How a Bullet Journal Can Spring Clean Your Life
Have you jumped on the Bullet Journal craze yet? If all this spring cleaning has you motivated to work on cleaning up your own act, take a look at bullet journaling as a way to accomplish this goal.
If you're planning on putting a little work into yourself this spring, we might have just the tool you need. Bullet Journaling! You've never heard of a bullet journal, much less how it might help? Read on to learn more.
What is a Bullet Journal?
A bullet journal, also known as BuJo, is an organizational system that you customize fully to your needs. It is based on a simple bullet list with a couple of easy-to-use symbols and weekly, monthly, and yearly spreads to keep you on track. The bullet journal was created by Ryder Carrol. Through trial and error, he developed this system to keep himself focused and, in turn, productive.
What Do You Need For a Bullet Journal?
You will need a few items to start your bullet journal. First, a journal. Any old notebook will do, but it has been determined that the best is a dot-grid journal. Next, you will need a pen and a pencil.
That's it. In truth, those are the only things you must have to start your own bullet journal. Depending on how creative you are and how much time you have, you can always add decorative elements to your pages. In this case, multiple colored pens or pencils will come in handy for your artwork. You can also use stencils, washi tape, and other items that catch your eye in your own BuJo.
How Do You Set Up a Bullet Journal?
To begin with, you will need to set up your bullet journal with a few pages that are essential to keep you motivated and on track. First, include an index. This will help you to easily find where you have notated specific information. Also, consider including a key. Here is where you will determine which bullets you will use and what notations will work best for you.
Next, consider adding certain pages like an annual mood tracker, a books page, a movies/TV page, and anything else you want to track. After you get these setup, next will be the meat and potatoes of your BuJo--the calendars. Start your calendar section with the annual calendar. Along with this page, add your Future Log. The Future Log is a page that is sectioned out by month with upcoming events, appointments, and tasks listed by date under each month. You will add dates and events here when the pages for specific months haven't been made yet.
Your calendar section should include the annual calendar for reference. Each month, your opening spread should have the monthly calendar with any dates transferred over from the Future Log. The following pages will include your weekly calendar with more detailed information for each day.
Depending on how creative or minimalistic you want to be will determine how you will set up your pages. The minimalist will simply list the day and the tasks next to the date they are due. If you want something that looks a little more like a traditional calendar, you can draw out boxes for each day of the week to corral your daily information. There is no wrong way to do this.
Intentional Living
Starting a bullet journal won't be the end of your need to organize yourself and declutter your mind (and life). But it can be a jumping-off point. Add a gratitude page to your monthly spread. Write down something you are grateful for each day. Keep an eye on your mood with a monthly or annual tracker. Use different colors to symbolize your mood for the day.
Pick a day each month and each week to spend on you and your bullet journal. It's a great way to get to know yourself a little better while becoming more productive and focused on life. Brew yourself a pot of your favorite coffee or tea, light a lovely candle, gather all your journaling supplies, and sit with your own thoughts while working on your BuJo.
Let us know what you think about this new-ish journaling craze.