What Is Bullet Journaling?

Journaling and more specifically, Bullet Journaling,  offers for most people, a sense of freedom to express with the pen. For others, it’s merely just a job that must be completed.

When we write, we open our minds to a world where dreams can most definitely come true, and the imagination soars with no restrictions.

Being able to capture stories throughout life can be one of the most exciting and thrilling things that a person can engage in and find fulfillment throughout.

Journaling is covering stories, simple as that.

When a person is a journalist, they travel from story to story and person to person, collecting stories about that individual’s life or current situation at hand. It can most definitely be an exciting career for the creative at heart.

Last update on 2024-11-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

What is one thing that’s important when getting ready to write?

It’s the thought process and the beforehand work that gets out blood boiling and those creative wheels turning.

It’s what makes us tick as the creative writer. Sometimes a person may want to create a list of all the elements that he or she has been inspired by to create the piece of work.

Journalists sure do have a lot on their hands, and that’s perfectly normal because they are taking a dip into other people’s lives, letting that digest into their own mind and heart, resulting in a beautifully written piece describing what they have heard or experienced.

Have you ever heard of bullet journaling?

This is a new-age style of a journal that will a lot of the times consist of bullet notes, to-do lists, and basically a customizable list of a high organization to get the piece completed with high efficiency.

It’s important always to stay as organized as possible when dealing with journalism because literally, every word and memory is important and will need to be incorporated into your work.

We are going to be taking a quick introductory look into bullet journaling.

So What Exactly Is Bullet Journaling?

Let’s just be honest here; there are quite a lot of people that do not know what this type of journaling is and have never even heard the term bullet journaling. That is perfectly fine because it’s a new-age journaling system, but highly effective.

This type of bullet journaling allows a person to be customizable to each person’s needs, as well your own. It’s a very simple way of brainstorming and writing things down, really.

Don’t just imagine a simple to-do list in which coffee has spilt on it, the kids tore the edges and so on.

So, go out and purchase one of those journals and when you bring it back home, here is what you will need to do.

Think about not only all the thing that you must get done throughout the day and week but instead think about all the symbols, colors and elements that make you happy.

Think upon decorations and implement that into your bullet journaling system.

More than likely the pages will already be broken up for you, so here is what you can do. Throughout each page of the journal, you will need to decorate each page, the tops, sides, and bottoms with things that make you happy.

So, surround your bullets with things all about you, and then you begin making your list and creating your interesting bullets for the day.

You can start off with your first bullet by stating; eating breakfast and then the next bullet could say something like ten minutes of Yoga before getting dressed.

It’s just to get, as well keep your day organized to help you get a better start on each day and not only that, placing the decorations around the page will definitely help you to stay better motivated.

It may sound very childish to do that, and you’re probably thinking, why can’t you just do what you have to do and be done with it, right?

Hey, it’s perfectly okay to think like that, but did you know that having some decoration and color added to your robotic to-do list will indeed, help you to become better at whatever you’re trying to accomplish, even if it’s just staying on that diet?

You must understand that life is meant to be fun and colorful. When we can add that into our daily routine of following a system, nine times out of ten, we will be more motivated and self-involved in the things that we are doing or need to be accomplished.

Human beings are very visual, to begin with, and when we can incorporate those principles into our daily or weekly to-do list, you will find that getting “things done” is ten times more fun, as well easier! Just imagine this example right fast.

So, you’re sitting at your desk on the thirteenth floor of the same building you’ve worked at for the past eight years. You see the same people, see the same outfits and even from time to time, smell the same perfumes as specific people walk by.

You look outside your window, questioning your insanity and life ahead. You know that there are things that you could be doing when you get home and even things that you want to get done out in your local community.

So, you’re just sitting there, staring out your office window when someone slaps down a journal as a late Christmas gift.

A journal! What on Earth would a person need a journal for?

There’s already way too much stuff to get done in life, to begin with, but you see, that’s the wrong way to think here. How about organizing the life that you already have? How about doing that?

