Re-starting my Bullet Journal Practice

I am in love with Bullet Journaling once again. I remember when I found it the first time, and did my very first entries in a soft covered black A5 notebook with grid papers inside. It was just so much fun to find a new organizing system, and (once again) trying to “figure it all out”. A few years before that I was in love with David Allen’s GDT System (from his book Getting Things Done), kind of similar to Bullet Journaling in some ways, but it never did work that well for me, even though I always enjoy making lists of current projects, future projects and to-dos. I just never got into the habit at “checking back” on my long, long lists then.

I think Bullet journaling is an easy system to learn and implement in your life. This month I’ve read through originator Ryder Carroll’s book, The Bullet Journal Method. I’ve taken a lot of notes, as I mentioned in my previous post/video about my bujo. All you really need to get started is a good pen, a blank notebook or paper pad, and a few minutes to set it up after watching the intro video by Carroll himself:

How to start a Bullet Journal

All you have to do is set up the index (leave about 3 pages blank if you want to wait with setting it up a bit) then title the next five pages as well as numbering them (if you don’t own a notebook with pre-printed page numbers). Then you’re ready to start using your Bullet Journal!

Following these quick and easy steps from the book, I set mine up faster than any previous month I’ve used it (creating more elaborate spreads than necessary). Before I’ve brought out my ruler, created all kinds of fancy looking “must have” spreads and tracker systems, just to get started. But this time, no thank you. I want to get it done quick, and try the rapid logging thing IRL!

My advice to any novice is to look at the original system, and start with the very basic which is the two spreads in the beginning of your book for a Future log (about six months into the future) and a Monthly log (with tasks and events that is in the near future), and then start with today’s date for your Daily Log. It’s where you write down what you plan to do that day (bullets that you get to tick off), events that will occur on that day (events are marked with a hollow ring) and any notes you want to make during the day (marked with a dash -).

In my previous two (!) bullet journals I’ve mostly added in a lot of tasks, long lists that overwhelm me as soon as I’ve written them downs. As I’m mixing in “notes” now, I love looking at the page, and continuing all through the day. Notes are the journaling, in short form, but of course you can write as much or as little as you want to. Journaling to me is a lot more interesting than the Must-be-finished-today-lists I make myself, so that is what makes me come back to my Daily Page.

Current Bullet Journal set-up

Do you want to see how my current Bullet Journal is “set up”? I talk about it in my video for One book July, but I also recorded a little flip through of the pages (as well as a pen talk) so if you’re curious, here’s a peek at it:

When I make a video, I sure can talk, can’t I? I intended my video about One book July (in my first blog post about Bullet Journaling) to be a really quick video, no more than say, maybe five minutes? But then I had a lot to say, obviously. The footage of me showing the pages, and talking about my favorite writing pens, didn’t make the cut, so that’s why I have another video about “the same thing” now, although from another perspective (I hope). I wanted to share those clips too, hoping it’s not redundant?

A lot of people have short attention span, and on YouTube a 5 minute video can be considered way too long to watch (at all), but I don’t really care about that. I could talk about things like this (journaling, pens and the pages of my notebooks) all day long (if only editing the videos didn’t quadruple the time spent on making videos…). Plus I enjoy longer videos on topics I’m interested in. I sometimes save them to my “watch later” playlist, and put it on when I’m painting or sewing at home. It’s a great company while you’re creating, especially “talking head” videos, where you don’t need to see details all the time.

Also, I enjoy sharing my newfound love of bullet journaling. I might make more videos on the subject, just saying. Let me know if you have questions, or want to see more of this method here.

My Bullet Journal Material

Minte Dotted Notebook – similar notebook to mine, but this one doesn’t have numbered pages. It’s called Minte Dotted Notebook for Bullet Journaling – also hardcover Dot Grid Journal in European size A5 (5,6 x 8,3 inches), with 100 GSM Thick Paper and 180 Pages!
Pilot G-Tec-C – Gel Rolling Ball Pens, Ultra Fine Point, with black Ink
Pilot B2P Pen pink – Bottle to Pen, a Retractable Gel Roller pen made from Recycled Bottles, Fine Point, Pink
Felt tip pen – not the same as the one I use in the video, but equally lovely (Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pen, 0.7mm, Medium Point with black ink). I love writing with felt tip pens, especially when taking notes in bullet form. Yum!
The Bullet Journal Method – the hand book by Ryder Carroll

Bullet Journal Resources

Bulletjournal.com – Ryder Carroll’s site with lots of tips and tricks, suggestions and blog posts on every subject you can imagine
My first Bullet Journal blog post – Coming out as a (not very good) Planner Girl and joining One Book July this year
DIY Planner Ideas – my Pinterest board on planners, calendars, bullet journaling and DIY ideas

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