It took me longer than I care to admit to get it. I hope this post helps you decipher the productivity system!

Note: This post was originally published on my personal blog, but I've since realized it's probably pretty darn applicable to Hello Brio content, since a lot of bullet journaling has to do with creativity and hand lettering. I'd love to know what you think of this bullet journal post and subsequent “bujo” posts! Don't be shy—tell me in the comments or email me!

Bullet Journaling: What Is It?

You start with a blank notebook. Preferably one that is sturdy enough to be schlepped around all year. Also preferably one that has good paper quality, pre-numbered pages (I think this was one of my mental hurdles with bullet journaling to begin with), and probably dotted or gridded paper (though you can use lined paper notebooks).

The most confusing part about a bullet journal is: it is what you want it to be.

Do you want to have a:

Daily task log

Monthly goal planner

Weekly planner

List of movies you've seen or want to see

Habit tracker

Monthly reflection list

Gratitude list

Waiting for list

Shipment tracking list

Or do you want to have one of the above, a combination of the above, or all of the above?

Again, a bullet journal is what you make it.

Probably the most basic way to use a bullet journal is to use it as a daily log, where you start each entry with the day (Monday, February 15th), and then you make a list of the tasks you wish to complete, and check them off when you're done.

Power-up your daily log by including

Tasks

Completed tasks

Migrated tasks (ones you didn't get to today, but that you've forwarded onto another day)

Events

Notes

Thoughts

Each of which can be denoted by a different symbol. Traditionally, the task is a dot. A completed task is a dot with an X over it. A migrated task is a dot with a greater-than symbol written over it. An event is an open circle, and notes or thoughts are a dash marks.

Why to bullet journal, as I understand it today

Keep in mind that my Leuchtturm1917 Notebook was just ordered a few hours ago and I'm sitting here waiting for it.

Why did I decide to go down the rabbit hole of bullet journaling, as my dear friend Jessica of Pretty Prints & Paper so lovingly calls it?

Because even though I'm getting a lot of stuff done lately (I've launched an e-book about brush lettering, I started a graphic design membership subscription (that I since took down), I've doubled my Instagram following in the past month, I started a quickly-growing hand lettering group, and I'm growing a human being inside of me, to name a few things)—even though I've done a lot of stuff lately, I still feel wildly unorganized.

I wait to the last minute to plan what blog post is going to be published tomorrow. I don't have a comprehensive plan for any of my social media channels. I have a vague idea that I want to teach another Skillshare class soon. I don't wake up every day with a solid plan, and I feel like most of the stuff I get done is reactionary to the emails I get that morning. Yuck. Not living intentionally by any means. Oh, and then I zone out by watching hours of crappy TV (I have an addiction, I know I do).

But wait, Jenn, don't you at least have to-do lists coming out the wazoo? Yes. To-do lists upon to-do lists upon multiple Google calendars upon stacks of digital Evernote notebooks. But the biggest problem I'm seeing: if it's not in sight, I forget about it.

The most impressive change I've noticed in myself lately is when I decide to put a 3x3" sticky note on my monitor in my office for things I want to accomplish that month. January's is still hanging strong, even though it's now mid-February.

Also, I recently spent $1 on a 2-year monthly planner while I was at Target. Seeing everything mapped out for the month instantly cooled my brain. I also relished in jotting down eight or so blog post ideas for the coming months in the back of said $1 planner.