6 things I love about my Bullet Journal

I’ve kept a journal almost my entire life. I started my first journal when I was 8 years old and haven’t stopped since. I also have many notebooks and planners from my school life, chronicling my obsession with to-do lists and being organised. My desire to jot down thoughts and memories and stay organised has been pretty consistent through life – but in the last few years of smart phones and digital pervasiveness, I’m finding it rather difficult. I’ve got appointments on my phone and outlook, tasks on outlook, scribbles in notebooks and post-it notes, reminders, photos of whiteboards or someone else’s notes on my phone – it is anything but organised.

So when a few weeks ago I stumbled across something called a “bullet journal” - something that combines my love of journaling with my intrinsic need to stay organised, I simply HAD to look into it. I’ve now spent 3 weeks with my bullet journal and must say it has made a great first impression. It has made it easier to stay organised AND I am enjoying it as I do it. Bonus!

Here are 6 reasons the Bullet Journal system is working for me:

#1 It has an index and page numbers

This is one of those brilliantly clever ideas that are so simple in hindsight that you go “Why didn’t I  think of that one before?” The thousands of times I’ve scribbled something – say a book or movie someone suggested – on the page that's open or the nearest Post-it note. Days later I can remember having written it down somewhere but cannot for the life of me remember where. Was it on my phone? My work notebook? A Post-it note? The simple act of numbering every page on the notebook and then creating an index at the front means you can always find it all. What's even more fun is that you can have the same topic or similar information on non-consecutive pages. Like a long-running project I have regular meetings on. My index says "Project XYZ ---- 8-9, 16-19, 34-35, 39" and so on.

#2 It is supremely flexible

I don't have to stick to a single page per day like a dated planner. I can include just about anything - lists, ideas, tasks, events, ongoing projects, notes and information all in one place. My events and tasks for the day dictates how much space it takes up - half a page or 10 pages. And I have a fair few “collections” or specific lists already – books to read, ideas for weekend activities & restaurants, acronyms... None of this needs to be consecutive, I don't save pages for anything or have empty sections. And of course I then use the page numbers and index to find them

#3 It is simple (if you want it to be)

This is ultimately a productivity tool for me. If I spend too much time setting up or "decorating" a tool, I quickly get tired of it, hence I need it to be simple. (Pinterest is abound with fancy examples of people who enjoy beautifying their bullet journal - if you are that way inclined). For me, all I needed to start was a blank notebook and pen. No, I did not get a Leuchtturm1917 or a Midori or a Moleskin. Mine's a cheap spiral notebook that is easy to carry around. I don't use multiple colours or boxes or quotes - I simply open to the next blank page, write the date or topic of meeting and start writing the tasks or events or notes.

#4 The system of legends

I often write down a lot when I'm at a meeting or reading something long and detailed. Some of them are to reinforce the concept in my head, some are action items for me, some are nice-to-know bit of information I want to follow up later, some are future events. With the system of legends, I can ensure that I can review all of it just at a quick glance. If it is a task it is a dot, an event is an "O" symbol, if I complete a task I "x" it out, if not I "migrate" to the next day with a ">" sign. A note or information is started with a "-".

When I start a new day, I glance through the previous day's entries and ensure every item has a signifier next to it, knowing I've done something with it else including it on my task list for today.

#5 The idea of migration

I have had to-do lists for many years now. One issue with them for me is the treatment of not-so-urgent items. Like "Read that great article on Wall Street Journal". At the end of the day, after fighting some urgent fires, I look at it, ignore it and move on. After a few days, it gets lost in the history of to-do's. In the bullet journal, I "migrate" anything incomplete to the next day. Which means I write it out again as a task to be done today if I haven't done it yesterday. It keeps the task fresh in mind rather than floating in undone-land. It forces me to reflect and review priorities each day. And by day 3 or 4, I feel sick writing it out again and get it done just to avoid that!

#6 It is a handwritten, analog system

I enjoy the process of writing things down. It helps me retain information better and the act of crossing out a task well done brings kind of a zen happiness to me! Even better, there is no risk of digital distraction while jotting down my rapid notes for the day. 

What do you think of a Bullet Journal? How do you stay organised now? If you want to start your own Bullet Journal, begin with this video...