While progressing through my senior phase of secondary school, I became increasingly aware of the importance of having a good organisational system in my life. Inspired by the mention of how bullet journaling helped the very busy YouTuber Dodie Clark – doddleoddle – and after further research, I came to the conclusion that it was a useful tool that would prove beneficial to me. Since this decision, I have not turned a homework exercise in late, remembered the (mountain) of upcoming tests I have and have not slept in before work because I forgot my start time. Now that’s a miracle!
Three top tips to create the illusion that your life is under control
- The Notebook
When choosing the type of notebook you plan to use for your bullet journal, you have 4 main options:
- Blank pages
- Lined pages
- Squared pages
- Dotted pages
Each type of notebook comes with their own perks and flaws but when deciding which to pick, practicality is essential – you don’t want to spend unnecessary time on something which could easily be solved with a different type of paper.
- Organising your journal
- Index – numbering your pages and keeping track of where everything is located is a great way to keep you organised.
- Collections – these are things like future goals, monthly logs, daily logs, sketches, lists, and mind maps. They can even include useful tips such as sleep trackers, which are helpful for people like me who are lucky to get 5 hours sleep per night.
- Rapid Logging – this is where the term bullet journaling stems from. Using different symbols, you can jot down anything you need to remember, like homework, and upcoming exams. This is where a key would come in useful to differentiate between tasks, events, and appointments.
- Migration – if you don’t complete a task, you can migrate it to a new list or day.
- Personalisation
- Bullet journals can be as generic or personal as you like; it’s supposed to appeal to YOU.
- Adding quotes, drawings, pictures, and colour can make the idea of using a bullet journal more appealing.
For more information on bullet journals, go to bulletjournal.com
By Erin Henry