I have kept a bullet journal since 2016, use it every day to schedule and organize my life. Recently I pulled out my very first journal, what a walk down memory land! A bullet journal is one of my most important daily habits and I highly encourage keeping one. Before you start a bullet journal, here are 10 tips to consider.
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- Read the original Bullet Journal website. – It will simplify the process and outline why the bullet journal system works.
- Define your goals. – Why do you want to keep a bullet journal? I started mine to keep myself more organized and to have a central location to keep lists and quotes. The goals of my bullet journal practice have changed and evolved over the years, depending on the season of life I was in.
- Don’t start at the beginning of the year. – It can be really tempting to only start a bullet journal at the beginning of the year. Creating a beautiful beginning of the year spread can be so exciting. I love the New Year because I get to organize a new year and dream of all the things that might happen! But starting in the middle of the year lets you try out different methods to figure out what works for you.
- Use what you already have. – When you start your first bullet journal, start with a notebook you already have. No need to go buy specialized items for a habit that might not stick. Use an old notebook and a pen that you like to get into the habit first. My first bullet journal started halfway through a drawing notebook.
- Use the same kind of pens. – To keep your bullet journal neat and more uniform, use the same kind of pen and markers if using color.
- Keep a pen test page. – In the back of your bullet journal, make a pen test page. Keep track of the pens you have and what they look like on the page. This helps prevent the purchase of duplicate markers and ensures that the pen you use doesn’t bleed through the page.
- Use a notebook with numbered pages. – This way it is possible to keep an index of your pages and makes it easy to find pages in the future. I reference my bullet journals from past years frequently and this makes it so easy to find what I am looking for.
- Don’t strive for perfection. – If you want the perfect bullet journal, you won’t keep one for long. You are going to make mistakes. Every page won’t be beautiful. Some pages you think you will find useful, won’t ever be referenced again. And that’s okay. A bullet journal is supposed to add value to your life, so make it useful and not perfect.
- Use social media inspiration sparingly. – There are so many examples of amazing bullet journal pages on YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. And I confess I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to bullet journal inspiration. But trying to copy certain layouts takes so long! If you don’t have the time to spend several hours a week on your bullet journal, don’t try complicated layouts. These days I use the exact same layout for all my weekly spreads and it saves me so much time.
- Drop what isn’t useful. – If something isn’t useful to you, you don’t need to use it. Those elaborate habit trackers may seem like a great idea, if you only find you use them for half a month and then drop them, maybe you need to change your approach. After using a bullet journal for a few months, review what you use frequently, and make adjustments accordingly.
I hope these tips help you as you start your bullet journal. Have fun and happy journaling!
maryghawley 