Have you been wondering how to use your planner effectively? Whether you are new to bullet journaling or a seasoned user, there are lots of ways to develop and grow your planner habit! In case you are unfamiliar — a bullet journal is a hybrid that combines your daily planner, your journal, your diary, and your to-do lists.
Bullet journaling has gained such a following in the last few years; it has become an industry to itself. I am always on the lookout for new tips and tricks, and love to collaborate with my fellow bullet journal lovers to share ideas. The amazing journalers linked below have some wonderful tips and tricks and hacks that can really take your ‘bujo’ to the next level!
5.The co-authors at Diary of a Journal Planner Bullet Journal Tips and Tricks recommend starting simple and to focus on the information instead of the aesthetics at the beginning. In order to develop the habit of using your new bullet journal, use it daily even if that is just for five minutes. Start with a quick outline of what you intend to use it for and use that to build your index.
4.Nancy from Sweet Planit has some great tips to share with us. First and foremost, to be patient with yourself — that not every page in your personal bullet journal has to be Instagram-worthy. And only create pages that you plan to use so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Using stamps, stickers, washi tape, and doodles to decorate really make the pages pop but minimalist is okay too if that is your style. After all, this is your bullet journal!
3.If you are already familiar with the basics, Shelby from Little Coffee Fox has some great hacks to take it to the next level. If you want to use your planner effectively, try color coding — along the outer edges of your journal makes things easy to organize and see categories at a glance. Markers and washi tape are great for color-coding and make sure to color-code and categorize your index to match.
2.Kalyn has two great page hack tutorials. I wish I had found her post earlier! She describes how to create a great dutch-door or the perfect flip-out page. It’s like making your bullet journal 3D! I love my flip out page because I can have my color coding “cheatsheet” readily available no matter what page I’m working on.
1.One of the most common questions I get from everyone, new bullet journal folks and seasoned users, is what else can I track in my bujo. I have created a great list of over 100 things to track from all facets of life – calendar, celebrations, entertainment, faith, financial, food, health, hobbies, household maintenance, kids, pets, self-care, to-do lists, and even work.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the most out of my planner?
Your planner is your employee — it is here to work for you. That said, sometimes it can be hard to figure out just how to use all of those pages and features. My methods have certainly evolved and will continue to change as life evolves. Sometimes I’m good at using it and sometimes I’m not so diligent. But I keep at it. I love having my color-coded so that I can see at a glance what is coming up in my month.
What do I include in my planner?
Oh so many things! I highly recommend starting with a simple calendaring system and growing from there. You can also sign up below to get access to my library of printables which includes a terrific cheat sheet of tracking ideas!
How do I start using my planner effectively?
Block out a few minutes at the beginning and end of each day to focus on your planner habit. Over time, you will really see a difference in how effective it becomes when you figure out what needs to happen that day and when you plan ahead for the next day.
I love the paper. I like the tactile aspects of paper – turning the pages, the pens and pencils scratching along the surface or the gel pens gliding out their beautiful colors; the physical act of crossing something off the to-do list; the ability to add a mandala to color or tracing a new picture as a monthly cover. These things you just can’t get with an electronic list!