I started bullet journaling in July and it ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made during the hell year that was 2020. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, bullet journaling is an organizational method created by designer Ryder Carroll meant to help you keep track of everything in your life. It’s the KonMari method for your mind. I decided to keep a bullet journal after binge-watching a ton of AmandaRachLee videos during the first few months of quarantine. I just graduated and had no clue where my life was going. I started to panic because there was so much I wanted to do all at once, but I had no idea where or how to start. I decided to try out bullet journaling. I’ve been aware of the method for a couple of years, but was too intimidated to try it out until now. Ever since I started using this method of organization, my life has been a lot easier. I want to share a couple insights from my bujo journey and reasons why everyone should keep a bujo in 2021. Becoming an Organization HoeMy thoughts are chaotic. In order to make some sense of them, I’d usually write them down on whatever unsuspecting surface I could find in the moment. The problem is, I’d write my thoughts and ideas in so many places that I’d lose track of them. My bullet journal allows me to have everything I need in one place. It’s where I schedule my tasks, plan out my week, track my habits, journal my thoughts and outline my projects. I’ve noticed that since I started bullet journaling, my time management has improved and I’ve been able to stay on top of my tasks. Accessing a Creative OutletThe beautiful thing about a bullet journal is that you can customize it however you like, whereas with a regular planner, the templates are already laid out for you. I don't know about others, but I usually don't end up using certain spaces in premade planners, so they always end up being wastes of paper. Also, no single premade planner will have spreads or templates that serve my specific lifestyle. So I must create them myself. I’m not an artist, but even so, I enjoy the process of making my bujo look aesthetically pleasing. Creating weekly and monthly spreads that work for my specific needs has been incredibly therapeutic. I flip on some Taylor Swift or Beyoncé, light a candle, set up my supplies and journal away. When I was flipping through my bujo for the last half of 2020, I saw how much my creativity and skills have improved. Visualizing Your Goals2021 is the first year that I have strong goals that I can see myself achieving. Creating a vision board and seeing all my goals on one page makes me excited to start working towards them. Arguably the most important part of achieving your goals is visualizing them. If you don’t know what you want, how can you reach it? Through bullet journaling, you can create vision boards, lists and step by step plans to reach your goals. Again, they’re all going to be in one place and you can refer back and check in with them throughout the year. Tracking Your ProgressWhen we’re working on a project or towards a goal, it can be easy to get caught up on how much work there is left to be done. We often fail to acknowledge the progress we’ve made and we forget to celebrate what we’ve already accomplished. We need to give ourselves more credit for our hard work. I do this by using my bullet journal to illustrate my progress. I’m a writer, so make a daily word count log coupled with a progress bar that I color in every 2,000 words. It gives me a visual representation for the work that I’ve completed and it motivates to keep going. I also create a habit tracker so I can see the areas in my life I'm improving and the areas I need to work on. Getting into the Mindset for Bullet JournalingSo you've read through my arguments above and are inclined to start a bullet journal, but you don't know where to begin. Let me help! Like I mentioned, I used to be intimidated by the bullet journal method. The way some people explained it made it seem so complicated. On top of that, all the bujo inspiration I saw online was of these beautifully illustrated and aesthetically pleasing spreads. I am not artistic and I don’t have half the tools that people normally use. When I finally started bullet journaling, I went through a lot of trial and error before I figured out what worked for me. So before you get started, ask yourself these questions: What is my relationship with time management and goal setting? What aspects of my life seem the most chaotic? What organizational goals do I want to achieve? Your answer to these questions should help you figure out the best ways to set up your bullet journal. What You Will NeedThe tools you use for a bullet journal are important, but you don’t need to empty your wallets. In fact, bullet journals are intended to be minimalist. It’s only recently that people have started adding their own flair. The most important tools for bullet journaling are a notebook and a good pen. The Notebook Depending on the type of spreads you want to do, I suggest buying a notebook with no less than 100 gsm. Gsm refers to page thickness. If it bothers you when your pens bleed through or ghost on the other side of the page, you should get a notebook with a higher gsm. 120 and 160 gsm are ideal. I use the Artist Loft 120 gsm dotted journals from Michael’s. It’s inexpensive and the quality is amazing. Here are some other popular notebooks: Archer and Olive ShopAmandaRachLee Dotted Notebook Leuchttrum 1917 Pens I cannot stress enough the importance of a good pen. It takes the journaling experience to a whole new level. I use the Sakura Pigma Micron pens in 03 and 05. They’re a bit pricey, but they last a long time and write incredibly well. If you want something inexpensive, try the Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pen. If I want to add color, I use the Crayola Super Tips. I got a pack of 50 for under $7, so they're very affordable and they’re great to use if you’re trying out calligraphy or other forms of hand lettering. Extras Bullet journaling is supposed to be minimalist, but there are plenty of ways to customize it and make it fun. The most common way is through stickers and washi tape, supplies that you can find literally anywhere. If you’re on a budget, I suggest making a trip to your local Daiso, Dollar Store or even your local 99c store. You’ll be surprised how much cute stationery you can find for under $2. You can also order off of shops on etsy, which is a great way to support small businesses! If you think you'll be doing a lot of illustrating or chart making, I'd suggest investing in a good ruler. I personally don't care much for straight lines, so I rarely use one. Something I use ever day, however, is glue tape. This tool is a life saver if you're someone who pastes a lot of things into your journal. Starting a new year with new goals can be exciting, but it can also be very stressful. The most important part of your goal setting process is to check in with yourself and realize that you are capable of achieving everything you set out to achieve. Remember to celebrate your wins and celebrate your progress. It's okay if you get stuck. 2020 was a rough year for everyone. Simply being alive and pushing through is enough.
If you would like to see more of my bullet journal spreads, follow me on Instagram. I've created a bujo highlight that you can reference back to whenever you run out of ideas. I hope everyone has an amazing year full of health and success! I'll see you on my next post.
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