Ideas for Bored Quaranteens: Bullet Journaling
In the past few weeks, we have seen a lot of changes in our daily lives and schedules due to the spread of coronavirus. However, the space and time off from work or school can be a great opportunity to adopt some hobbies! In this new series, some of our Klesis students will be sharing some ideas for what you can do to make the most of your time while at home. In this post post, Klesis sophomore Grace shares about why she started bullet journaling and how you can get started.
Post by Grace K.
I’ve always enjoyed knowing what my day will look like before it starts. I started bullet journaling about two years ago because I found an interest in revitalizing my dreary planner. As a college student, bullet journaling can help you to get things done and better organize your life. Initially, the effects of bullet journaling might seem like they only apply to the person who makes it, but it can also serve as another way to show others how to be more organized and structured.
If you’ve never heard of bullet journaling or don’t know where to start, below I’ve shared the basics of what it is and how you can make your own in five simple steps.
What is a bullet journal?
Simply put, a bullet journal is a planner system that categorizes concepts from big to small and allows you to record the past and plan for the future. As you organize your bullet journal, what seems overwhelming can be broken down into manageable pieces.
At first, starting and maintaining a bullet journal may seem like a daunting task. However, in just 5 simple steps, you can begin to maintain a consistent schedule and keep track of daily tasks and goals, all in one journal.
Why keep a bullet journal?
A bullet journal can be used to keep track of your time, thoughts and reflections, goals (and progress), habits, and tasks. During this time when many are sheltering-in-place, it’s easy for time to disappear and days to blur together. Since we are cut from many parts of our daily routine, a bullet journal can help restore a sense of regularity and normalcy. Looking at your bullet journal can help you feel a sense of accomplishment, purpose and direction for each task, and serve as a way to remember things you’ve gone through.
Needed Supplies
Before creating your own, here’s a basic list of supplies:
Bulleted journal (watercolor or graph journals can serve as a substitute)
Pens or pencils
Colored pens or markers
Washi tape (decorative tape) or stickers (optional)
Now, let’s get started!
Step 1: Table of Contents
First, create a table of contents. The table of contents page is one of the first elements of a bullet journal and allows you to quickly locate pages. You can format it however you like, but I recommend creating two sides: the left side for simple headers and right side for page numbers. To make it a bit fancier, you can color code or add simple icons. On a side note, I find it helpful to skip a couple of pages after the table of contents and start numbering from 1 to the end if your journal doesn’t already have page numbers.
Step 2: Short-term and Long-term Goals
This section holds a lot of freedom in that it doesn’t need to be in the beginning or end of your journal and can be organized or drawn in any format. When creating goals, remember that these goals should be specific, time-sensitive, and most-importantly, attainable.
Step 3: Yearly Spreads
As I mentioned before, it’s important to work from big to small concepts in a bullet journal. This section allows you to see everything from an aerial perspective. Yearly spreads often cover two pages; I suggest setting aside two pages (left and right instead of front and back) for cohesiveness.
Some people prefer to color code or highlight each day to track moods or small habits that don’t require information regarding monthly or daily details. When creating this page, I recommend following an official calendar (and feel free to mark important holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries)!
Step 4: Monthly Spreads
This section allows you to see each month at a glance. If you didn’t have enough space to write or mark holidays in your yearly spread, some people prefer to mark them in this section. Because there will be a section for weekly spreads, information in monthly spreads should be kept to a minimum to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Step 5: Weekly Spreads
This is our final section, which should contain plans for the next seven days. This is where daily tasks and detailed information should reside. Many people use this section to reflect or “brain dump,” but I personally use this section to document what happens each day.
Because this is your journal, and only yours, in no way is this a comprehensive or mandatory list of things to include or follow. Feel free to add whatever you like, and remember that the purpose of the bullet journal is to help you maximize productivity and organization!