About two years in the past, I used to be going by means of a troublesome interval in my life. I desperately wanted one thing to assist me include the chaos. On a whim, I made a decision to begin a bullet journal. I first heard in regards to the idea by means of some mates who had not too long ago taken it up, and I’ll admit that I used to be initially apprehensive. Though I’ve at all times loved journaling as a technique to launch my ideas, bullet journaling is a little more concerned than protecting an ordinary diary. However earlier than I knew it, my bullet journal had change into my lifeline. It got here to function my planner, to-do listing, objective tracker, and a lot extra.
Whereas my previous journals served solely as a cathartic technique to dump my issues and ideas, my bullet journal helps me work by means of these ideas and keep centered on my habits and targets. Learn on to study extra in regards to the fundamentals of bullet journaling and the way I take advantage of this interest to remain centered and spend money on myself.
What Is Bullet Journaling?
A bullet journal (bujo for brief) is usually a clean or dot grid size-A5 journal. However it could fluctuate in dimension relying in your desire. (I’m presently utilizing a B5 journal that I really like.) There’s no set template, so that you select methods to beautify your journal and what stationery merchandise to make use of.
The great thing about bullet journaling is that it’s tailor-made to your particular wants. There’s no proper or flawed technique to do it, so your bullet journal may be something you need it to be. Earlier than getting began, take into consideration the aim you need your journal to serve. It could possibly be a diary, to-do listing, planner, private objective tracker, doodle sketchbook, or the entire above, relying on what you wish to get from it.
Here’s a fundamental framework to get began:
Yearly:
At first of a brand new bullet journal (usually in the beginning of the yr, however you can begin anytime), create a piece to your future intentions, targets, and aspirations. Usually referred to as a “future log,” this can be a place to notice what you wish to accomplish all through the following yr. Then as time passes, you may refer again to it as usually as you’d like. Maintain it easy with a single web page itemizing your yearly aspirations, or designate a number of pages with totally different units of targets.
Month-to-month:
Subsequent up, create month-to-month spreads. These might embody a calendar and different month-to-month logs. Right here, you may hold monitor of extra tangible short-term targets, issues it’s essential to get finished, and vital dates for the month.
Weekly:
Lastly, you’ll arrange weekly (or day by day) spreads the place you may hold monitor of your day-to-day occasions, duties, and ideas.
How I Bullet Journal
The Setup
Earlier than the beginning of a brand new month (sometimes over the last week of the present month), I’ll give you a theme for the next month. As an illustration, I made a decision on a magical witchy theme for my October spreads. I’ll use colours, washi tapes, and stickers that match that vibe. Subsequent, I decide how I need my month-to-month spreads to look. I often create a calendar and canopy web page for every month. Moreover, I create particular person pages to trace my moods, day by day habits, month-to-month targets, and ideas. These pages are adopted by my weekly spreads. After some trial and error, this setup has confirmed to be probably the most helpful for me. However the format is versatile and may fluctuate from month to month, relying on my particular wants.
After I’ve decided my theme and setup, I begin designing and filling out the pages main as much as the beginning of the brand new month. I discover this half extraordinarily soothing and take into account it an act of self-care. I really like that I’m totally in command of how every part will look and performance. Though some individuals create their weekly spreads because the month goes on, I wish to have every part prepared earlier than the month begins. When and the way you wish to create your spreads is as much as you!
The Apply
All through the month, I fill in my bullet journal pages day by day. This permits me to examine in with myself and maintain myself accountable. I can visualize what I’ve been actively engaged on whereas nonetheless having a standard house the place I can dump my ideas. On a typical day, I examine my bullet journal a minimum of twice: as soon as within the morning and once more earlier than I am going to mattress. To start out my day, I write down my day by day schedule and the issues I wish to accomplish and remind myself of my targets and habits that I wish to sustain.
At evening, I mirror on my day. I additionally take the time to course of my ideas and emotions for the day. After filling out my temper tracker, I check with my day by day habits listing and mark the break day for that particular behavior if I’ve achieved it. For instance, one of many habits I give attention to is train and well being, so if I work out or eat a wholesome, nutritious meal that day, I mark that break day. After that, I check with my targets web page. If I’ve ideas, I be aware them on my ideas web page. For days when I’ve so much to say, I simply make a brand new separate web page after my month-to-month unfold.
Over the previous two years, bullet journaling has helped me handle my time, accomplish my targets, and set intentions. It permits me to visualise my habits, targets, and ideas in ways in which swimsuit me finest. I really like that bullet journaling supplies a secure house for me to jot down my ideas whereas expressing my creativity. Listed here are a number of the bullet journaling necessities I swear by:
Supply: The Every Girl