What is bullet journaling and its benefits? – Microsoft 365 (2024)

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > What is bullet journaling and its benefits?

February 06, 2023

Journaling is a proven and effective way to reduce stress, achieve goals, and track your progress and growth. Bullet journaling combines all these benefits, making it a popular journaling method. Learn how to make and use a bullet journal to stay organized, log your thoughts, and track your goals.

What is bullet journaling and its benefits? – Microsoft 365 (1)

What is a bullet journal?

Bullet journals, also called BuJo for short, are a type of journal that serves as both a planner and a diary. As a planner, they track both short-term and long-term goals. As a diary, it can be used to quickly log your thoughts and feelings, making them a great form of self-care. Bullet journals can be used for anything, whether you are looking to improve your health through dieting and fitness or help you stay organized at work. They can easily be adjusted and customized to suit your ever-changing needs. These journals can be either physical or digital journals.

How to start a bullet journal

Bullet journals don’t come pre-made. You’ll have to set one up yourself, but luckily, this will only take a few minutes. If you want to start with a physical journal, purchase a journal with blank pages or a dot grid.

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What is bullet journaling and its benefits? – Microsoft 365 (3)

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Bullet journals have four main sections: your index, a future log, a monthly log or task list, and a daily log.

1. The index section

The index section lives at the front of your journal and is used as a table of contents as well as a symbol key. You may want to save the first few pages of your journal as an index in case you need to add more information to it in the future.

Key symbols can be added throughout your journal to highlight important details. Using them in your journal is a great visual organization tool. For example, you may want to use an exclamation point next to notes or to-dos that are high-priority or a triangle next to upcoming appointments. You don’t need to come up with key symbols right away, let them come to you as you create your journal.

2. The future log

The next section of your bullet journal is the future log. This section is used to log your long-term goals, no matter how big or small they are. You can use this section to log personal or work-related goals, future vacations, holidays, or anything significant coming up in the next year. Again, you may want to save a few pages for this section so that you can add to it later.

3. The monthly log

This section serves as a monthly calendar to log important events or deadlines. You can set this section up however you would like—some draw out an actual calendar, while others vertically list each day of the month with space next to it to add notes. Make sure to include relevant items from the future log in your monthly log.

4. The daily log

On this page, you’ll write the date and list the goals, events, or to-dos for that day. Of course, you’ll need a new page for each day. You can also use this section to log daily thoughts or feelings in bullet points. While traditional journaling uses full sentences to log thoughts and events, a benefit of bullet journaling is that you can use simple bullet points to list things. If you’re busy or on the go, bullet journals are ideal because they don’t take too much time to update.

This section is where your key symbols come in handy—you can add symbols to each bullet point to help you categorize or prioritize them.

Digital vs. physical bullet journals

Both digital and physical journals have various benefits. Most people prefer physical notebooks since they love to get creative with their bullet journals by adding stickers or fun doodles to them. Research shows that writing by hand can help boost your memory, which is especially helpful for those who are looking to keep track of events and to-dos with a bullet journal.1
However, digital bullet journals are also a great choice because they can be accessed anywhere, as long as you have the Internet. Plus, if you back them up in a cloud, you’ll never lose your data, whereas a physical journal could become lost. Apps like OneNote are popular for bullet journaling and you can even add doodles to your notes.

Bullet journaling is a fast and easy way to gather events, thoughts, and feelings in one place. Get started on your bullet journal today to enjoy an organized life.

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What is bullet journaling and its benefits? – Microsoft 365 (2024)

FAQs

What is bullet journaling and its benefits? – Microsoft 365? ›

While traditional journaling uses full sentences to log thoughts and events, a benefit of bullet journaling is that you can use simple bullet points to list things. If you're busy or on the go, bullet journals are ideal because they don't take too much time to update.

What are the benefits of bullet journaling? ›

By being mostly analog, the Bullet Journal method minimizes distractions, helps you stay focused, and encourages reflection. The Bullet Journal method is more than a to-do list.

