Bullet journal
A bullet journal (also known as a BuJo) is a paper-based method of personal organization developed by digital product designer Ryder Carroll.[1][2]
The bullet journal system organizes journaling, time management, brainstorming, note-taking and other productivity and organizational tasks into a single notebook. The name "bullet journal" comes from the use of abbreviated bullet points to log information, but it also partially comes from the use of dotted journals, which are gridded using dots rather than lines. It was shared in public in 2013.[3][4][5][6]
History
[edit]Ryder Carroll began looking for a simple method of personal organization in college in the late 1990s. Diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child, he wanted a system to help "move past his learning disabilities". By the time he graduated from college, he had devised the bullet journal method. A friend encouraged him to share his method, and he began sharing it online in 2013.
It attracted attention on social media, earning $80,000 in Kickstarter funding to create a centralized online community of users. It was the subject of over 3 million Instagram posts by December 2018. Carroll gave a TED talk about bullet journaling at the 2017 TEDxYale event, titled "How to declutter your mind – keep a journal."[7] Carroll also published a book on the system, The Bullet Journal Method, in 2018.[8]The method has been influenced by Carroll's experience as an app, web, and game designer, as well as by his interest in scrapbooking.[5][6]
Composition
[edit]The bullet journal is designed to be one notebook that can be an outlet for pondering a wide range of thoughts/events or a space for refection on different thoughts and life experiences. It can be used as an organizational tool, and keep track of tasks, notes, appointments, and meetings. It can also be used as a medium for reflection, such as a diary that tracks moods and habits, and/or as an artistic outlet that contains drawings, quotes, and color. [9][10][11][12][13]
Elements
[edit]Bullet journals can be structured in various ways, which contributes to their usefulness, but this also makes them more intimidating to start. The bullet journal system is flexible so that users can customize it to their needs. The method requires a pen or pencil and a notebook, but can also include markers, stickers, stencils, etc. There are commercially produced notebooks designed for bullet journaling, but they are not required.[13][14] Since the introduction of bullet journaling, its growing popularity has contributed to an increase in sales of traditional stationery products, such as notebooks and pens. [15]
There are many different basic structures in designing a bullet journal, but the commonly included features are daily, future, and monthly logging. Daily logging records can contain each day's tasks, meetings, and reflections, and each day is edited and recorded after being written. Typically, this type of logging takes up the majority of the journal and is used to track habits or changes. Monthly logging is a place for long-term plans or important events each month, and future logging is for long-term projects that may take multiple months or years to complete.[14]
Many journals also include an index, which is located at the front or back of the book. The index provides key information, projects, or days written in the journal, and the corresponding pages to locate these details. Along with that, there is usually a key at the beginning of the journal to explain how to read the journal and decode any symbols, shapes, or colors. [14]
Styles
[edit]Since the introduction of the original bullet journal method, they have grown to encompass a wide variety of styles. [15] Some journals encompass a large variety of colors, pictures, and words, and the user can spend an hour or more every day designing it, while others are more minimalistic and just require a few minutes every day. [16] There are many design inspirations on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok, but the flexibility of the journal helps each user adapt the journal to themselves. [17]
Long Term Effects
[edit]The unstructured nature of the bullet journal fosters expressive writing and drawings which can help people process their emotions however they see fit. Unlike many other forms of self-expression like normal journals or scrapbooks, the combination of drawings and writings, and the flexibility of the journal provide better mental-health care. These writings and drawings included in the bullet journal aid individuals in addressing and verbalizing their problems.[16]
Self Regulation
[edit]Bullet journals can help reduce stress and anxiety. A common theme for many journals is to include habit tracking or self-regulating pages, which can help with reflection and, therefore, lead to an improved mental state.[16]
The reflection from a gratitude log, a type of design that lists or draws daily or weekly moments of gratitude, can cause the writer to have a more positive outlook over time. Along with that, habit tracking can cause the writer to develop more beneficial habits. The journal displays each day the writer did or did not complete their goal, which research shows increases their desire to do the goal.[16]
