Guide To A Minimalist Bullet Journal

You see we think the people who organise stuff are organised but no the people who are messy are the ones who organise because they feel the need to do it. But as much as bullet journals organise your life I feel they make a person more productive. Your bullet journal holds you responsible for the things you do in your life. It makes you do stuff more prominently than you would otherwise. It is called a journal because it again is something you reflect on. That book is more than your daily to-do list. It holds everything important in your life. Every event, every task and every idea. 

There are a lot of bullet journaling methods. And after trial and error, I have found the one which works for me the best. And I am very sure that my method won't work for you maybe. So experiment a little if you want to or keep it really simple. The choice is really yours.

How to bullet journal you ask? I am gonna tell you just that!

The Fundamentals Of Bullet Journaling

Bullet journaling is a method which was started by Ryder Carrol and it has inspired a lot of people to get creative and tweak it. Originally it was only for your daily tasks and events but now people legit put their whole lives in it. And don't you think Bullet Journaling is girly, Ryder Carrol is a man. Okay?

If you keep forgetting birthdays, events and deadlines. START BULLET JOURNALING. 

Here's what you'll need.

A pen

A ruler

A highlighter

A dotted or plain notebook (I prefer dotted because it is easier to draw lines in that one.)

And the time to start this amazing practice.

The Spreads

1. First Page

The first page starts with your name. I have written mansi bhagat exactly like this on mine. It has to be nothing fancy just legible handwriting. 

2. Key

You can start with a key page if you'd like. Example, a dot for a task, a cross for a task completed etc.

3. Year at a glance 

There are some pages you have to choose whether you want to insert or not. I have skipped this one as I don't already know what I am going to be doing this year. So if there are one or two events that I have this year and my monthly spreads aren't ready yet. I will note them in my phone calendar. 

4. Books to read this year / Movies to watch this year

If somebody recommends me a book I will jot it down on this list. Same with the movies, all my friends know that I will never watch their recommendations. I'll tell you how to get me to watch one, tell me to write that movie down in my to-watch list and send you a picture. This way I will watch the movie no matter what.

5. Monthly page

If there's one spread I really like, it is this one. The real organiser of everything. Here's how to use this - If someone calls you and tells you "let's go out" on the 6th and you say yes, jot it down here. Same for your girlfriend's birthday so that you don't call her fifteen minutes late and everything from tests to appointments. Even your bill payment dates.

6. Budget

I need to keep a track of whatever I earn. This page is just for that, writing your income and expenses for the month will really help you to know where your money is going. You can create a habit tracker page too in a similar way.

7. To buy

I forget to buy stuff all the time. So once I know my lip balms are over and I need to buy them I will write it down. Or else if I am saving to buy something expensive for me later I will write that down too so that I look at it always and remember not to waste money on unimportant things.

8. Brain dump

My brain runs all the time and while most of the stuff is stupid, trust me sometimes I have some pretty great ideas. And those ideas go in here. From shower thoughts to a random quote I made up my brain dump section is really my brain dump section.

9. Weekly spreads

The daily tasks and to-do lists go in here. This has saved me a lot of times as I don't forget to do things anymore. If I have to do something I will write it down here and the allot it time. 

10. Notes

You come across something amazing and you never want to forget it, where do you put it? Here.

In this section, every inspiring dialogue of a movie or some notes a meeting or anything you want to keep safe can be written.

I know we believe that we will remember everything we need to do it. And while sometimes we do sometimes we don't so for that purpose trust your bullet journal and maintain it. There's no harm and it is a very useful productivity tool.