sections of your journal, you may start to explore thoughts that you hadn’t been aware of before. 

• Boosts self-awareness. Maybe a new diet is something you’d like to try next, maybe you explore the idea of visiting a place you’d really like to visit, or perhaps you realize there is somebody in your life you’re missing and this becomes clear by writing down your thoughts.

The Wrap Up

Writing down your daily tasks and thoughts go way beyond just making a simple to-do list. Bullet journaling will allow you to go further than this. Journaling in this manner encourages you to look ahead at the bigger picture. 

Maybe bullet journaling makes it clear you’d like to spend more time at the gym, more time in the great outdoors, or more time with family. Whatever it is in your life that is a pressing issue, journaling in this format will bring these wants to the forefront and make them feel much more accomplishable.

So, are you ready to get bullet journaling?