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Ultimate Bullet Journal Guide
Ultimate Bullet Journal Guide
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What does productivity really mean?
Productivity is on the minds of many Therefore, I‘d like to start with a small
but the term ,productivity‘ is not exercise.
specific enough and leaves one question
unanswered: How can I personally break
the productivity problem down so that Think of one specific project
I know how to apply it to my everyday First I‘d like you to think of one current
life? project you continue to procrastinate
over. This can be a business project but
As I am still learning more and more also a private one e.g. moving house,
about productivity myself - and I have renovating the new flat, making your
by no means found one perfect way to home cosier or even making more time
be the most productive - I‘d like to dive to spend with your loved ones. Which
with you a bit deeper into this topic. ideas and words are coming into your
For this I don‘t want to bore you with mind when you think about this project?
theoretic stuff. I don‘t want you to only Add every idea to your mindmap and
read this but to understand it. I want you remember there‘s no right or wrong.
to become active.
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What does productivity really mean?
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What does productivity really mean?
Concept
Personal Tips: What makes the Bullet Journal
special to me?
How to boost productivity with a Bujo?
How do others use their Bujos?
How to start?
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What does productivity really mean?
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What does productivity really mean?
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What‘s a Bullet Journal?
Three different types of bullets The classic bullet point is used for tasks.
As the name already suggests, the main After you‘ve completed a bulleted task,
characteristic of a Bullet Journal you need you can change the bullet point into
to know is the bullet. In order to classify an x. For the case you‘ve completed
your daily to do‘s and make your list your task already the day before you
more clear and concise, there are three change the bullet point into <. If a task
different types of bullets. needs to be postponed until the next
day, use a >.
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What‘s a Bullet Journal?
Modify the Bullet Journal system It’s important that you consider your
It‘s very important that your bulleted Bullet Journal as a notebook with lots
items are only entered as short descriptive of blank space waiting to be filled with
sentences. No wild or excessive writing at your ideas, your creativity, your plans.
this point – you want to keep everything Feel free to modify and extend it so that
as an overview and spend time being it fits your personal needs.
more productive, so keep focused. The
original Bullet Journal system with its
three different bullets and components
you‘ll get to know on the following pages
should serve as a foundation for the way
you use your Bullet Journal.
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Best Bullet Journal Essentials
Index
The first pages of a Bullet Journal should be kept free as an Index where you can record
your pages step by step.
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How to set up your first Bullet Journal
Key
The Key page follows right after your Index. It shows all icons you use in your Bullet
Journal and its meaning. As I already mentioned above, I use a dot for my to do‘s, a
circle for events and meetings and a dash for personal notes.
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How to set up your first Bullet Journal
Future Log
The next double page after your Key is
meant to be your future log. This log is
an overview of the upcoming months and
offers enough space to record meetings,
projects and events you already know
long before.
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How to set up your first Bullet Journal
Monthly Log
After you‘ve dedicated a double blank
page to the entire year, it‘s time to get
more concrete and plan the next month.
There are many variations of how to set
up your monthly log. You can either
have a monthly overview in grid or list
style or you can also work with fields
for different topics. You should try out
different layouts to find the one you
can work with best.
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How to set up your first Bullet Journal
Habit Tracker
When it comes to productivity, it is not you‘ve woken up and note the hours of
enough to just find a way to structure sleep you got. After tracking your daily
your to do‘s that works best for your. routine for a while, you should see a
Observing your habits is at least as connection between your daily habits
important to finding and getting rid of and the amount of work you get done.
your bad habits an, in turn, you will have
a more productive day.
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How to set up your first Bullet Journal
Weekly Spread
After you‘ve set up your monthly log
and your habit tracker for the upcoming
month, it is time to focus on the next
week. Use one blank double page to write
down the days from Monday to Sunday.
This spread helps you to keep an overview
of your meetings and to do‘s for this
week.
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How to set up your first Bullet Journal
Daily Log
After setting up your future log, monthly
log and weekly spread, it is time to go
for the real thing you work with every
single day: your daily logs. Your daily
log offers enough space for you daily to
do lists, your daily meetings, notes and
personal thoughts.
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How to set up your first Bullet Journal
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How to set up your first Bullet Journal
Additional Pages
Future Log, monthly log, habit and sleep
tracker, weekly spreads and daily logs –
these are the basics of the Bullet Journal
system. If you not only want to use your
Bullet Journal as an organizer, you can
also use it for doodling, writing down your
personal thoughts or making any other
list you need. Here are some examples
of some additional page layouts.
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The right setup is only half of the story
Having the right setup for your Bullet Journal is
one thing, using it in the right way is another.
Establishing the perfect Bullet Journal setup
does not prevent you from procrastinating if
you do not know how to structure your day,
at which time of the day you are the most
How to be more productive or at what intervals you need to
productive with your take a break.
