When is the last time you’ve hand written something? Sent a birthday card and not a text message? Taking notes in class with a pen and paper? With penmanship becoming digitised, not many people gravitate to their pencil case and A4 to create a to-do list anymore. Typing may be a more efficient way to copy down notes, but the satisfaction of highlighting a passage or physically ticking a task from your to-do list is unbeatable.
The increasingly popular hobby of bullet journaling is making the rounds. Bullet journaling is a form of personalised organisation developed by Ryder Carroll. The journal’s main purpose is to help organise chaos through various systems like to-do lists, scheduling, timetable and reminders in one single space.
There are no rules when it comes to bullet journaling. That is one thing that makes it so great, it is completely personalised. You do not have to be an artist or have perfect handwriting, your bullet journal can be as neat or as messy as you please. Bullet journals can be any size and have dotted, grid, lined or plain paper. Do your research and find out what suits you and your style.
The basic supplies needed are of course a journal and a pen, but there are more add ons to help you express yourself. These can be calligraphy pens, stickers, washi tapes, gel pens, coloured markers, highlighters and so much more. While bullet journaling is a fun and creative way of staying organised, it is also meant to be functional. Try not to worry about how it looks aesthetically, but that is simple enough for you to want to use everyday.
Get to know your tools! Price points do not always reflect the quality of the product. My go to is a dotted journal, and I get mine from Amazon for less than a Butler’s flat white. Your pens can be as basic as the one you borrowed from the bank, or the most expensive ones on the market. I really recommend the Faber-Castell fine liners as they don’t bleed through the pages, write smoothly, (they also don’t smudge which is useful for any other lefties out there!) and are inexpensive. Most of my Washi tapes are from AliExpress, they cost less than €2 and they have hundreds of designs.
The design and layout of a spread is customisable. They can be simple or artistic masterpieces, but know you will make mistakes! Pinterest and Instagram is the ideal place to find inspiration. There are also many YouTube accounts dedicated to bullet journaling. My personal favourite is Amanda Rach Lee. She posts her monthly journal setups and useful advice for beginners.
Your journal is tailored to how you view productivity. This can be done through reminders, to-do lists, monthly goals and trackers. Trackers are a way of recording tasks you want to complete and look back on your progress at the end of each month. Trackers can record anything from workouts, how much water you drank, taking medications, your period and even finances. Some people use this to record their mood throughout the month. This is an amazing way to track your mental health and your progress!
Bullet journaling is a creative pastime to keep ourselves productive and on track. As Ryder Carroll put it, bullet journaling allows us to “you to track the past, organise the present and plan for the future.” With 2021 fast approaching there is no better time to start your very own bullet journal.