How to jump into the Bullet Journaling craze
My obsession with paper planners and handwritten to-do lists started when I was in the 7th grade.
Fast forward 20 years and creeping up on our social media radars are Bullet Journals, an organizational strategy to keep all your stuff in one place, analog style. Like many a Pinterest board will tell you, Bullet Journaling has become quite the subculture, with sites like BuzzFeed boasting lists about how to improve your technique. For even a journaling veteran, this can be a bit overwhelming.
I’ve pared this process a bit and have compiled a few ideas on how to get started:
First steps
– Grab materials. You basically need two things: A notebook and a pen. The best I’ve found has been a Moleskine Chapters Collection Dotted Journal. And as for pens, I am a die-hard Pilot G-2 07-er. And, in honor of my late grandmother, I’ve begun using Paper Mate Flair Medium Tip pens, which come in great colors and these or something similar can be purchased at Paper Skyscraper.
– Add page numbers to your notebook. You’ll want to have some semblance of organization and page numbers will help you keep track of the topics you’re covering and the order of your steps.
– Add a title page. Following the theme of the page numbers, starting out with a title page helps you get your ducks in a row. On this page, create an index of your goals, your lists and your calendar.
– Create a calendar. Start out writing a calendar of the full year, with space to write month-specific goals and tasks. Follow up by writing out weeks of the year in larger form, not unlike your ideal planner.
Ideas for pages
Bullet Journals are great because they are uniquely yours, helping you organize your thoughts and be productive. Here are some things I like to track in my Bullet Journal:
– New Year’s resolutions. Bullet Journaling allows a great space for getting these ideas out on paper. Trying to get to the gym more? Great! Make your calendar and track your progress.
– Birthday list. Don’t tell my mom, but I’m really not always great at remembering birthdays. I have about five I can remember, two of which are my children’s, so having them all in an organized and colorful space makes it easier to send out cards and give a quick phone call. Plus, it will give you a way bigger heads up than Facebook.
– Bucket list. Honestly, bucket lists give me anxiety. Like this fall, I never made a scarecrow and I didn’t paint a single leaf. But I wrote down that I thought about it! And who knows? Maybe next year I’ll get around to actually doing it.
– Book list. I constantly have about 15 titles running through my head but when I’m at the book store or am trying to add something to Amazon so I’m eligible for same-day delivery, I can’t remember what book my sister’s life coach suggested I read next. Enter: Bullet Journal Book Lists.
– Planning. Expand your calendar. Draw out your year. What do you want it to look like? What do you want to accomplish? Where are you planning on going? Starting your own business? Start out with the year loosely mapped out and then add in individual days for your to-do lists and reflections.
Charlotte-specific journaling
Whether you’re a rare native or a transplant, there is always something you haven’t done yet. Heard about the ghost tours uptown or that the Mint Museum has free hours on Wednesdays? Write down that you’re trying to go.
Have you realized Charlotte is full of great people but because it’s winter time, you’ve subjected yourself to being indoors sans friends? Make a list of Charlotte-area pals you want to see or groups you’d like to join or even start a book group, a Meetup or a fitness group.
It seems like every week there is a coffee shop opening up. Central Coffee just opened in South End, Coco and the Director is new to the uptown scene, and Hyde Brewing has a great open air feel. The best part? Most of these places host events, incorporating the idea of re-connecting during the winter months. Two birds, one stone.
Time to get that journal up and running.
Photos: Liz Logan
This story was originally published January 3, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "How to jump into the Bullet Journaling craze."