Bullet Journal That is why I‘d like to introduce some
productivity systems and rules to you that
might give you the answers to those questions
and will for sure take your productivity and
everyday working life to another level.
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80/20 Rule
20% 80%
EFFORT RESULTS
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Input vs. Output
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How to apply the 80/20 Rule to the
Bullet Journal system?
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Prioritize your to do‘s
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Eisenhower Matrix
2 1
IMPORTANT
How to be more
productive with your not important, not important,
Bullet Journal not urgent but very urgent
4 3
URGENT
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How to apply the Eisenhower Matrix to
the Bullet Journal system?
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Pomodoro Technique
25 5 25 5 25 5 25 15 30
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How to apply the Pomodoro Technique
to the Bullet Journal system?
1. Pick a task.
2. Work for 25 minutes without any interruption.
Set a timer.
3. Take a 5 minute break.
4. Work again for 25 minutes.
5. Take a 5 minute break.
6. Work for 25 minutes.
7. Take a 5 minute break.
8. Work for 25 minutes.
9. Take a longer break. Reward yourself!
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Time Boxing
11:00 AM
Work on Meetings
12:00 PM Project 02
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How to apply Time Boxing to the
Bullet Journal system?
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Batching
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My Personal Bullet Journal Tips
Write your to do list for the next day Don‘t try to multitask
in the evening before
Multitasking isn‘t something that we
It is better to have the upcoming day should strive for. We might be physically
already organized before you go to bed, able to work off several tasks in one go
than sleeping restlessly with too many but psychologically we aren‘t. We do
thoughts on your mind and starting your have two hands but we only have one
day not as productive as it could be. mind. So take care of it, treat your mind
consciously and most importantly: don‘t
ask too much of it. More input does not
automatically lead to a better output. Try
to maximize your potential and work off
one task after another.
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My Personal Bullet Journal Tips
Write only those tasks on your list that It may happen that you don‘t have a
you can really work off. As I already said: good day. It may happen that you get
Don‘t ask too much of yourself. A long distracted sometimes. Or that you need
unrealistic to do list does not only end a day off. Don‘t only ask too much of
up postponing too many tasks until the yourself but also listen to your body. If
next day and using too many ,>‘ but also you just can‘t find your focus then this
is very discouraging. Better to finish your work day is probably a wasted one if you
tasks earlier than expected and be able go on trying and trying – and failing.
to do more tasks which were planned for Take your day off and start your next day
the next day than the other way round. more motivated again.
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My Personal Bullet Journal Tips
Banish all the things around you Don‘t force yourself to use your
that could be a distraction Bullet Journal for everything
Put your smartphone aside, close all The fact that you‘ve just started your
browser tabs that are irrelevant for your Bullet Journal does not necessarily mean
working situation, keep only the things that you‘re not allowed to use any other
on your table that you really need at notebook, app or digital productivity
the moment. Set a clear timeframe (or system. If you‘d like to use an app for
work with the Pomodoro Technique) your finances or a separate book for your
and reward yourself afterwards with a ideas – just do it. Personally, I am still
bit distraction. using the app ,notes‘ on my iPhone for
quick notes and ideas because I don‘t
always have my Bullet Journal at hand.
You need to find the right balance for
you.
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How do others use their Bullet Journals?
How did you start? What were your It changes through time but there are
first pages? basically three different ones.
Which part of your Bullet Journal Why do you prefer writing with a
do you use in your daily life most pen and paper in this digital age?
often?
I feel like pen and paper is more personal
I definitely use my daily log the most. and free. I love the feeling of writing on
And the next thing I use every day is the paper and creating something with no
mood tracker. filter in between, it‘s very relaxing. I don‘t
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despise digital tools (I love to do digital art productive use of a Bullet Journal?
for example) but I just personally prefer
traditional ones for my Bullet Journal. 1. Open the Bullet Journal, seriously. I think
it‘s the hardest part because sometimes
How much time do you spend on it can feel like a task itself, but when I
your Bullet Journal a week? open it I just feel a compulsion to write/
do something. And when I write a task I
I spend about 15 min. at the start of the want to fill its box so I am motivated to
week when I have to do the header of complete it.
the week and think about how to do the
layout. Then it‘s just 5-10 minutes every 2. If something doesn‘t work for you, change
day for writing the Dailies. Doodles may it. The same if it‘s not needed anymore.
take just a minute or more depending If you keep it, it‘s counterproductive
on their complexity. And at the end of because it‘s not something you really like
the week, I spend about 10 min. for the and can make you feel less enthusiast
weekly review. At the end of a month, I about your Bullet Journal. (For example, I
also do the monthly log which can take used to have a habits tracker every month
up to 1 hour. but then I just started using it less and
less and so I don‘t set it up anymore)
The Bullet Journal system can have a
positive impact on your productivity 3. Relax. I always try to remember that
but it still does not ensure it – what the Bullet Journal is not just a planner,
are you top 3 personal tips for a it‘s much much more. I love doodling,
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journaling and experimenting on it and a Bujo sidekick where I do long term
this is a big part of why I am using the planning.
system. Being a little more chill helps a
lot with productivity and avoiding a ,Bujo Who are your top 3 Bullet Journal
block‘ (I‘m not even sure if it exists as a Instagram or YouTube accounts for
term. It‘s like an art block but with the inspiration?
