{"id":110587,"date":"2020-01-07T15:36:49","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T21:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=110587"},"modified":"2025-12-23T12:30:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T18:30:50","slug":"finally-understand-how-to-keep-a-bullet-journal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/featured\/finally-understand-how-to-keep-a-bullet-journal\/","title":{"rendered":"Finally Understand How to Keep a Bullet Journal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/bulletjournal.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-110593 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/bulletjournal.jpg\" alt=\"A simple guide to bullet journaling.\" width=\"600\" height=\"436\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/bulletjournal.jpg 600w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/bulletjournal-320x233.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you have aspirations of journaling more? Me too. Of getting more organized and being able to cross more to-dos off your list? Ditto.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While finding <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">just the right<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> journal or system isn\u2019t always the answer, sometimes it can give you the nudge you need.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s where the Bullet Journal comes in. If you\u2019re a web surfer in any regard, you\u2019ve likely seen that term pop up now and again as a new method of journaling that combines a traditional diary with calendaring, to-dos, capturing ideas, etc. While you can buy an official branded <a href=\"https:\/\/bulletjournal.com\/\">Bullet Journal<\/a>, you can also create the template yourself using just about any notebook. Many people prefer a dot grid layout to lined (for doodling and adding more creative flare), but it\u2019s certainly not a requirement.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While there\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Bullet-Journal-Method-Present-Design\/dp\/0525533338\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=Bullet+journal+how+to&amp;qid=1578426388&amp;sr=8-3&amp;linkCode=sl1&amp;tag=stucosuccess-20&amp;linkId=4dcd57e17c711681baf34e170c64f915&amp;language=en_US\">an entire book<\/a> on how to \u201cproperly\u201d use the Bullet Journal methodology, it\u2019s an easy system to learn with just a few pointers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below you\u2019ll find why I enjoy it and some fundamental tips that make the Bullet Journal a uniquely useful tool.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>What Is a Bullet Journal?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few features that make the Bullet Journal unique among other journaling systems (plenty more on all of these below):&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starts with an index. At the very start of the journal is a detailed index with page numbers so that everything in the journal is easily findable.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Includes monthly\/daily logs for planning, productivity, note-taking, and journaling.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Makes use of various bullet points within those logs in order to signify tasks (and if those tasks are done, delegated, incomplete, etc.), events, ideas, and more. Hence the name \u201cBullet Journal.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Includes any number of \u201cCollections\u201d &#8212; pages that center on various subjects and which function for any purpose you\u2019d like, from book lists to workout\/food tracking to idea capture and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s a rough idea of what comprises a Bullet Journal. Next, a few reasons why I and many others utilize this system.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>A Few Benefits of the Bullet Journal&nbsp;<\/h3>\n<p><b>Works with other journaling\/to-do systems.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Part of why I enjoy the Bullet Journal is that it can be combined with a number of other journaling and productivity systems. Want to do our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/articles\/jumpstart-your-journaling-a-31-day-challenge\/\">31-day Jumpstart Your Journaling Challenge<\/a>? No problem; make it part of your Bullet Journal. Curious about trying the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/career-wealth\/career\/work-deliberately-instead-reactively-rule-3\/\">Rule of 3<\/a>? Ditto.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Combines lists\/notebooks into a single \u201cfile.\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> I used to have a number of different notebooks for varying purposes \u2014 journal, to-do list, book log and notes, etc. I appreciate that the Bullet Journal keeps it all in one place.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Organizes your jottings.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The journal\u2019s index allows you to keep all the different kinds of logs and notes you compile within its covers well-organized and easy to track.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Totally customizable.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> I know a lot of people who use a form of the Bullet Journal, and each puts their own spin on it: some use an index and subject-based pages without utilizing it as a productivity tool; others use it only for productivity and still keep a traditional journal elsewhere. It\u2019s a methodology that really works for you. Read the guide below and take my suggestions, but not too seriously. Experiment with it, and be sure it\u2019s a system you enjoy and find useful. Otherwise, what\u2019s the point?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">How to Make and Use a Bullet Journal<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3>Number Your Pages<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Task number one for creating your Bullet Journal is to number your pages. Since everything gets indexed, that\u2019s pretty crucial. This methodology has become popular enough that many of the journals you can buy today already have pages numbered (and some even have a couple pages preset for an index at the front).&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>The Index<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-110579 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/1BF87440-B67D-43BE-B2FA-58EF5BC49F8D_1_105_c.jpeg\" alt=\"Pages of a Bullet Journal are given to an index.