Young woman writes to black bullet journal on a white table

What Is A Bullet Journal And How To Start One

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22.3″ custom_padding=”64px|0px|64px|0px|false|false” fb_built=”1″ _i=”0″ _address=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”18.9531px|0px|18.9531px|0|false|false” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0″ custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ inline_fonts=”Times New Roman,ABeeZee” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0.0″]Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard of bullet journaling. Understanding exactly what a bullet journal is and how to start one is a little bit trickier.

In bullet journaling, you combine your thoughts, schedules, to-do lists, financial management and miscellaneous life notes into a single journal. Bullet journaling is a way to organize all the different things you need to keep up with on a daily basis. It is not only fun, but very helpful in reducing stress and anxiety.

Benefits of Bullet Journaling

First of all, you will benefit a lot from starting a bullet journal. Remember there is no right or wrong way to do it. Bullet journaling is supposed to make life easier for you, not more difficult, so don’t feel pressured to have it organized a certain way or look like others.

Here are some different ways you can benefit by having a bullet journal:

  • A bullet journal allows you to have everything in one place

    First of all, all your different to-do lists, schedules, and notes are in a single journal. Many people have journals or digital to-do lists with this type of information, but it is inconvenient having one for finances, another for home chores, and another for business to-do lists. The bullet journal lets you have everything in one place, using symbols and short phrases instead of long paragraphs of notes.

  • Bullet journaling is easy to do

    A bullet journal is also very easy to put together. You can do this how you like, but typically you start by creating the index. The index is a broad list of what’s included in your journal. It also serves as a table of contents for your bullet journal. Then you number your pages and start writing. It’s not necessary to know all the pages in advance. You can simply add pages to the index as you add them to your bullet journal.

  • You can include a habit tracker in your bullet journal

    Since you are writing in the bullet journal daily, you are able to track your habits and see what needs to change. It can help you see that you spend too much money on coffee and eating out, or that you aren’t exercising enough. You can also use a habit tracker to create new good habits.

Related Post: How To Easily Create Habits Using This Simple Tool

Choosing A Bullet Journal

To start your bullet journal, you first need a journal to use. This can be any type of journal, but choosing one that is thick enough for all your different pages and that has nice large pages is a good idea.

Look for one that can stay closed when needed, but when you open to individual pages, the spine isn’t so tight that it’s hard to write in it. Also look for thick pages in case you decide to decorate some of the pages and don’t want the ink to bleed through.
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Components of a Bullet Journal

While you can create the bullet journal any way you like, it does help to have some direction for getting started.

Here are some components to try and include in your bullet journal:

  • Index – Every bullet journal should preferably have an index. This lets you know what area different sections of the journal are located, such as grocery and meal planning, or finances. It is a great way to jot down fast notes as you can go right to that page.
  • Page numbers – Since you have an index, you also need to have page numbers. You can be as creative as you want, but make sure to number every page so that it corresponds with what is in the index.
  • Signifiers – Signifiers are symbols that you assign to different types of notes. It can be helpful when you want to use them in place of longer phrases.

For example:

  • A happy or sad smiley face for your moods
  • A heart for a date with your significant other
  • A Christmas tree when scheduling holidays

With this basic information, you will be well on your way to getting your bullet journal started.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”|700|on||||||” text_text_color=”#841983″ _i=”3″ _address=”0.0.0.3″]Have you started a bullet journal? If not, what’s stopping you? If so, what are your essential and favorite bullet journal layouts?
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Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you’re having an awesome day!

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