Meet the bullet journal, a useful and cute tool for organizing your day

A useful tool, the bullet journal has proved to be a great resource to help with organization, whether personal or professional. A method created by an American designer named Ryder Carroll, it seeks to “track the past, organize the present and prepare for the future”, the creator’s own motto.

This analogous method of organization has the function of bringing together all aspects of everyday life in one place: the reminders used with post-its, plans for the next trip, daily tasks and future appointments.

In addition to being a method with multiple functions, it can also be directed according to your needs: contain only topics to be studied, house cleaning routine or work deadlines and projects. Faced with such versatility, this tool has been gaining more and more fans around the world and becoming a darling in terms of helping the disorganized.

How to set up your bullet journal

To start using this method you need a notebook. The most used are the checkered or dotted ones and the moleskines, hardcover notebooks. But as the author of the method himself reports “the best notebook is your favorite”. Nothing prevents you from using lined or blank sheets as a layout for your bullet journal.

Check out a selection of stores with different notebooks, choose the one you like best and start your planning:

There is also a system of captions or symbols to be used in the bullet journal which facilitates the division between tasks, commitments and degree of importance, for example. A filled circle or a square is a task to be accomplished. Upon completion, it earns an “X” to determine its completion. If it is rescheduled for another day, it gets an arrow to the right or the greater than sign (>). If it is an old task, the arrow is towards the left or the minus sign (<). If the task is canceled or becomes irrelevant, it is crossed out completely. An event is represented by a blank circle. A note by a dash (-). If something is important, it is represented by an asterisk.

or star, if you need more information about the item, the exclamation point (!) is used. These symbols are used universally, but nothing prevents you from creating your own encoding.

• By following these steps, you can put this method into practice and transform your life with more organization and productivity:
• 1st step – Index: the index will be the first sheet of your notebook, the table of contents, and it will contain the division of your bullet journal and its corresponding pages. Ideally, it should be filled in after setting up the remaining pages.
• 2nd step – Monthly Calendar: on the first page (on the left) the name of the month and its days are placed in a list format. Next to the important dates you add appointments or commemorative dates. On the second sheet (on the right) the tasks to be completed in that month are noted using the previously described legend system.

3rd step – Daily Calendar: on these pages, it is necessary to put the name plus the date of the current month and list what needs to be done on that specific day.

In addition to this default setting, over time you will notice that some tasks are repeated. This is one of the great advantages of the versatility of this method. Therefore, there is the possibility to create specific pages for these topics. For example: Want to read 50 pages of a book daily? Then create a reading plan on a separate page and record your progress only in this place.

1. 4 tips to avoid problems and get the most out of your bullet journal
2. Write with a pen: although it is not mandatory, when writing with a pen you ensure that the writing does not fade over time, which is very common if you use a pencil.
3. Organize: Numbering the pages and annotating the index makes it very easy to find specific projects. Another tip is to add bookmarks to make them easier to find.
4. Always take it with you: as it does not have an electronic back-up, it is necessary that you always have it on hand to add appointments and tasks that may arise.

Protect it: just like any other notebook, the bullet journal must be handled with care, as it can get dirty, ripped or even wet. A good option is to opt for hardcover notebooks or even cover them with contact paper, for example.

20 bullet journal photos to inspire you

Although the technique is still more used abroad, many people are getting into the habit of using this method to help with organization and increase their school or work performance. Check out some examples and get inspired to create your own:

A tip to make your bullet journal even more beautiful and neat is to add stickers, washi tapes, handmade drawings, post-its or use pens with different colors. It will certainly be even more cheerful and personalized.

Opinion of those who use the bullet journal

Some of the numerous benefits of using this resource include helping to organize priorities, being able to save important events, helping with daily tasks, exercising your creativity, practicing cursive in times when technology is used rampant.

Still have questions about the method? So check out the opinion and step-by-step of people who already use this resource:

Survival Inventory

In this video the blogger Leticia demonstrates a little the division and the symbology used in the bullet journal.

Maria Lowen

In this video, blogger Maria demonstrates how she uses her bullet journal, including specific sections where she notes books read, goals and quotes.

Isabelle Felicio

Blogger Isabelle explains in detail how to set up your bullet journal, exemplifying decorations and the use of colored pens to make it more personalized.

dear click

Here, blogger Nina explains a little about the origin of the bullet journal and explains how this method managed to bring all the calendars and planners together in the same place.