What on earth is a Bullet Journal? Short answer, it is a journal/timetable/to-do list that you design yourself using only a blank notebook.
Described as “the analogue system for the digital age” by the Bullet Journal’s website, it’s surprising that the system’s inventor, Ryder Carroll, is a web and digital product designer. Why are people deciding to move away from iCloud synced calendars and various apps logging to-do lists, and go back to notebooks and ne liners? Perhaps it’s because when we use digital systems, they all start to look exactly the same. The Bullet Journal system allows us to organise in a way that makes sense speci fically to us and which we can illustrate and decorate in our own individual style.
THIS JOURNAL SYSTEM INSPIRES CREATIVITY
The system is intended to be an “evolving adaptable practice” to allow you to work out what form of journal works best for you. It’s minimalist and not something you should force yourself to use, because it should just be an extension of the way your brain naturally works. How often have you heard the phrase, “I need to get my life together”? In our house, it’s pretty much a daily mantra. The Bullet Journal means you can get YOUR life together.
LET’S REBEL AGAINST IPHONE CALENDARS AND ACADEMIC DIARIES
Decide what are the most important things for you to keep track of: appointments, meal plan, shopping list, deadlines, spending, weekly reading, daily tasks, fitness, calories eaten… basically, you can design your journal around anything you like. You can also make it pretty; I’ve made mine look like post it notes and each month has an introduction page with a quote – seeing my little October pumpkin everyday makes me happy to be organised.
It’s minimalist and not something you should force yourself to use
This system also has connections with mindfulness and anxiety. Many bloggers have posted pages which help them maintain their own wellness. Some examples include a page of things that make you happy, a daily list of things you are grateful for, a record of your emotions using different colours, or whatever helps you to take care of yourself. The point is you can decide what works for you. If it’s stressing you out to look at the amount of tasks you have to complete or reading you haven’t done, flip to the back of your journal and read through the things you’re grateful for.
So if you want to start your own Bullet Journal, what do you need?
1 A blank notebook – squared, lined, or dotted are also common choices.
2 A life in need of organisation.
3 Some pretty pens and pencils.
And that’s it! This journal system inspires creativity; let’s rebel against iPhone calendars, Filofaxes and academic diaries – Carpe Libre, seize the notebook! Go online to get inspiration of how other people have used the Bullet Journal, use Pinterest or search #bujo on Insta for a world of organised rebellion.