If online task management systems aren’t your thing — if you’re a paper-planner at heart — let me introduce you to Bullet Journaling.

Touted as a “mindfulness practice designed as a productivity system,” the Bullet Journal (or BuJo, as it’s affectionately known) gives you a simple framework to capture and organize your thoughts, tasks, and plans.

A quick word of caution: don’t fall down the rabbit hole of Google or Pinterest just yet. You’ll find endless spreads of fancy artwork, stickers, and washi tape. While fun for some – those who have lots of excess time on their hands and creative energy, they’re not required — and they can distract from the real power of this method.

The Bullet Journal was developed by Ryder Carroll, author of The Bullet Journal Method. Living with ADHD, Carroll designed this system to bring clarity and focus to his life. You don’t need anything fancy to get started — just a blank notebook. Carroll suggests a dot-grid journal, though I always preferred a lightly lined PaperBlanks.

Here’s a quick look at how it works, and why it’s worth trying:

1. Track the Past

Use rapid logging — a simple symbol system — to capture tasks, events, and notes in real time. It creates a reliable record of what actually happened and frees your mind from having to remember everything.

2. Organize the Present

The Bullet Journal brings calendars, task lists, and notes together in one place. With daily logs, monthly logs, and collections, you always know what matters most right now. The structure is flexible and adapts easily to work projects, personal life, or both.

3. Plan for the Future

Use a Future Log to map out goals, deadlines, and commitments. Each month, review and “migrate” unfinished tasks forward, reschedule them, or cross them off altogether. This intentional practice ensures your energy goes where it truly matters.

4. Practice Mindfulness Through Productivity

Reflection is built into the process. Reviews prompt you to ask: Is this worth my time? Does this align with my values? Your Bullet Journal becomes a mindfulness tool, not just a planner.

5. Design a System That Works for You

There’s no one right way to BuJo. It can be minimalist or artistic, professional or personal. The real value is in having a framework that you can shape into a system that supports your goals and lifestyle.

In short: The Bullet Journal Method is less about pretty spreads and more about living with intention — recording, reflecting, and acting on what matters most. Here’s a great place to start your journey when you’re ready to dive in.

In the end, I personally moved to a disc journal system, where I can move the pages around and set them up in ‘sections’. Do what works for you. This is the beauty of the Bullet Journal system.