Are you always trying to stay up to date? Do you keep your calendar, tasks and ideas in different places – which leads to errors and unnecessary stress? Discover the Bullet Journal – a planning and time management system that will put everything in the right place.

What is the Bullet Journal?

It’s a method for making notes and task lists and managing the calendar, which can be fully adapted to your needs. The creator of this world-famous method is the digital product designer Ryder Carroll. The idea for this approach to note and calendar management was born when Ryder experienced difficulties in learning. When studying, he made a set of symbols for himself that denoted various tasks, events or notes. He always wrote up his plans “from general to particular”, starting with goals and plans for the entire year (future log), then the month (monthly log), and finally ending with a detailed plan for each day.

What do you need to start your own BUJO?

Notebooks and your favourite pen. Really, these are the only two things required to begin your adventure with the Bullet Journal. For marking various activities, you can use the method devised by the author (e.g. square – task, dot – meeting, exclamation mark – priority) or create your own system. You begin creating your BUJO by writing up a calendar for the coming year, then develop a plan for the current month, and finally jot down a list of tasks for today. You use the symbols from your system for everything. It’s that simple.

How to start the Bullet Journal?

So you’ve got your notebook and your favourite pen, now it’s time to start making your BUJO. The planner should include the following elements:

  • A table of contents. It will let you order the contents of your planner. Write down the numbers of pages that contain individual “chapters” in your table of contents for quick reference. It’s also worth including your system of symbols in this space. Of course, you can also update the table of contents as your planner expands.
  • A yearly plan. Assign the next twelve months to the next four pages. Write down your goals and long-term tasks. Add your vacation plans, your loved ones’ birthdays, and the most important holidays.
  • A monthly plan. Then dedicate two pages of your planner for each month. Store your goals and plans for a given period of time in there. In this way, you’ll be able to get a “big picture” of each month and plan your most important tasks accordingly.
  • A daily plan. This is your daily list of tasks.
  • Additional lists. This is the place for your custom lists. Some popular lists nowadays include habit trackers, workout schedules and all sorts of tables related to leading a healthy life, lists of meals for the whole week, lists of books that you want to read, favourite places or household shopping lists. What additional lists end up in your BUJO is strictly of your concern.

The Bullet Journal is a personal planner that you can adapt to your needs. It’s you who chooses its look, so don’t be afraid to experiment and make changes to its form, customising it to fit your needs, priorities and schedules. BUJO will make your daily life go all according to plan.