The Art of the Bullet Journal

Lexie Boardman

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The new year brings everyone a time to reflect and reset, to build a better version of yourself for the upcoming year. Something that regularly takes Instagram and Pinterest – and now TikTok – by storm, especially at this time of year, is the ‘Bullet Journal’, but what is it?

An idea initially created by Ryder Carroll, a digital product designer and author from New York, the Bullet Journal has been dubbed the KonMari method for racing thoughts. It is a self-made planner with absolutely no limits to where you can develop it to. It enables you to plan the most important parts of your life, set the goals that you want, track your habits and so much more.

Your pocket-sized organisation best friend

On paper, it is pretty straight forward: get a notebook and some stationery together and manufacture your pocket-sized organisation best friend. The Bullet Journal, or ‘BuJo’, is categorised by something known as rapid logging. It essentially breaks down intricate plans into simple, quick notes by splitting up the basics of daily planning into ‘tasks’, ‘plans’ and notes.

The BuJo is also made up of a selection of ‘collections’ or ‘spreads’ These include: a future log to look forward to future entries; a monthly log made up of a calendar page for a bird’s-eye view of the month and; a task page to eject the month’s priorities from your brain and onto paper, and the daily log which is where the aforementioned rapid logging is able to flourish.

Created by you, for you

This may seem quite daunting to a first time Bullet Journal-er, but, of course, none of these sections are compulsory. The Bullet Journal is a mindfulness practice in the shape of a system of productivity. It can be as simple or as complex as you like because it is completely under your personal control. Some popular spreads include habit trackers, meal planners, budget tracking and more. Since creation, the Bullet Journal has been adapted by millions of people worldwide into what works for them.

While some adopt a plain and simple black pen only design, others take it to the next level with the incorporation of extravagant pens, washi tape and all sorts of other stationery in a range of different colours. Some of the more extravagant looks can be seen in the veterans of journalling, such as Amanda Rach Lee and Caitlin’s Corner. Keeping things simple is great for getting started, and the personal flair you want to add can come when you have developed your own individual shorthand of the bullet journal.

Planning is such a refreshing activity, and using a BuJo is a therapeutic and productive piece of self-care. Even if you don’t have the ability to stick to it every single day for a whole year, checking in every month can make the world of difference and deep-clean a cluttered mind. Take some time for productivity this year, and try to implement the Bullet Journal into your daily routine.

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Featured image courtesy of Estee Janssens via Unsplash.  Image licence can be found here. No changes or alterations were made to this image.