\" width=\"750\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/1BF87440-B67D-43BE-B2FA-58EF5BC49F8D_1_105_c.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/1BF87440-B67D-43BE-B2FA-58EF5BC49F8D_1_105_c-320x218.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/1BF87440-B67D-43BE-B2FA-58EF5BC49F8D_1_105_c-640x437.jpeg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first few pages of a Bullet Journal are given to an index. Here, you\u2019ll log the subjects and page numbers for everything that ends up in the journal. From monthly\/daily logs to various lists, ideas, and traditional diary-like entries.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The index is the roadmap of this journal. It\u2019s how you quickly figure out where everything is; as long as new pages are logged into the index, you\u2019ll stay pretty well organized.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it won\u2019t be filled in much right away, you\u2019ll add to it frequently, perhaps even daily.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So on page 1, start your index. You\u2019ll list subjects, or \u201cCollections\u201d in Bullet Journal parlance, and follow it with the page number(s). Some categories will be contained within just a single page; others will be added to over time; \u201cBook Lists\u201d could end up on pages 10, 24, 32, etc.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set aside a couple pages for your index.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Monthly Logs<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-110580 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/3A2395A2-66F8-4613-A693-638B1F915694.jpeg\" alt=\"Monthly log on the page.\" width=\"500\" height=\"614\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/3A2395A2-66F8-4613-A693-638B1F915694.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/3A2395A2-66F8-4613-A693-638B1F915694-320x393.jpeg 320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_110583\" style=\"width: 760px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-110583\" class=\"wp-image-110583 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/46528B6B-9CC2-43E3-97F1-031B3474FC75.jpeg\" alt=\"Monthly log to-dos.\" width=\"750\" height=\"661\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/46528B6B-9CC2-43E3-97F1-031B3474FC75.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/46528B6B-9CC2-43E3-97F1-031B3474FC75-320x282.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/46528B6B-9CC2-43E3-97F1-031B3474FC75-640x564.jpeg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-110583\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">For the monthly log to-dos, I keep everything as just a dash on the first level, then break it down further.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each month, you\u2019ll create a 2-page log to track events and to-dos from cruising altitude. On the first page of the log, jot down the date on the left side. (I put a line marking new weeks as well.) From here, you can mark major upcoming events and due dates. Later, you can also use this space to mark events you want to remember (a good date night, running into an old friend, a promotion); it\u2019s both looking into the future and cataloging the past.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the second page of the monthly log, jot down the major to-dos and even goals you have (broken down into smaller steps, or with a page number for where those smaller steps reside). The list can be added to over time, and you can also add projects to it <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">after the fact<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as a way of tracking productivity.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you could set aside pages for each month of the year at the start of the journal, I prefer doing it as I go; when you start a new Bullet Journal you don\u2019t really know how long it\u2019s going to last you before you need a new notebook. So while Month One (whichever month you\u2019re starting in!) will be at the start, the next month might be on page 20 or 50 or whatever.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, mark these in the index! \u201cJanuary Log &#8212; pg 5\u201d.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Daily Logs<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-110585 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BBBA3D51-E662-4183-8B86-314C6920D99C.jpeg\" alt=\"Daily logs.\" width=\"750\" height=\"702\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BBBA3D51-E662-4183-8B86-314C6920D99C.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BBBA3D51-E662-4183-8B86-314C6920D99C-320x300.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/BBBA3D51-E662-4183-8B86-314C6920D99C-640x599.jpeg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I like to give each day its own full page in my Bullet Journal. You sure don\u2019t have to, but I do. Here, you\u2019ll write down important to-dos (Rule of 3, perhaps), events (lunch meeting\/date, calls, parties, etc.), and any notes you want to remember from that day; these can be short diary-like entries &#8212; a random note about the crazy snow storm, the Vikings big playoff win &#8212; or business\/project notes and ideas. There\u2019s no limit really. Use the daily log to capture everything from that day.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just as with the monthly logs, I don\u2019t set aside a number of pages at the start for daily logs. I just go to the next page that\u2019s available; sometimes daily logs take up a few pages in a row, and sometimes there are other pages between that serve various purposes.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since daily logs are so frequent, they don\u2019t necessarily need a place in the index. Anything that\u2019s important or needs remembering for later can be transferred into other collections. However, if there\u2019s some chunk that\u2019s especially important (like meeting notes), then feel free to mark it in the index.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Other Categories\/Collections<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-110581 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/5E7A2BA5-FBE7-4C82-B2F8-D6B76CEC1004.jpeg\" alt=\"Monthly and daily logs to-dos. \" width=\"750\" height=\"468\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/5E7A2BA5-FBE7-4C82-B2F8-D6B76CEC1004.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/5E7A2BA5-FBE7-4C82-B2F8-D6B76CEC1004-320x200.