Life can be a hectic roller coaster ride — it’ll never stop keeping you on your toes. So because life demands various levels of attention, it’s crucial that you keep a to-do list organized accordingly, prioritized by each task’s level of importance.
Of course, you can use a planner to mark down important dates and when assignments are due, but if you need a more personalized journal to store all of your important things, document your thoughts and memories, a bullet journal might be of more use to you.
Of course, a bullet journal is a lot more analog than you might you might be used to, especially in a world filled with online documenting and formats. However, it’s just as effective. People are more likely to remember the things they have written down, so a bullet journal would be practical to use, especially in opposition to apps created for organization. That being said, your method of documentation is entirely up to you.
If you want to make your own bullet journal as supposed to simply buying one, then you will need a notebook and a pen. Anything else you want to do for decoration is entirely up to you. It’s is great to use tapes, highlighters and pens to spruce up your planner, but it’s not necessary for a fantastic and fully functional bullet journal.
First, you will want to make an index page so you can easily find what you’re looking for. It might not seem like a significant thing to include, but it will be helpful when you need a refresher on when your mom’s birthday is or your next doctor’s appointment is scheduled. What I recommend you do, in order to avoid flipping through your pages every time you need to find something, is to add a title and page number to the index page.
While an index page is helpful in finding the pages you need, color-coding will distinguish your journal sections from one another. The colors you choose can represent your daily tasks or your class schedule.
Next, you will want to include a future log. A future log will help you plan days, or even months ahead. Keep this at the front of your journal, as you will want to keep this page up to date — it’s almost like an overview of the important things that will happen each month (or day) within the year.
You could also keep a monthly log where you can record your goals and tasks ahead. Some people don’t feel the need to create a monthly log, but considering how quickly the month flies by, it could be beneficial to use it as an overview of what sort of things you will experience over the month.
Depending on your work schedule or routine, you might also find it helpful to create a simple layout of the week. A running log of your daily events and side notes will work just as well. Here, you can organize your week on the days the tasks must be completed. It’s a lot like “Weeks at a Glance,” where you can quickly skim over your goals for the week.
Now that the main structure of the journal is covered, you could look into what you can do to make your journal a bit more pleasing to look at. You can use Washi tape to add a whimsical design to the cover of your journal, which is a good craft to use because it’s water resistant and there are a lot of cool designs you can do that will fit your tastes. You can also use stamps, colors and simple doodles that will make your journal stand out.
For your headers, try using some calligraphy. Even if you aren’t entirely sure how calligraphy works, some elongated cursive will work just fine. Highly angled cursive letters will work just as well in order to get all the letters to create a dramatic effect — faux calligraphy, if you will. It can help add some color to your letters or drawings, and it can attract eyes to various parts of the page.
A bullet journal is an excellent tool that’s simple to both create and use. It has many functions, customizations and can be altered to suit your needs. It offers great options for you to stay on top of your tasks. Life does not have to be one unpredictable, crazy ride — that is, as long as you have your bullet journal beside you.
