I remember getting one of my first planners when I was in high school. We had recently moved and I was intimidated by the new class schedule and teachers. I remember buying a little planner. It was mostly a weekly calendar but, it also had pages in the back for notes. The outside had a clear cover where I could insert a custom sheet.
My love for keeping a daily log was born. I kept up the practice through highschool, college and into my career.
Then, a few years ago I switched from planners to blank journals. Eventually, I bought into the dot journal trend and I love them.
It’s easier to customize the pages for your needs.
Get Organized with a Bullet Journal
If you’re trying to organize your bullet journal, there a few basic areas that you can customize.
1.Daily Log
Almost every bullet journal has a daily log. Most people arrange two facing pages into a spread. For symmetry and space, it’s very common to turn the weekend into one block. That leaves you with six blocks to arrange across the pages.
Also, most people have a preferred way of marking tasks complete. Personally, I use open dots. Then, when they’re complete or moved, I fill in the dots.
It looks a little cleaner than crossing things off.
Others fill in boxes in different ways or use different types of highlights.
2. Weekly Goals
Finding a place for weekly goals or reminders depends on how many you anticipate for the week. Most of the time, I divide them up into a few sections, as you can see in the example above.
Sometimes, I just make one catchall if there aren’t very many or if things are kind of chaotic.
As you plan your weekly spread, this can help you move big projects for the week into smaller tasks on the days.
3. Monthly Covers
If you have an Instagram or Pinterest account, the inspiration for monthly covers is endless. People make the most beautiful designs using just pens and markers. Others go crazy with scrapbook materials or watercolor paints.
Personally, I like to keep a few practical areas on most of my monthly covers.
- Monthly goals allow me to focus on my priorities.
- Calendar dates help me take note of major holidays, events and appointments.
- Designs including a quote or image set the tone for the month.
In general, I keep a similar theme for the whole month whether it’s just a visual style or the color palette.
4. Trackers
Personally, I struggle with keeping trackers up to date daily. But, I like to make them after the fact to catalog my activities. If you look on Instagram, you can find all sorts of interesting trackers, such as:
- Moods
- Habits
- Books, TV Shows, or Movies
- Drinking Water
- Sleep
- Exercise
- Music Playlists
If you think of it as an outlet for meditating, these trackers can help you focus on your priorities.
5. Notes
I’ve gotten in the habit of taking notes in my journal instead of loose-leaf paper. It allows me to reference them better later because it keeps everything in one place. For example, I have gotten back to taking sermon notes on Sunday mornings. Throughout the week, I can look back and appreciate what we studied in service together.
Other times, I keep meeting notes or questions from interviews for my freelance writing projects.
6. Idea Dumps
I love snooping through idea dump pages on bullet journal Instagram accounts. They’re so creative. Most people use them like a scrapbook, mixing found items and photos with journaling. I like to imagine them looking back after a few years and feeling the memories come to life.
Final Thoughts
If you’re trying to get organized using a bullet journal, I’d love to hear about your experience. Tell me about how you use your book and what steps you take to put it together each week. Join the conversation on my Instagram.
