Hello all. I want to share this, should anyone benefit from it. It became a little obsession for me for a few days, over-researching and looking at people's different artistic bullet journals. So I'd recommend just a basic one, and don't get caught up in getting the best materials. So I'm trying to transform my dissociation into something helpful. I actually made an 80 page saddle stitch bound bullet journal in passport size though and haven't really used it yet.
So on to the basics. You get a notebook and you write the index first on the first 2 or so pages. Then you number the rest of the pages. Then you write on the next blank four pages a future log with the months of the year. Divide the 4 pages into thirds to get each month. Put in long term goals in the future log. After that go to a new spread of two blank pages to write your first monthly log. Put each number for the date down vertically with a letter for the day of the week ( M T W T F S S ). The right hand page is where you put tasks and events for the month. After the monthly log you can do a weekly log and/or a daily log. You can also add "trackers" which are just check-boxes to fill for your daily habits. Add anything you want. It's analog and the placement doesn't matter, that's what the index is for.
So what you do is use a key system. A bullet • is a task. A circle O is an event. A dash - is a note. Just brain dump stuff on your daily log as it comes to mind. The idea is quickly getting it down. You can put an asterisk to the left * of important things. Draw an eye (oval with a dot in the center) for something to research. And an exclamation mark ! for inspiration. You can make up your own key. When the month (or week) is over put an X on completed tasks and for the remaining ones ask "Is this still worth my time?" If not then you can cross a line through it. If so, then you do what's called migration. Changing the bullet to an arrow pointing left < means you schedule it for later. Put it back in your next month's monthly log or future log for another month. Changing the bullet to an arrow pointing right > means it was migrated. Put it on your next monthly (or weekly or daily) log. You can also add collections, which are common things you are writing down (books to read, movies to watch, inspiring quotes, etc.). Just add it to the next blank page and index it.
Hope that wasn't too confusing, here's the video:
Here's a good article on it: _https://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelwmiller/how-to-start-a-bullet-journal
And a good example of minimal bullet journaling: _https://www.instagram.com/bujo.auslife/
I was drawn to this when I watched the video because of the idea of rapid logging and brain dumping. And also the migration idea, which is purging things to do. So basically to brain dump and get stuff done and purged. But I really haven't started the one I made, and instead just dump items by writing them on multiple things like paper, post its, and text documents on the PC.
Lastly I'll give some tips I've picked up. Possible things to track or list: aims, dissociation, books to read, therapy notes, self help page (pipe breathing, stop and do something else, or anything that helps you when you are overwhelmed), lessons learned, pen test page (don't go overboard, any pen is fine), posts on forum to make, a page for why you started so to stay on task, hours slept.
And some tips:
Hope this is helpful. It's really about whatever you want to use it for. I'd say think about what you want and make a mental image of how it will be and what will go in it. Happy journaling!
So on to the basics. You get a notebook and you write the index first on the first 2 or so pages. Then you number the rest of the pages. Then you write on the next blank four pages a future log with the months of the year. Divide the 4 pages into thirds to get each month. Put in long term goals in the future log. After that go to a new spread of two blank pages to write your first monthly log. Put each number for the date down vertically with a letter for the day of the week ( M T W T F S S ). The right hand page is where you put tasks and events for the month. After the monthly log you can do a weekly log and/or a daily log. You can also add "trackers" which are just check-boxes to fill for your daily habits. Add anything you want. It's analog and the placement doesn't matter, that's what the index is for.
So what you do is use a key system. A bullet • is a task. A circle O is an event. A dash - is a note. Just brain dump stuff on your daily log as it comes to mind. The idea is quickly getting it down. You can put an asterisk to the left * of important things. Draw an eye (oval with a dot in the center) for something to research. And an exclamation mark ! for inspiration. You can make up your own key. When the month (or week) is over put an X on completed tasks and for the remaining ones ask "Is this still worth my time?" If not then you can cross a line through it. If so, then you do what's called migration. Changing the bullet to an arrow pointing left < means you schedule it for later. Put it back in your next month's monthly log or future log for another month. Changing the bullet to an arrow pointing right > means it was migrated. Put it on your next monthly (or weekly or daily) log. You can also add collections, which are common things you are writing down (books to read, movies to watch, inspiring quotes, etc.). Just add it to the next blank page and index it.
Hope that wasn't too confusing, here's the video:
Here's a good article on it: _https://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelwmiller/how-to-start-a-bullet-journal
And a good example of minimal bullet journaling: _https://www.instagram.com/bujo.auslife/
I was drawn to this when I watched the video because of the idea of rapid logging and brain dumping. And also the migration idea, which is purging things to do. So basically to brain dump and get stuff done and purged. But I really haven't started the one I made, and instead just dump items by writing them on multiple things like paper, post its, and text documents on the PC.
Lastly I'll give some tips I've picked up. Possible things to track or list: aims, dissociation, books to read, therapy notes, self help page (pipe breathing, stop and do something else, or anything that helps you when you are overwhelmed), lessons learned, pen test page (don't go overboard, any pen is fine), posts on forum to make, a page for why you started so to stay on task, hours slept.
And some tips:
- Put your index in the back and start everything else on the front. When the two meet the journal is finished and you can start a new one.
- Use sticky note tabs for important pages. Or shade them with a marker or pencil on the side.
- Divide the index vertically so you have two columns. On the left side put the usual things like collections and lists, but put on the right hand side your day week and monthly logs.
- Put a check at the bottom or top corner of a page if all items have been completed, migrated, and/or crossed out. Put an X on the bottom or top corner if the page just didn't work out or you messed it up.
- Add bullets and other key symbols next to your index entries too. Put X'es on the index entries and treat them like you would the other logs.
Use "threading", which is when you start a continued list or collection on another page because you have no more space. Put the next page number down on the first page, and write it in your index. (e.g. Books to read 5, 14)
If a whole year future log is too much planning, make a generic future log. Just some pages of vague things that need to be done in the long term.
When migrating a task, when you write it down on the next page, put a (1) next to it. If you migrate it again, put a (2). And on and on. This way you know what is most pressing and you've been putting off.- If you make a tracker checkbox grid, make a reward at the end to motivate yourself.
Hope this is helpful. It's really about whatever you want to use it for. I'd say think about what you want and make a mental image of how it will be and what will go in it. Happy journaling!