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/5E7A2BA5-FBE7-4C82-B2F8-D6B76CEC1004-640x399.jpeg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the monthly and daily logs could basically make up the entirety of your Bullet Journal (and for some people they do), it\u2019s likely you\u2019ll want other pages to exist as gatherers of other pertinent or creative information.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A small sampling of ideas:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Book lists &#8212; books read (with ratings!), books to read, quotes from books that you really like.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Travel planning \u2014 as in the photo example above, the Bullet method is great for planning your trips.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ideas &#8212; if you partake in any creative endeavor or hobby, collect your ideas in one spot.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hobbies &#8212; this is the real fun of the Bullet Journal, in my opinion. I have a baking log where I track the recipes I\u2019ve tried (and another list with recipes I want to try out). I have a coffee log where I track my coffee roasting with notes on the flavors. Tailor to your own hobbies!&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fitness &#8212; whether you\u2019re a runner or a lifter or a recreational basketball player, track your activity to see how your performance is improving or plateauing (also, it\u2019s just kind of fun).&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gift ideas &#8212; never lose a great gift idea again. Have a page for each side of the family.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Food Logs &#8212; recipes made (with star ratings!), food consumed (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/articles\/how-to-track-macros\/\">track your macros<\/a> analog-style!), water intake, etc.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strenuous Life tracking &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/strenuouslife.co\/\">if you\u2019re a TSL member<\/a>, track your badge work, Agon completions, etc. It can all be done online, but it\u2019s fun to track some of it on paper too, especially as you\u2019re coming up with action plans for completing badges and what not.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diary &#8212; if you\u2019re looking for more of a daily standard journal entry, you can combine it with your daily log, but you don\u2019t have to; you can certainly create sections just for recording thoughts\/feelings and journaling prompts.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-110582 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/188C3E26-E118-4FAB-BEAA-C9131DF69C93.jpeg\" alt=\"Baking logs.\" width=\"750\" height=\"447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/188C3E26-E118-4FAB-BEAA-C9131DF69C93.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/188C3E26-E118-4FAB-BEAA-C9131DF69C93-320x191.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/188C3E26-E118-4FAB-BEAA-C9131DF69C93-640x381.jpeg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These collection pages go right in the mix of the monthly\/daily logs on the next open page that\u2019s available. Even for things that I know may take up more than one page, I only ever give a single page to start with. As long as it\u2019s indexed, I don\u2019t personally care if topics are always grouped together; my baking log might start on page 9 but then continue a few months later on page 50.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Bullets<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-110584 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/A9285F78-ABFF-43C4-8C93-5FD7B0DECD47.jpeg\" alt=\"Bullets&nbsp;logs.\" width=\"750\" height=\"386\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/A9285F78-ABFF-43C4-8C93-5FD7B0DECD47.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/A9285F78-ABFF-43C4-8C93-5FD7B0DECD47-320x165.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/A9285F78-ABFF-43C4-8C93-5FD7B0DECD47-640x329.jpeg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bullet Journal methodology creatively employs the use of various bullet points.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While they\u2019re mostly used within the monthly and daily logs, they can be used elsewhere too, depending on your goals and hopes for the journal.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-110586\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/F2FD1253-BA0F-4A3C-8A7A-CA7BC6A7F236.jpeg\" alt=\"Bullet points.\" width=\"750\" height=\"342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/F2FD1253-BA0F-4A3C-8A7A-CA7BC6A7F236.jpeg 3423w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/F2FD1253-BA0F-4A3C-8A7A-CA7BC6A7F236-768x350.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/F2FD1253-BA0F-4A3C-8A7A-CA7BC6A7F236-1536x700.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/F2FD1253-BA0F-4A3C-8A7A-CA7BC6A7F236-2048x933.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/F2FD1253-BA0F-4A3C-8A7A-CA7BC6A7F236-320x146.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/F2FD1253-BA0F-4A3C-8A7A-CA7BC6A7F236-640x292.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/F2FD1253-BA0F-4A3C-8A7A-CA7BC6A7F236-1280x583.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In your monthly and daily log (but particularly in the latter), each thing you\u2019ll write will be marked with a unique bullet point. There are five primary types that I use:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Standard bullets &#8212; a to-do item; a task to perform. There are then a number of \u201csignifiers\u201d you can add to these bullets to mark various stages of completion:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An \u201cX\u201d marks the task as complete.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A single diagonal line (half an \u201cX\u201d) marks the task as halfway completed; these tasks are generally moved into the next day.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An arrow means the task has been moved either to a different day, or perhaps delegated to another person (which can be noted); this signifier just depends on how you want to use the journal.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A task that\u2019s crossed out no longer needs doing.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dash &#8212; a note that isn\u2019t connected to a to-do item; anything random you want to remember; diary-like entries; ideas; observations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open circle &#8212; events; noteworthy moments in time you\u2019d like to remember, either upcoming or that happened in the past; used primarily just to record experiences, though I often connect them to notes and tasks when applicable.