Take what you already have in your life and build upon that through organization, decorating the pages, and making your journal completely you because you will tend to find out that you are going to have more fun getting all your chores complete and not only that, but you will feel so accomplished in everything that you put your hands on because bullet journaling teaches people to become a lot more organized and happy with their daily tasks.

How to Get Started Bullet Journaling

There are many ways to initially get started when it comes to learning how to bullet journal and actually sticking with the ins and outs of how to do it effectively.

Can a person just go out to the local bookstore and buy a fancy, up-to-do journal and start scribbling in it?

Well, yes, a person can do whatever they wish when it comes to their personal preferences and how they want to set up their bullet journaling, but if you want to benefit from bullet journaling truly, there is a specific way to follow the setup, resulting in success and happiness throughout your newly organized life!

Below is a listing format, we are going to be providing out some steps that you may want to take before you begin your bullet journaling experience.

The Source:

You will first need to go out and purchase the prettiest and most neat journal that your eye can capture. Remember, for the most part, we as human beings are extremely visual, and when we can see what makes us comfortable and happy, it is then that we will be able to have success and happiness into our lives.

When we are not comfortable, we tend to go away from things in life.

So, the first thing is first. You need to go out and buy a journal that reflects who you are as a person and that you love to hold, look at, and even smell.

Make sure you feel as though it’s your own, okay?!

Last update on 2024-11-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Pre-Planning:

This is a very important step when it comes to bullet journaling! Remember that this type of journaling system is extremely customizable and quite the forgiving structural system. People can change it as many times as needed to be happy, comfortable and successful in finishing their tasks for the day ahead.

Pre-planning can involve brainstorming, the supplies you want versus what you will need, and so on.

You must begin quite simple during this phase because, with a new journal, you do not want to overpower yourself, thinking that you must write down everything on the first few pages to succeed.

Think of bullet journaling as you would in the perspective of Yoga. Yoga is different for each, in the things and pose that each person does and for how long they tend to keep each stance. You must think of bullet journaling like that, okay?

It’s okay to not have a lot on your pages if you don’t lead a busy life and says who that you need to make it sound corporate professional? This is your journal to keep your life in order and keep you on track for success in your daily and weekly tasks.

If you want to add stickers and colors around the edges on the first few pages, that’s fine because you are creating a safe landing spot for yourself.

Who cares if it looks and sounds childish!

The way you create your colorful or black and white pages are who you are and what makes you tick as a successful, up-to-date person!

The Basics:

The basics are quite an important element to consider.

This is where you are going to want to morph everything together on the pages, so you can get ready for true organization and success throughout your days and ultimately, your life.

You will need to begin to break up the words and sentences into actual bullets now, spacing everything out accordingly. You can also look up some helpful resources when it comes to spacing all your thoughts, colors, and goals out.

When you begin to place all the things that you have to do in a day or a week, you will then begin to see that you may have more time in the day than what you officially thought.

There are just a few bullets on Monday’s page, why couldn’t a person add more, especially if it’s a chore that brings more fulfilment into your life?

The basics; start with the basics and watch how your journal will begin to fill up as new ideas and chores start to enter into your daily life.

Thank goodness that now, you have a way to keep track of it all!

Make the Journal Your Own:

This goes without speaking, to be honest! Whatever you want inside your bullet journal, you go in and place that right down!

If you want to add smiley faces to your bullets, then that’s totally up to you and a cute way to checkmark your tasks off whenever they are complete. The tasks that you didn’t get completed for that day or week, you could change that bullet into an unhappy face, transferring the unfinished tasks on over to the next day or week ahead!

There are so many ways that a person can make their journal their own and keep in mind that there are truly no restrictions!

Make it who you are, and if you’re a concert lover, you can even tape one of your old concert tabs to the front cover of your journal just to have some life around the book itself because you must remember.

