Bullet Journal (BuJo): A customizable and forgiving analog organization system. It serves as a to-do list, diary, notebook, and sketchbook all in one.
Rapid Logging: The core practice of the Bullet Journal. It's a method of capturing information as concise, bulleted lists using a simple set of symbols.
Key / Legend: A page at the front of your journal that defines what your symbols mean. This is the first thing you should set up.
Collections: The core modules of a BuJo. The main collections are the Index, Future Log, Monthly Log, and Daily Log. Any other list (e.g., "Books to Read") is also a collection.
Migration: The process of reviewing unfinished tasks at the end of a period (day, week, or month) and intentionally moving them forward. This is a form of mindful review.
🧮 The Core Principle: Intentionality
The Bullet Journal method is about "tracking the past, ordering the present, and designing the future." The act of manually writing things down forces you to pause and consider if a task is truly worth your time and effort. Migration helps you filter out tasks that are no longer relevant.
🛠️ The Standard Symbols (The Key)
This is the classic set of symbols proposed by Ryder Carroll, the creator of the Bullet Journal. You can and should customize them to fit your needs.
Basic Bullets
Symbol
Name
Meaning
•
Task
A task you need to do (e.g., "• Call the doctor").
O
Event
A scheduled event (e.g., "O Team Meeting at 2 PM").
–
Note
A piece of information you want to remember (e.g., "– The project deadline is Friday").
Task Statuses
Symbol
Name
Meaning
X
Task Complete
The task is done. (The • becomes an X).
>
Task Migrated
The task was not completed and has been moved to a new collection (e.g., the next day's list).
<
Task Scheduled
The task has been scheduled for a future date and moved to the Future Log.
-
Task Canceled
The task is no longer relevant. (Strikethrough the task name).
Signifiers
These are extra symbols placed to the left of a bullet to add context.
Symbol
Name
Meaning
*
Priority
Marks a task as important.
!
Inspiration
Marks a great idea or a moment of insight.
?
Explore
Marks something you need to look into or research further.
🧭 Workflow: Setting Up a New Month
Create the Monthly Log: On a new two-page spread, create your calendar. On the left page, list all the dates of the month (e.g., 1, 2, 3...) and the day of the week. This is for scheduling events. On the right page, create a task list for the month.
Migrate Last Month's Tasks: Review the previous month's daily and monthly logs. For any open tasks (•), decide what to do:
If it's still relevant this month, migrate it. Mark the old task with > and rewrite it on your new monthly task list.
If it's for a future month, schedule it. Mark it with < and add it to your Future Log.
If it's no longer relevant, strike it out.
Create Your First Daily Log: On a new page, write today's date and start rapid logging your tasks, events, and notes for the day.
⌨️ Productivity Tips
Keep It Simple: Don't get caught up in making your journal look "Instagram-perfect" unless you enjoy that. The method's power is in its simplicity and function, not its artistry.
Use an Index: Leave the first few pages of your notebook blank for an Index. When you start a new collection (like "Q4 Project Notes"), add the topic and page number to your index so you can find it later.
The 5-Minute Daily Review: At the end of each day, take five minutes to review your Daily Log. Mark tasks as complete, migrate important ones to the next day, and reflect on your notes.
Threading: If a collection (e.g., "Project X Notes") spans multiple, non-consecutive pages, you can "thread" them by writing the page number of the next/previous entry next to the current page number.
📊 Sample Daily Log Layout
October 8, Wednesday
O 10:00 AM - Team Sync
* • Finish presentation draft
– The new design spec is in the shared drive
! Use the "Rule of Thirds" for the key slide
> • Email marketing team for stats
X Call the dentist to confirm appointment
? – Research new project management software
This entry shows an event, a priority task, a note, an idea, a migrated task, a completed task, and a research note.
🧪 Use Case: A "Books to Read" Collection
A collection is just a titled page for a specific topic.
Turn to the next blank page in your journal.
Title it "Books to Read."
Add the page number to your Index.
Use task bullets (•) to list books you hear about. When you finish a book, mark it as complete (X). Add notes (–) with your thoughts or favorite quotes.
🧹 Troubleshooting Common Pitfalls
Problem: "I forgot to log for a few days."
Fix: Don't worry! This is the beauty of the analog system. Just turn to a new page, write today's date, and start fresh. You don't have to account for the empty days.
Problem: "My journal is disorganized and I can't find anything."
Fix: You are likely not using your Index. Make it a habit to immediately add the page number of any new collection to your index.
Problem: "I feel overwhelmed by migrating tasks every day."
Fix: This is a feature, not a bug! The friction of rewriting a task forces you to consider if it's truly important. If you find yourself migrating the same task for a week, ask yourself: Is it necessary? Should it be broken down into smaller steps? Or should it be scheduled for a later date?