People are always forgetting tasks that they need to accomplish. Sure, they can write them down in their phone or another electronic device, but then they’ll end up mindlessly browsing for hours and forgetting what they have to do. Well, there’s a new method that can help people organize their lives in a creative way.

The Bullet Journal (BuJo for short) was originally created by Ryder Carroll, as a way to “help you organize your “what” while you remain aware of your “why.” The creator of the Bullet Journal was diagnosed with a learning disability when he was younger, so he had to come up with different ways in order to be focused and productive. After many trials, he came up with a methodology that helped people focus and be productive in their everyday lives.

The idea of writing down your tasks isn’t anything new. People are most likely familiar with an agenda or a planner; a preset way to organize your life. Most people use these as a way to keep track of their tasks since it’s already pre-planned, and all they have to do is fill it in with what they need. However, some people prefer to have creative liberty in how they organize their life. The Bullet Journal method allows people to use it in a way that fits their lifestyle.

The Bullet Journal Method uses a journal, preferably a dot-grid journal since it allows for more control both horizontally and vertically, and a pen. This is really all that you need to start bullet journaling, but some people like to take it a step further. The use of other materials such as brush pens, washi tape, and markers to add a more personalized look, but it is not necessary.

After you obtain your desired bullet journaling materials, you can start getting into the methodology. The first thing you want to do is put your key at the front. This is where you can assign different tasks/events a symbol to keep them organized as you write them down. The next thing you want to do is put an index. This helps keep track of all the pages in your Bullet Journal so that you can easily refer back to it.

After this, you can plan your year. This is where all the months of the year would be listed. This allows people to get a view at what the year ahead will look like. You can also skip this step and just put a future log. This allows you to put down events that are outside the current month. It gives people a more detailed set up of their upcoming events. Another thing you can to do is add a monthly log for each month. Some people have a setup that they use each month, to keep that current month organized. Most people also take it a step further and do daily logs. This allows people to write down everything they need to do for the day and be even more organized. These are the basic spreads that most people use in their Bullet Journal but you can also add more custom collections like books you’ve read, or movies you watched. There is no set way to do this, it all depends on the user.

The how-to of bullet journaling depends on the person using it. You can use it as a diary, a journal, a scrapbook, or just somewhere to write down your homework.

This methodology helps keep me organized with all the tasks I have to do. All you need to start a bullet journal is a notebook and a pen/pencil. Here you’ll find one of my favorite brands of bullet journals to start yourself. Here you’ll find a more detailed explanation of the Bullet Journal from creator Ryder Carroll. Hopefully, people can find a method that will help them keep track of their everyday lives without stressing too much.

Sandra Jimenez, Staff Writer

Junior Sandra Jimenez is a staff writer for the 2018-2019 Colonel. At LHS she participates in SAVE Club while pursuing her hobby in photography. After school, you’ll most likely find her studying Japanese and Korean while listening to music.