Despite being well into 2023, it’s never too late to implement a new resolution. For those who enjoy creativity and are looking for more organization in their daily lives, bullet journaling is just the ticket.
The name is derived from the style of journal, which has grid pages to make writing and drawing clear and even. Journals can be purchased as pre-built kits, blank books or loose-leaf pages. The space allows for monthly and/or weekly calendar creation, to-do lists and more.
The best part of bullet journaling is how creative you’re able to be with it. Whether you enjoy visual drawings or written lists, there’s space for it all.
To start getting organized, the best way to begin is with a list of what you want in the journal. This can include: calendars, master to-do lists, monthly to-do lists, books to read, birthdays to keep track of, sleep and workout logs and so much more.
In January, the Bourbonnais Public Library hosted a Bullet Journaling 101 program led by adult services assistant Briana Schott. Schott chatted with the Daily Journal’s Lifestyles of Kankakee County about the program and how to introduce bullet journaling to one’s life.
<strong>For those who have never heard of it, how would you explain bullet journaling?</strong>
Bullet journaling is a style of planning that allows you to organize your life with just a notebook and a pen. And because of the simplicity of it, it’s something that anyone can do!
While the original Bullet Journal method is designed to be pen and paper, a lot of people like to be creative with their journal, adding color and doodles. Some people even bullet journal digitally.
<strong>What are the benefits of this type of journaling?</strong>
The benefit of bullet journaling is that it’s customizable. It can be as simple or as intricate as you’d like it to be! While it can be as simple as a pen and a notebook, it can also be used as a creative and artistic outlet. My bullet journal is definitely somewhere in the middle!
Another benefit is the cost, pre-printed yearly planners can be expensive and a notebook and a pen are things most of us already have at home!
<strong>What has it done to help organize your life?</strong>
I set time aside once a week to set up my planner for the week and I typically check it once a day. It helps me go into my week knowing what I’ve got planned each day and knowing when I have time to add extra tasks to my day and when I don’t, so I don’t overschedule myself. Not only do I use my bullet journal to organize my life, I use it to track birthdays, to stay on top of my habits, as a scrapbook for memories, as a place to document the books I’ve read in the year and to set goals and map out how to achieve them.
<strong>What else would you like readers to know?</strong>
Pinterest and YouTube are full of amazing ideas for bullet journaling. A lot of those are going to highlight the more decorative and artistic side of bullet journaling. Ryder Carroll is the creator of Bullet Journaling and wrote a book The Bullet Journal Method which highlights the more simplistic form of bullet journaling.
Bullet journaling isn’t about making your notebook (or your life) pretty, it’s great as long as it’s working for you.