If you’ve found this article, chances are you live a busy life and are looking for some help getting things together.
From remembering people’s birthdays to making grocery lists to remembering that you promised to go to dinner with a friend, organizing your thoughts can be a struggle.
Sure, you can pop some notes in your phone or set an alarm, but you have to remember to check for them and remember where you kept them. Typing on a phone is also a less satisfying way to vent than writing in a journal!
If you’re tired of trying to manage an array of calendars, to-do lists, planners, diaries and so on, a bullet journal may be for you.
What is a Bullet Journal?
A bullet journal combines various organizational tools into a single comprehensive and easy-to-use journal. It encourages you to record your thoughts and plans in a single place that you can quickly reference. This lets you see what you have coming up and what you’ve done recently to help you get a better sense of your life and gain better control of your thoughts and responsibilities.
What distinguishes a bullet journal from a standard journal is the way you write in it. Standard journals usually have everything written out in sentences, whereas a bullet journal encourages you to keep it simple.
You can jot down short thoughts (call Kim, pick up milk, etc.) and put them all in one place, organized by a text color, symbol, or other indicators of urgency or the type of entry. For example, if there is something urgent that you need to do that day, you could use a red pen with a star label. However, a thought, idea, or emotion could be a different color with a circle. If you finish something, you can add an ‘x’. The choice is yours!
How to Choose a Bullet Journal
For your bullet journal, you’re going to want more than just a notebook with blank or lined paper like you would use in school. Lots of different kinds of bullet journals are available, making it hard to know which to choose. However, there are some key decisions you can make to narrow down your search. Remember: it isn’t permanent, so if you decide it doesn’t work for you, you can always change!
Tools and Features
Bullet journals can come with a variety of organizational tools included. The right journal for you depends on what you need from it in terms of functionality. Many bullet journals include faint lines or dots in their pages to keep your writing straight, so choose whichever structure makes it easiest to keep things organized.
If you want a journal that is highly organized with daily and monthly breakdowns, you can find one with those features and more. If you want an index/key to tracking your symbols without having to make it yourself or want to have a page for each day, there are bullet journals that have that.
Do some shopping around for the different extras that are commonly found in bullet journals, make a list of what you want and then find one that has them included, or that allows you to write them in yourself.
Size and Convenience
Aside from extra features, you will want to choose a bullet journal that is convenient for you. The size of the journal determines how much you can fit in it, so choosing a journal that will be portable enough for you to carry around but big enough to hold all your thoughts is something to consider. If you find that your journal is too large and unwieldy or that you’re running out of space, it may be time to consider a change!
Look, Feel and Durability
Finally, you will be carrying your journal around and using it for a ton of different things, so durability is essential if you want to keep your plans and thoughts safe.
Look for one that has a solid outer cover or has a design or feels that you like. You can find leather-bound journals that look professional, fun designs with a variety of colors, and some that can even be customized if you’d prefer to add a personal touch.
Some also come with bands to secure them closed, protecting them from opening accidentally. The bullet journal is for you, so customize it to your liking!
Final Verdict
Now that you know what a bullet journal is and what to look for, you can browse through the wide selection available online and choose one that will help improve your life. Everyone could benefit from a little organization, so get rid of your lists and notes and upgrade to a bullet calendar today!