The long-term tracking can also follow one’s mental health status, allowing them to become aware of their mood and notice any decrease in mental stability. This also allows the writer to re-evaluate their health and create a way to improve it, or indicates to them when to seek help.[16]
Perfectionism
[edit]The flexibility of bullet journals allows the writer to understand that small changes or modifications to their schedule are a part of life. The mapping of their tasks and free time helps illustrate that not being able to complete a certain task is inevitable and teaches the writer how to adapt to the changes.[17]
Along with that, many people may try to create the “perfect” bullet journal, similar to ones they may have seen online, but the stress and time this takes to create will cause many to abandon this mindset. This will cause them to create journals that fully align with their goals and allow them to see that their journal is a “safe space”. They also may learn that their journal is not effective enough, which will cause them to change how they are designing each page.[17]
These aspects allow the users to grow and accept change and development as a part of life. This also leads the writer to reflect on how they can adjust their work or why certain tasks from the previous days were not completed.[17]
Time Management
[edit]Journaling has been proven to improve time management and overall organization. The bullet journal allows the writer to understand what their “intention” is. The organizational aspect of the journal can reduce cognitive load by ensuring all tasks and events are written down and accounted for.[17]
This also ensures the user does not overcommit themselves to plans because it ensures the amount of free time he/she has is accounted for. This also helps each user learn how to say “no” and guarantees they will dedicate enough time to each of their projects.[17]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Molinsky, Andy (March 12, 2019). "008: Bullet Journal". From the Dorm Room to the Board Room (Podcast). Brandeis University. Event occurs at 01:44. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ Schumer, Lizz (March 2019). "Bullet Journals". Good Housekeeping. 268 (3). ISSN 0017-209X.
- ^ Sigler, Jennifer Leigh. "First Comes Love: Ritual and Domesticity in the Aspirational Leisure-Labor Economy of the 21st Century." Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 2019. Ann Arbor: Proquest. Web. November 20, 2019.
- ^ Alvarez, Kim (January 21, 2016). "Thorough Guide to the Bullet Journal System". Tiny Ray of Sunshine. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^ a b Mejia, Zameena (August 2, 2017). "How the creator behind the viral bullet journal turned his own life hack into a full-time business". CNBC. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ a b León, Concepción de (December 27, 2018). "The Art of Bullet Journaling and the Improved To-Do List". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Carroll, Ryder, How to declutter your mind – keep a journal, TEDxYale, retrieved November 20, 2019 – via Google You tube
- ^ Carroll, Ryder (2018). The Bullet Journal method: track your past, order your present, plan your future. New York: Portfolio/Penguin. ISBN 978-0-00826137-5. OCLC 1066062588.
- ^ "How to Use Your Bullet Journal for Work | Rock Your Professional Life". Kalyn Brooke. August 21, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- ^ PrettyPrintsAndPaper (February 13, 2016). "Using A Bullet Journal at Work". Pretty Prints & Paper. Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- ^ "#BulletJournal: Seven million beautiful ways to save money". Business news. BBC. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ "How to use a bullet journal savings tracker to reach your goals". Discover. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ a b Coworking, Novel (September 3, 2018). "How to Use a Bullet Journal for Work". Novel Coworking. Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- ^ a b c Moffett, Billie Jo (November 8, 2018). "Bullet Journaling: Putting Pen to Paper – Public Libraries Online". Public Libraries. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ a b "Bullet Journaling Trend Lifts Sales of Notebooks and Writing Instruments". Port Washington, NY: The NPD Group. June 26, 2019. Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Silva, Naira Almeida da; Souto, Virgínia Tiradentes; Oliveira, Ana Mansur de (2025-12-28). "Bullet Journal for mental health self-care: the role of Information Design". InfoDesign. 22 (3). doi:10.51358/id.v22i3.1254. ISSN 1808-5377.
- ^ a b c d e f Atwood, Thea (2025-09-25). "Making Time for Research (and You): Using an "Intentionality Toolkit" to Achieve Your Goals and Mitigate Feelings of Overwhelm". Hypothesis: Research Journal for Health Information Professionals. 37 (2). doi:10.18060/28774. ISSN 2688-1268.