What is the concept of bullet journaling? ›

Think of it as a next-level diary for not only writing but also drawing. Instead of blank, lined pages, a bullet journal (or BuJo, for short) contains sections to log daily to-dos, keep a monthly or weekly calendar, jot down notes, track both physiological and mental health, and record both short- and long-term goals.

What is the point in a bullet journal? ›

It Helps You Visualize Your Goals

The bullet journal format allows you to easily track things in a highly visual and organized format. These journals also allow you to explore your creative side.

What is the difference between bullet journaling and digital calendar? ›

Digital planners are software-based tools that allow users to use their electronic devices to schedule appointments, create to-do lists, and set reminders, whereas bullet journaling is a paper-based system that involves creating customized layouts to track tasks, goals, and other activities.

What are the 2 most important items in bullet journaling? ›

All you need to get started is a notebook and a pen.

Any notebook will do. It's not about having a fancy planner or special pens. In fact, I recommend that you start out with a cheap notebook at first and create the basic pages listed above. Add collections as you think of something you'd like to track.

What are the disadvantages of bullet journaling? ›

Cons: Cons of Bullet Journaling: Time-Consuming: Requires significant time to set up and maintain, particularly if detailed or artistic. Can Be Overwhelming: The flexibility might be daunting for those who prefer more structure.

Why is bullet journaling so popular? ›

One appealing aspect of BuJo-ing is that it doesn't cost anything. Although the website sells everything from Bullet Journal courses to stationery to Carroll's internationally best-selling book, anyone can try the method. All you need is a notebook and a pen.

What is the key in Bullet Journal method? ›

A bullet journal key is a page at the start of your bullet journal where you keep track of the symbols, colours or other signifiers you use to represent various tasks and ideas stored inside your journal. As with all bullet journaling, your key can be customised to meet your unique needs.

What is the function of bullet journal? ›

It lets you organize tasks and goals for the short and long term: The Bullet Journal method helps you bring order to your tasks, events, and notes. By consolidating everything in one place, you gain a comprehensive view of your commitments and priorities.

Is BuJo a waste of time? ›

Some people have elaborate trackers complete with a picture of the activity they are tracking. If you are already an artist then this is something easy for you to create. If you're not an artist, it can be a time-consuming pain in the ass. But a bullet journal might not be a waste of time for you.

What is the difference between a planner and a bullet journal? ›

Unlike bullet journals, which offer limitless possibilities for customization, planners often come with pre-determined layouts and limited space. This can be restrictive for those who desire more freedom in tracking various aspects of their life or who find that their planning needs evolve over time.

How effective is bullet journaling? ›

While traditional journaling uses full sentences to log thoughts and events, a benefit of bullet journaling is that you can use simple bullet points to list things. If you're busy or on the go, bullet journals are ideal because they don't take too much time to update.

Can you use a regular notebook for bullet journaling? ›

You can Bullet Journal with a blank paper notebook, but if you want more structure, you can use notebooks with dotted, lined, or grid paper.

How do you do a daily bullet journal? ›

The Daily Log is designed for day-to-day use. At the top of the page, record the date as your topic. Throughout the course of the day, simply Rapid Log your Tasks, Events, and Notes as they occur. If you don't fill a page, add the next date wherever you left off and you're ready to continue.

Why do you need a bullet journal? ›

Bullet journaling allows you to prioritise tasks easily, keep track of ideas and adopt more productive habits. Elements commonly found in bullet journals include: an index or table of contents at the front. a symbol key to categorising tasks, events or ideas.

Is bullet journaling good for Mental Health? ›

Emotional Expression: A bullet journal can be a safe space for expressing emotions and feelings. Writing about your experiences and emotions can provide therapeutic benefits, including improved mood and a better understanding of your feelings.

How often should I bullet journal? ›

It is recommended that you use your bullet journal on a daily basis, at least to monitor your tasks and goals. However, it is important that you organize your tasks every week and set your goals every month.

Why is journaling so powerful? ›

Journaling increases self-awareness. As you write about your days, your reactions, and your responses to your reactions, you become more aware of cycles and emotional/psychological issues. That awareness leads you to dig deeper and to ask questions about why you act the way you do and how you can make positive changes.

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