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On Journaling

Introduction

Journaling is a great way to understand your own emotions and to remember important events, as well as keep track of your goals and habits.

My Journaling Method

Don't overcomplicate things. Have a few keys to mark:

  • Tasks (habits)
  • Notes
  • Gratitude

Normal Journaling

In my opinion, normal journaling doesn't work for the average Joe.

It takes a certain amount of patience to write about your day, every single day.

For me, I don't think it's sustainable over a long period of time.

Bullet Journaling

All you need to journal is a notebook and a pen.

I see that people like to beautify their journals and I think they look pretty cool. Just look up 'bullet journal' on Pinterest and you'll see what I mean. Every page is like a mini art piece. However, these pages take time, and that time could have been spent actually being productive.

When I was a Notion user, I spent days making my pages look as best as possible, instead of actually using the productivity app to enhance my productivity in the real world.

A bullet journal is made up of:

  • The Index = a quick and easy way to organize the contents of your journal
  • The Future Log = a collection of all the events that are coming up in the future
  • The Monthly Log = a one or two-page spread that helps you organize your month
  • The Daily Log = a page with daily tasks, events and notes
  • Signifiers (or Keys)
    • A box for tasks and to-do list items.
    • A triangle for appointments or meetings.
    • A dot for things to remember.
    • A star or an asterisk placed next to an item for a priority.
    • A right-facing arrow drawn through an item can mark it as “migrated” to the next day.

Tracking/Collections

Annual/Monthly tracker

  • Annual goals
  • Annual bills
  • Appointments
  • Birthdays
  • Vacations
  • National Holidays
  • Deadlines
  • Monthly Review
  • Meal plan
  • Track sleep
  • Workout Tracker
  • Skills to learn

Weekly tracker

  • Weekly habit tracker
  • Weekly water tracker
  • Notes
  • Weekly review
  • Meal plan
  • Calendar for the month
  • Number of the week
  • Weekly to-do list
  • House chores list
  • Plans for next week

Daily Tracker

  • Notes
  • Plans for tomorrow
  • Daily menu
  • Groceries list
  • Journaling
  • Daily chores
  • Weather
  • Daily review
  • Health goals
  • Motivational word of the day
  • Time tracker
  • Daily challenges (a doodle a day, a line a day, and so on)

How to create a bullet journal key

  1. Think About What You Need

Take a minute to reflect on your everyday life. What do you need to log in to your journal? Are you a student and need to write down lots of school-related things? Or a mom who needs to divide her schedule between her kids? This will help you see your symbols’ needs.

  1. Choose Your Signifiers

You can make your own signifiers or use the ones already created by other Bullet Journals users. I would recommend starting with the basic symbols and working from there. Don’t make your list of symbols too complicated in design.

  1. Create a Color Key (Optional)

Find colors that go together and assign them meaning like “events”, “to-do tasks”, “ideas”, etc.

  1. Update the key occasionally

Write Your Autobiography

I first heard of this idea from jvscholz.

By writing your autobiography, you can look at your life through a more objective lens. As such, you can identify the root of your values, problems or insecurities. This will also allow you to find more and have more gratitude for the happier moments in your life.

Resources