Inside the bullet journaling list will be tasks that you have to get done and some people do like to read what they have to do, so why not decorate your bullet journal the best and with the wildest mannerisms you can to make your life brighter, more fun, and in the long run…A lot more successful.

Customization gives a perfect leeway into getting what needs to be completed, complete.

Wouldn’t it be awful to just open a tablet and read what you have to get done for this day or the next without art around the pages, colors, or even stickers to make the whole occurrence sound more exciting?

Go out and buy you a basic journal and then decorate it to the nines!

Leading A Very Stress-Free and Happy Life

There are many different ways that a person can get started on bullet journaling, but we are actually going to lie in depth a way that most everyone follows in this day and age when it comes to bullet journaling.

Mindset:

This will be the very first and initial thing you are going to need to start a bullet journal.

Before you begin, you are going to want to question yourself and make sure that you are ready to follow a line every day in getting things done.

You are going to have to make sure that you are flexible enough to handle changing tasks throughout the day without feeling guilty and as if you’re disorganized because, in reality, you’re not.

Bullet journaling is extremely versatile for everyone because really, who all has the same schedule and life does happen to us all. Kids get sick at school; we have to go get them and so on.

Of course, the format of the bullet journal will change from day to day.

Tools:

You are going to want the right kind of tools to make your bullet journal yours!

Keep in mind that a person doesn’t have to go all out when getting ready to make a bullet journal, but there will be some people that will love to collect markers, stickers, erasers, gel pens and so on, which is absolutely okay because you are customizing your own bullet journal to fit your personal desires and needs to make what you have to do soar a little easier throughout the day.

Some people will even incorporate lace and ribbons around the edges of each page, glued down. The process can get very crafty and if you’re into the creative side of life, then fixing yourself a bullet journal should be absolutely beyond fun!

Pens:

Yeah sure, anyone can use the causal, ole pen to write down a few tasks in a bullet journal, but did you know that if you invest in a very nice pen, your motivational skills will tend to go up?

You wouldn’t think that now would you? It’s the truth though.

You could go out to a local office supply store and purchase some well-to pens, preferably two or three that come in those plastic cases and not just a plastic bag. You will know the ones when you see them.

For two, ballpoint pens, you will probably have to have around twenty-five or thirty dollars for them both, which isn’t bad because let’s all remember here people…

You get what you pay for, and who wouldn’t want a nice velvet-like flowing pen to write down what you need to get done each day?

In a way, a person may be able to come up with more things to talk and write about if they are using a very comfortable pen. It’s all about being in your comfort zone and knowing what works for you because if you’re using uncomfortable tools, nine times out of ten, you will not follow through with the process of keeping a bullet journal.

Learn how to spend, learn how to get exactly what you want and most of all, learn how to be happy and comfortable.

The Four Components

A basic bullet journal is composed of four components and below in a listing form (a funny play on words), we are actually going to be listing out those four components.

The Index:

In this section, you will need to number your pages, organize each page which will be pleasing to you and only you. The index is where it all begins and how true the organization will initially take place.

The Collections:

Every entry in the collections is known as a collection of today’s work, what you’ve accomplished and so on. Keep in mind that there will be three sections that will make up a collection.

They are the future log, the monthly log, and the daily log. In the future log, you will begin to write down all the events that will take place in your life, simple as that.

In the monthly log, you will jot down all the monthly occurrences to take place in that specific month, and inside the daily log, this is where you will get up each morning and write down what you will have to do each day…Hence, your daily goals and tasks.

Daily Log:

During this section, you will write down all the new occurrences that arise throughout the day as they happen and so on. You can add or take away according to what goes on throughout your day.

Remember, a bullet journal is very customizable.

Other Collections:

This section will be more toward the back pages of your bullet journal, consisting of shopping lists, school excuses for the kids, Christmas lists and so on. Just think of this section as your back-burner section.

You may even want to put a paperclip on all these extra papers to your Bullet Journaling process so that you will not lose them, as they will be highly important to your life.