What is bullet journaling?
Bullet journaling is a freeform way to help keep yourself organised and motivated. A bullet journal is equal parts day planner, diary and written meditation. Think of it as a system to streamline your productivity, helping you to reach your personal and professional goals.
A typical journal may include sections to log your daily to-do’s, monthly calendar, notes, long-term wants and more, customised to suit your personal preference. Your entries are tagged with bullet points, dashes, and other easy-to-read graphics so that your journal is easy to maintain.
The idea is to update your journal day-to-day so that, over time, you learn how to get rid of things that are distracting you and add things you care about. For example, you could choose to use it to log your daily fitness achievements, plan your meals, track your fertility or keep a diary. The options are endless.
With that in mind, let’s go over some ideas for how you can structure a Bullet Journal that works for you.
Monthly layout
To get your bullet journal started, begin with a simple monthly layout. This doesn’t need to be complicated but it’s a great place to start. You can experiment with various monthly layouts until you find one that works for you and your writing style.
You can use a ruler and quality black pen to outline a simple monthly calendar which will keep you organised and prepared for upcoming events. You can further decorate your calendar by writing your dates in cursive fonts, illustrating small relevant doodles and using a range of materials, such as washi tape and different papers. See a great example below.
Write down your goals
There’s no better way to kick off 2020 than to outline your goals for the upcoming year. Goal layouts are a great way to practice refined lettering and doodling in your bullet journal, whilst inspiring you to challenge yourself and achieve your goals.
Swap the listed checkboxes for something slightly more artistic. If you’re struggling to think of ideas, consider what you are currently doing that you want to do less/more of. For example, that might include spending less time on social media or spending more time with friends and family.
Keep note of birthdays and holidays
Never forget a birthday again. A date layout doesn’t take long to complete and can look aesthetically pleasing in your bullet journal. To create a beautiful birthday page, simply draw a circle using a compass and divide it into twelve. Label your months and colour them in with any colours of your choice. Then, draw labels off of each month with a list of birthdays and special days, alongside the date of course. And there you have it, a brilliant birthday circle!
Use washi tape
Washi tape is a great way to separate your events, goals and daily tasks whilst still looking amazing. These low-adhesive tapes won’t tear your paper if you decide to take it off and move it, are inexpensive and add a special touch to your journal. You can even dedicate a page of your bullet journal to a washi tape swatch, where you simply have a swatch of every pattern of washi tape you own. Not only is this great to look at, it’s also helpful to refer to when you can’t pick a tape.
Mood tracker
There are countless reasons why tracking your mood is important. Mood charts help you to analyse patterns in your life. When your mood changes, you can consider what changes have happened in your life to warrant this. Having a mood tracker is also a great way to reflect on your day, encouraging you to consider what to improve on to feel better tomorrow.
There are several ways to create a mood chart in your bullet journal. A very simple yet effective way of documenting your mood is to draw a chart with small squares, one for each day of the month. Allocate three different colours and set a key, labelling one good, medium or bad. Simply colour your day in the relevant colour. If you want to step up a level, you can create many other moods like tired, anxious, frustrated and so on. However, it’s completely up to you! See above for an example template.
Organise your utility bills
Tracking your bills may sound boring, but it is an essential part of being organised. Dedicate a page of your bullet journal to your bills, drawing small pictures for gas, electric, water etc. Simply draw a small chart next to each, and draw a bar monthly as to how much you’ve spent. This way you can analyse your expenditures in a fun, visual way.
You can find a range Bullet Journalling products in-store and online if you’re keen to get started. Why not also browse our range of beautiful washi tapes? Or, you can read up more on bullet journalling here!
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