hello!! i’ve been getting quite a lot of asks about bullet journaling, so i decided to make this post to share some tips + information about it!
what is a bullet journal?
a bullet journal is a super flexible and customisable all-in-one system that allows you to quickly organise information
it can combine a planner, to-do list, diary, notebook + much more!
the official bullet journal website (i strongly recommend you go through this, it’s very informative - but don’t feel limited to the ideas on the website!)
how does it help with productivity?
simple, effective information logging that only takes a few minutes
you can work out what system works best and helps you be as productive as possible
keeps all your information in one place - increased organization helps you be more productive!
creates a habit of planning time
allows you to see all the tasks you have to complete
you can use it together with the pomodoro method! next to each task, draw out one box to represent one pomodoro, and cross them out as you go
it forces you to want to finish tasks because they’re written down somewhere
gives you a sense of achievement as you go through each task!
how do i pick a notebook?
picking a suitable notebook is really important: you’re going to want to get a notebook that you will want to use or bullet journaling can become pointless!
consider size first - if you’re going to be carrying it around everywhere, go for something light, portable and durable
if you’re going to be leaving it at home most of the time/want more space to work with, get something larger
consider getting a notebook with a pocket in the back if you want to carry around post-its and the like!
do you work better with lines/grids/blank paper? i’d say grid paper is the quickest and tidiest to work with, but if you want more freedom with your bullet journal, you could try lined/blank paper.
remember, there’s no specific notebook for a bullet journal - go for something you want to use and are comfortable with!!
here are some examples of different notebooks used:
a few things to consider as you begin your venture into bullet journaling:
the bullet journal website goes through how you can use different symbols for different forms of information e.g. box for tasks, triangle for events
you can develop your own key that is more relevant to your life and schedule! for example, you might want to use a clock symbol for a deadline/an exclamation mark for an assessment date
some examples of bullet journal keys here and here!
i’d recommend using the first page in your journal as an index/contents page so that you can keep track of where your important pages are (like study schedules, book lists, assessment dates)!
this obviously works better for some people than others. i like to keep my colour scheme limited to 2 or 3 colours because colours don’t really work for me - but if you want to use a colour-coding system, go ahead!
some colour-coding insp here!
i personally use exclamation marks next to urgent tasks and swirls for school-unrelated chill time things
but you can develop a system that works best for you and your timetable!
check out this system here to give you inspiration!
what kind of things can i put in it?
a “don’t break the chain” page to create good study habits!
motivational quotes/doodles
split tasks into sub-tasks as much as possible!!
e.g. instead of just writing “revise for history test” write “make flashcards on the cold war”, “do practice paper questions from chapter 3″ etc. underneath!
this is probably my favourite part about using a bullet journal: making one big task into several smaller ones lets me see clearly what i have to get done and makes me feel more accomplished as i move through a task
also, it lets me plan how to finish a task before i start it
limit yourself to how many tasks you can migrate a day - this stops you from putting things off for another day and forces you to get at least a specific amount of work done each day
this sounds dumb but figure out what is the most satisfying way to cross out a task
you can tick, shade in, highlight or put a cross through your tasks, so try out some methods to figure out what you feel is the most satisfying!
sometimes when i’m brain-dead and losing the will to live i just tell myself “another hour and i can colour that box in. won’t that be the best feeling” and then i get through it
you don’t have to use a lot of colour or different fonts if you don’t want to
but if you want to do that and it works for you, go ahead!
my advice would be to develop your own style of bullet journaling and stick to it - consistency will avoid wasting time on deciding how your spread is going to look like today!
inspiration from some of my fav spreads!
functional and looks great
minimalist and simple i love this
+ bullet journal tag for even more insp!
i really really hope this was helpful! feel free to tag me in your bullet journal posts with #hi xuanlin and i’ll definitely reblog them :^) and if you ever want to talk to me about bullet journals/anything at all, my ask is always open!!
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