Bujo instead).
@nicoles.journal
What are your most loved and used @focusign
Bullet Journal essentials? @sadgirlstudying
The Muji black gel ink pen 0.38, Staedtler They are just the first ones that came in
pigment liner or Sakura micron with a fine my mind. There are lots of other amazing
tip (e.g. 0.1), Faber-castell textliner 48, people that inspire me, and sometimes I
Stabilo point 88 and the Stabilo aquacolor get inspired by non-Bullet Journal related
pencils. accounts too. Inspiration is everywhere.
Do you use any other digital or Who would you recommend to start
analogue tools besides your Bullet a Bullet Journal?
Journal to organize yourself?
Everyone who likes creating something
Just my school planner where I jot down with their hands and wishes to be more
my homework. I have also started recently organised. There are no other requirements
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to me.
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offer that other systems don’t?
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systems are usually dictated by what the
manufacturer thought would be useful.
@luckyletters If you buy a planner at a store, there is
no room to do anything other than plan,
When and where did you first get in or even worse, there is no room to even
touch with the Bullet Journal system? fully and thoroughly plan.
What was your first impression?
Where did you get all the information
I first heard of the Bullet Journal system and inspiration for your very first
through the recommended section of Bullet Journal setup?
YouTube. I clicked on a journal flip-
through video by Bohoberry, and I was I watched a lot of Bohoberry flip-
hooked. The pages were so creative, and throughs and videos to understand what
oh so random. There would be a daily a Bullet Journal entailed, and then, on
planner on one page and a bucket list Instagram, I followed accounts like @
on the next, and I was immediately so bulletjournalcollection that curated useful
excited to buy one for myself. Bullet Journal posts from multiple people.
I was able to see what everyone else
What attracted you to the Bullet does with their journals, and from there,
Journal system and what does it I could filter out what I thought would
offer that other systems don’t? work for me.
2. Change things up occasionally to find Who are your top 3 Bullet Journal
what works for you. Draw inspiration Instagram or YouTube accounts for
from other Bullet Journalists, and if you inspiration?
see something that might work well for
you, don’t be afraid to integrate it into @Bohoberry – Her YouTube videos are
your own journal and try it out. so informative and detailed, and they’re
great for beginner Bullet Journalists!!
3. The point of planning is productivity. She does a lot of flip-throughs, so it’s a
Not every spread in your journal needs great source for spread ideas if you ever
to be beautiful, or if you don’t want to get stuck or what to try something new.
Bullet Journal that way, not a single spread
needs to be beautiful. As long as you are @Inkbyjeng – Her journaling style is
productive, any Bullet Journal style is very minimalist, but she also decorates
okay! her spreads with geometric shapes and
animals. In addition to her beautiful posts,
Do you use any other digital or her attitude towards life and people is so
analogue tools besides your Bullet contagiously positive, and it’s inspiring!
Journal to organize yourself?
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@Minimaljournal – His tagline says it all: Get a Bullet Journal. If you’re scared
,It’s about getting crap done, not making because you think that every Bullet Journal
your crap look good.‘ He’s the ultimate needs to be decorative and illustrated,
minimal Bullet Journalist, and I think read about why Ryder Caroll started this
he’s also the embodiment of what Ryder system. It revolves around productivity
Carroll meant for this system to be. and simplicity, which means that you
don’t need to be creative to be productive!
Who would you recommend starting If you’re on the opposite end and you’re
a Bullet Journal? worried that your handwriting is sloppy,
it’s still okay! Lettering and drawing takes
Everyone! Anyone who needs to keep practice, and as long as you are willing
track of any aspect of their life should to learn, you shouldn’t be intimidated.
have a Bullet Journal. It’s that simple. Every person whose handwriting you
You have ultimate control of what you may admire started from where you are
want to add to your planner, and you right now.
aren’t confined by any means.
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Now it is up to you. Grab a Bullet Journal,
some pens, find a relaxing place – and
Happy Journaling go. Don‘t be intimidated. Don‘t let restrict
you. Don‘t let anybody tell you which
way to it. Find your own one.
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