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make up your own! I use a triangle to mark a workout and a filled-in square to note the day\u2019s reading. I\u2019m not much of an artist, but you can use more creative bullets to track or denote various other things.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the keys to the effectiveness of these bullets is using nesting. Many tasks, especially in project form, require sub-tasks; upcoming events often have notes\/tasks connected to them; past events (a meeting you just finished) often end with to-dos and notes.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These various bullet markings are nested and mixed and matched throughout your logs, making it a breeze to combine to-do lists with calendaring with journaling. This is why I personally enjoy the Bullet Journal. I want my daily jottings and ideas and even book notes to turn into actionable items. I don\u2019t want them to just end up as a filled up journal that\u2019s then stashed away in my closet never to be seen again &#8212; of which I have plenty.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Migrating &#8212; The 10\/15 Principle<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Charlie Gilkey, in his book <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Start-Finishing-How-Idea-Done-ebook\/dp\/B07SL9YNGD\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=Start+finishing&amp;qid=1578426036&amp;sr=8-1&amp;linkCode=sl1&amp;tag=stucosuccess-20&amp;linkId=6d3eab481a78f0ad02a341ee468ed46b&amp;language=en_US\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start Finishing<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/articles\/podcast-573-why-you-dont-finish-what-you-start-and-what-to-do-about-it\/\">and also in his interview with Brett<\/a>), brought to my attention the idea of the \u201c10\/15 principle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Give 10 minutes at the end of each day to review your monthly and daily logs &#8212; are there any random notes that should be migrated into a collection? For example, a coworker gave you a book recommendation, which you jotted into the daily log, and at the end of the day you migrate it over to the Books Recs list you\u2019ve already started. You could, of course, just immediately jot it down into that book list, but part of what I like about the Bullet Journal method is putting everything from a day into one spot and not worrying about organizing it in the moment. You don\u2019t have to worry about flipping pages or getting distracted by your various lists and ideas &#8212; keep a bookmark on the day\u2019s log and organize at the end of the day.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you jotted some ideas down about a freelance project or a hobby, migrate them to the corresponding collection.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If there were to-dos that didn\u2019t get accomplished, start the next day\u2019s log and put them in there, as well as any events that need inputting. Of course this doesn\u2019t replace a calendar, but gives your day a little more of a visual flow that incorporates both events and to-dos.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, give 15 minutes at the start of the next day to plan, review your goal lists, give your monthly log a quick scan, perhaps set your Rule of 3, and hit the ground running.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the end of each month, do the same thing, but on a larger scale and with slightly more time given to the task.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The review is important because it\u2019s what ensures things don\u2019t get lost in your notebook. As I\u2019ve alluded to, that\u2019s what tends to be my problem with standard journaling &#8212; I\u2019ll jot down ideas and things I don\u2019t want to forget, and then promptly just keep turning the pages and never have any clue of where said idea went. With the Bullet Journal, you get things written down, indexed, and if done correctly, acted upon.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Putting It All Together &#8212; A Quick Recap<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I know this may seem like a lot of organizational ideas thrown your way at once, so here\u2019s a quick recap:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put an index at the start of your notebook or journal which captures the page numbers for everything being written down.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a monthly log to get a broad overview of the big events\/to-dos\/goals for each month.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a daily log to do the same thing on a smaller scale.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use the various bullets and signifiers to jot down to-dos, events, notes, etc.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use short daily planning and review sessions to migrate notes, to-dos, and ideas so that they don\u2019t get lost in the jungle of a well-filled notebook.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you have aspirations of journaling more? Me too. Of getting more organized and being able to cross more to-dos off your list? Ditto.&nbsp; While finding just the right journal or system isn\u2019t always the answer, sometimes it can give you the nudge you need.&nbsp; That\u2019s where the Bullet Journal comes in. If you\u2019re a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":110669,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[502,6,42269],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-110587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-character","category-featured","category-self-improvement"],"featured_image_urls":{"large":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/bullet-538x280.png","aom":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/bullet-372x230.png","reactor-320":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/01\/bullet-320x162.png"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110587"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110587\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":140466,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110587\/revisions\/140466"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110587"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=110587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}