Bullet journaling: This technique helps youngsters master organisation skills
Most of us, especially youngsters, struggle with organising our days and tasks. From tasks like jotting down a daily to-do-list to using a calendar and taking notes, they’re easier said than done. For youngsters, who find it really hard to stay organised, bullet journaling can be an easy and productive way out.
What is bullet journaling?
Bullet journaling is an effective and well-designed system of gathering and keeping record of a wide range of information from multiple categories. This method is considered to be stress- free and helps an individual to keep track of tasks and their progress, future plans, short-term and long-term goals, weekly or monthly calendars and even notes to self. It is often regarded as an art form custom-made to enhance productivity and improve organisational skills. Here’s how to begin the journey of bullet journaling with an empty notebook, coloured markers, pens, pencils, sticky notes and a ruler.
Finalise on the journal style
Once the supplies have been gathered into one place, it’s time to choose a journal style. Choose one with thick pages, with either gridded or dotted paper. A traditional composition copy is often the go-to tool at the start of bullet journaling journey. The goal of the journal style is to keep experimenting and be flexible. One can try out customised event-labelling framework, colour coding and even play around with a unique decorative lettering.
Create an index and start numbering pages
Once the journal style is fixed, the next step is to start numbering pages in the upper or lower corner, depending on one’s choice. The goal is to be consistent with the process. These page numbers will help create a perfect index, that is perhaps the most significant element of bullet journaling. An index is nothing but a dynamic table of content containing a vast array of information. Whenever categories are added, this index needs to be updated with the name and page numbers.
Save space for future log
After creating an index, the next step to make a proper bullet journal is to set aside four pages and divide them into three sections that will act as a space for future logs right in the beginning of the journal. Now, label each section with name of the months in chronology. The objective here is to give yourself an idea of your month-to-month goals at a glance, without delving into the details. It’s not possible to include every plan here, so it’s better to stick to the big events and long-term appointments.
Add monthly and daily logs
A monthly log gives a detailed description of what lies ahead for that month. Write the days of the month vertically on the left-hand side of the page including dates and days of the week. Beside each day, jot down the plans or tasks. Add and strike out as and when they happen. Make sure to save substantial space for each day.
For the daily logs, follow the similar pattern, but devote an entire page to each day. This can be the space to include daily to-do tasks, reminders, memories and more. Leaving some space for free-writing (noting down random thoughts) is also helpful. Do not impose any space limitations. A daily log can be as short or as long as one may want.
Apart from future, monthly, and daily logs, there can also be logs with titles such as ‘books to read’ or ‘movies to watch’ and so on.