#achievement of the month probs
hello!! i’ve been getting quite a lot of asks about bullet journaling, so i decided to make this post to share some tips + information about it!
what is a bullet journal?
- a bullet journal is a super flexible and customisable all-in-one system that allows you to quickly organise information
- it can combine a planner, to-do list, diary, notebook + much more!
- the official bullet journal website (i strongly recommend you go through this, it’s very informative - but don’t feel limited to the ideas on the website!)
how does it help with productivity?
- simple, effective information logging that only takes a few minutes
- you can work out what system works best and helps you be as productive as possible
- keeps all your information in one place - increased organization helps you be more productive!
- creates a habit of planning time
- allows you to see all the tasks you have to complete
- you can use it together with the pomodoro method! next to each task, draw out one box to represent one pomodoro, and cross them out as you go
- it forces you to want to finish tasks because they’re written down somewhere
- gives you a sense of achievement as you go through each task!
how do i pick a notebook?
- picking a suitable notebook is really important: you’re going to want to get a notebook that you will want to use or bullet journaling can become pointless!
- consider size first - if you’re going to be carrying it around everywhere, go for something light, portable and durable
- if you’re going to be leaving it at home most of the time/want more space to work with, get something larger
- consider getting a notebook with a pocket in the back if you want to carry around post-its and the like!
- do you work better with lines/grids/blank paper? i’d say grid paper is the quickest and tidiest to work with, but if you want more freedom with your bullet journal, you could try lined/blank paper.
- remember, there’s no specific notebook for a bullet journal - go for something you want to use and are comfortable with!!
- here are some examples of different notebooks used:
getting started!!
a few things to consider as you begin your venture into bullet journaling:
- key:
- the bullet journal website goes through how you can use different symbols for different forms of information e.g. box for tasks, triangle for events
- you can develop your own key that is more relevant to your life and schedule! for example, you might want to use a clock symbol for a deadline/an exclamation mark for an assessment date
- some examples of bullet journal keys hereandhere!
- index:
- i’d recommend using the first page in your journal as an index/contents page so that you can keep track of where your important pages are (like study schedules, book lists, assessment dates)!
- colour-coding:
- this obviously works better for some people than others. i like to keep my colour scheme limited to 2 or 3 colours because colours don’t really work for me - but if you want to use a colour-coding system, go ahead!
- some colour-coding insp here!
- prioritising system:
- i personally use exclamation marks next to urgent tasks and swirls for school-unrelated chill time things
- but you can develop a system that works best for you and your timetable!
- check out this system here to give you inspiration!
what kind of things can i put in it?
- a calendar if you want!
- study plans/schedules
- cute water trackers
- a “don’t break the chain” page to create good study habits!
- motivational quotes/doodles
- photographs
- receipts
- tickets!
- films to watch
- book list
- music to check out later
- shopping lists
- writing/art inspiration
- +even more ideas!!
general tips from me
- split tasks into sub-tasks as much as possible!!
- e.g. instead of just writing “revise for history test” write “make flashcards on the cold war”, “do practice paper questions from chapter 3″ etc. underneath!
- this is probably my favourite part about using a bullet journal: making one big task into several smaller ones lets me see clearly what i have to get done and makes me feel more accomplished as i move through a task
- also, it lets me plan how to finish a task before i start it
- limit yourself to how many tasks you can migrate a day - this stops you from putting things off for another day and forces you to get at least a specific amount of work done each day
- this sounds dumb but figure out what is the most satisfying way to cross out a task
- you can tick, shade in, highlight or put a cross through your tasks, so try out some methods to figure out what you feel is the most satisfying!
- sometimes when i’m brain-dead and losing the will to live i just tell myself “another hour and i can colour that box in. won’t that be the best feeling” and then i get through it
- don’t overcomplicate it!
- you don’t have to use a lot of colour or different fonts if you don’t want to
- but if you want to do that and it works for you, go ahead!
- my advice would be to develop your own style of bullet journaling and stick to it - consistency will avoid wasting time on deciding how your spread is going to look like today!
inspiration from some of my fav spreads!
- super colourful
- functional and looks great
- post-its + pastel!
- using washi tape
- minimalist and simple i love this
- simple but so pretty
- tidy and artsy
- + bullet journal tag for even more insp!
i really really hope this was helpful! feel free to tag me in your bullet journal posts with #hi xuanlin and i’ll definitely reblog them :^) and if you ever want to talk to me about bullet journals/anything at all, my ask is always open!!
xuanlin
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