Bullet Journaling

Bullet Journaling is a method to quickly and elegantly organize your thoughts, plan events, and follow through on your goals and aspirations. If you struggle to move your personal projects forward, plan ahead, or build a new skill, then Bullet Journaling is the solution!

Now I’ve promised the sky and you’re feeling a little skeptical, wondering which app is involved? Well, in more than just a hipster-inspired wave, all we need is a pen and some paper. Pen and paper, what’s next, are you going to ask me to boot up windows 98’ and play some minesweeper?

While writing your thoughts down requires work, it’s worth it. By making it a little more taxing you start to refine what is really worth writing down and avoid the word vomit that tends to happen with typing or peppering your wall with blue neon post-its. In a study by Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer they look at how taking notes by hand rather than a laptop allow you to retain information better and crystallize the most important concepts, making you more aware and present (obligatory ironic hashtag #mindfullness). Like note taking, Bullet Journaling will help you retain and recall your tasks, be more likely to circle back and complete them, ignoring the superfluous details.

The Pitch: Why Bullet Journal?

1. Too much Clutter: You have too many Post It Notes scattered along your desk or in a myriad mess in your ideation station #human-centered-design.
2. Endless todo lists: You have a to-do list to manage your to-do lists.
3. Habits don’t stick: You want to form a habit of practicing Machine Learning or FIFA (so you can finally make it to Division 1 and create your own Twitch channel), but can’t seem to get it done.
4. Missed opportunities and thoughts: You have too many brilliant buzzing thoughts that flit away. You want to follow up with that recruiter you ran into at boozy brunch.
5. Where’d all the time go!: Don’t seem to have time to do the things you enjoy, follow through on the things you promise, etc.

If any of these speak to your soul then grab your moleskin, a fine tip pen, your Warby Parker reading glasses, and a cup of nitro-cold brew Maui Red Rooster coffee. Because we’re getting rid of the clutter, knocking out those to-dos, forming habits, and getting you some you time!

So where do you start and what do you need:

1. Journal: It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but some say black moleskin with grid pages is akin to acro-yoga nirvan. Some great brands to check out (a shame this blog isn’t sponsored or this would be some prime product plugs):
   • Leuchtturm - Comes with an Index, pre-written page numbers, and a date line atop each page
   • Fabriano EcoQua - Eco-Friendly with spirals to bring you back to those good old middle school dayz
   • Moleskin - Good Quality, nice feel, a little pricey. Maybe it’s just me but I can’t shake the thought that Moleskin Journals are made out of moles, even though they apparently aren’t…
2. Pens:
   • Sakura Micron - I fell in love with Sakura from an early age, and haven’t wavered even after flirting with Staedtler and Uni.

Let’s get to brass tacks. What’s the layout?

1. An Index: Your personal Table of Contents (e.g. Books, Product Management, Career Tips, etc) - you can note on which pages you mention these various topics.
2. Rapid Logging: Short blurbs like todos with symbols. Bullets are short sentences that include Tasks, Events, and Notes
   • Tasks: Noted as • is essentially a to-do e.g. • Post new blog post. Once the task is completed you mark it with an X, if it is migrated to a future date you add a >, or if it has been scheduled <
   • Events: A scheduled occasion signified by a checkbox e.g. Bought a flight home or Marie’s Graduation
   • Notes: shown with a - can include ruminations, ideas, observations, etc.
3. Daily Log: From work you need to get done to how many cups of water you had to things you need to push to tomorrow
4. Monthly Log: Events, Goals, Calling your parents weekly, things you need to plan for etc
5. Future Log: Take a step back, a breath or two and look at the year ahead - what are those big trips, milestones you hope to get to that will bubble up from your daily little wins?

For more information go to BulletJournal where they walk through the methods and modules in greater detail. Also check out r/bulletjournal for inspiration and some jealousy.

There’s something invigorating about writing down your goals, revisiting those past and upcoming milestones even if they’re flossing for a week straight or deploying that personal website. For more info on habit forming check out BrainPickings.

If you’re still not convinced let me highlight in a buzzed fashion the TOP 5 reasons you should Bullet Journal

Benefits:

1. Stay on top of and accomplish your goals
2. Maintain good habits by getting a long term view - check out this article on habit forming from BrainPickings
3. Celebrate small wins - from finishing that essay or Powerpoint to getting some groceries (DiGiorno pizza dusted with olive oil anyone?)
4. Get those Gainz at the gym - maybe? Well, track those squats, that cardio, and hit the gym #stayyoked
5. Get that IPO money - Had the greatest idea since sliced bread or the shake weight, but didn’t write it down squandering your unicorn IPO idea? Don’t fret you’ve got a pen and paper for that.

Good Luck Bullet Journaling!!