The index is crucial for many of bullet journalers. Those who use the bullet journal method closer to its original design find the index useful (since returning to old content is a fairly regular thing) but there is always the matter of how. This is an ultra-streamlined take on the index. First, I wish I could remember where I saw this idea in order to give credit. It's brilliant and so simple to do. Given the uncertainty of required space for the index, and the uncertainty of the required space for the future log, why not separate these two things? Putting the index in the back of the book solves this issue with grace. I can set up a spread or two for the future log in the front but in the back there is all the space I will ever need. When the index meets the content or even gets close to it, it's time to move to a new notebook. Another trick (kudos to Christina77star ) is the separation of the index into categories. I might leave the regular things in one page of the index (...

Some of the free printables offered here at Universal Journal can be combined to suit different needs. Let's look at combining the calendar with the Notemarks  (the note bookmarks) printable. The Notemarks sheets are meant to be printed front and back, creating a dot grid bookmark ideal for notes of all sorts. Whether single column, folded, or doubled folded, these notemarks serve as a base for the calendar printable as well. For those who want floating notes that you can use on a monthly basis, this combo makes a quick way to create this sort of tool for yourself. First, gather the calendar printable and cut out the pertinent month, and print out one of the notemark pages (front and back). Next, since most people would use a thin book mark the notemark page will need to be folded. First, fold in half by the long edge. Fold the notemark again lengthwise. Alternatively you could cut the notemark page in half along the first fold, then fold the half page in half once more. You can...

I might have a little time here and there to do creative designs with my journal. But usually I just need it to help manage the day. What's the fastest way to manage a bullet journal? As with many things in life, it depends. Let me offer an overview of the Universal Journal ultra-streamlined style. The Universal Journal style intends to help you spend as little time as possible setting up and using your bullet journal. It's counter productive to get burned out on a tool that's supposed to help you avoid burning out. This graphic recaps the basics. Check out some other posts on the topic. Bullet Journal Ultra-Streamlined Efficient workflow Decluttering your Journal Streamlined Color Coding Printables Thanks for visiting Universal Journal. Got any minimalist ideas you'd like to share with the rest of us? Please comment here.

We've all been there. Something is initiated, you have to contribute to it in some way, and then you have to wait. Maybe you have to wait for some information, or for something to be delivered, or for an event to take place, etc. You can't finish what you're working on until someone else does something. This where following up could significantly improve your situation - if you remembered to follow up in the first place. Let me offer some ideas on that. I use two methods to help me remember to follow up. Which method to be used depends on whether I'm working on a project with a deadline or if it's something else. One of the benefits of trying to keep things minimal is certain concepts can be used for multiple purposes. Here are two ideas already discussed on this blog. Following up: for projects with deadlines On a project with a deadline, stuff has to be done by a certain date and you've got skin in the game. For this sort of follow up I typically use a...

Several times I've seen a question about adding collections to the bullet journal. The question usually goes something like this: do you move to the next available page, skip some pages to make a collection at an expected place, or something else? It's common in my journal to end up with a blank page here and there. As far as I can tell, most people don't want to waste pages in their journal. Even in the 500 page journal I'm currently using I still try to avoid waste. And there's an easy way to deal with these intermittent blank pages. Since I index the content in my journal it's very convenient to simply record blank pages there. Later these blank pages can be converted into what ever I want. Most of the time they are turned into collections. This way my journal workflow is not interrupted and I still get to use every page. Easy. How do you manage collections? Comment here and be sure to subscribe!

A lot of bullet journalers like to keep things minimal, and I'm one of them. But this can pose problems, such as where do you put stuff if the minimalist design leaves very limited space? That's the intersection between design and technique: how you layout your journal vs how you actually use it. This is the second in a series on the amalgam of these two things. (see the first installment on a future log workflow ) In Ryder Carroll's introductory video you'll see a minimalist monthly spread. It's pretty much the monthly spread I still use today. So if you want to keep things simple, how do you this and still keep it functional enough to accommodate real life? Easy: short hand. In this monthly spread you'll notice my calendar printout in the upper right hand corner of the right page. Beneath that I put a task list for the month. This is a bird's eye view of the month. Nitty gritty tasks or multi-step tasks are handled elsewhere. The printout and task...

So you've spent some time building your bullet journal layouts and getting yourself organized. But it's just not quite working like you want it to. What's going on here? As is often the case, the  what  to do is only part of the question.  How  to do it is another. This is the first in a series of an amalgam between design and technique. Let's take a look at future log workflow. In this ultra-streamlined approach to bullet journaling, it's not only the layouts and designs that are minimalist, but the techniques for using the system as well. The flow of your tasks, appointments, etc. from one module to another can be tricky. Or it can be simple. It's all a matter of how you manage these things. In my journal, most items end up in the daily log for the day I intend to handle them. That may or may not happen on the actual day assigned but the most important thing is I don't lose track of stuff. The daily log is the last stage of a task/event filtering ...

So I've never used a weekly spread before but have kept an eye out for ideas . With the way I've used the dailies and monthly spread it just wasn't needed. But with combining a few things to make bullet journaling easier it's now time to try an experiment. So how to do this in a minimalist fashion while getting maximum use for my time? Multi-tasking. In this set up I'm combining a weekly overview, short term (weekly) future log, and expenses tracking. I'll keep the calendar related stuff in the bottom half of the page and financial stuff in the top half. The weekly overview will use only keywords for events or tasks. The details will be either in my monthly or daily logs. This is only an overview. The short term future log is what makes this worth the effort for me. This way I don't have to take up space in my handy two column dailies for stuff later in the week. In my routine the daily log is created the night before. I was using Rolling Weeks for ...

So you have a lot of classes spread out over campus. Maybe you have labs, rehearsals, group sessions, and more, but you also have homework and studying to do. And you're not a robot, you're a human being who has other needs as well (you'll have to fit in food and sleep somewhere, right?). What is the quickest, easiest way your bullet journal can help with all this? Let's start off with an understanding: this minimalist's approach to bullet journaling is all about function but in a sleek, elegant way. I have plenty of creative outlets so I don't need my bullet journal for that. The following recommendations certainly leave room for you to artistically express yourself all you want. But for students who want a quick and painless way to manage your academic life, try the following ideas on the basics. Master Syllabus In this post on a Master Syllabus you'll see a spread for a quick syllabus where you can keep an overview of all major assignments and t...

Those who have used printouts for your journal know the value in reducing set up time. Since the Universal Journal style strives for an ultra-efficient way of bullet journaling, let's take a closer look at another trick for reducing upkeep time in journaling: stickers. If you're in the habit of drawing highly creative layouts or attention getters in your journal but want to try something less time consuming, consider using stickers as a substitute. The following are functionally minded stickers (with affiliate links) which I think could serve you well in your bullet journal. 1. Simple Elephant The Simple Elephant Productivity Planner stickers . These stickers are a premium for functionality. They feature event stickers, flag stickers, call outs, and calendar tabs. Almost 400 stickers in this set. Get the  Simple Elephant Productivity Planner stickers  at Amazon.com. 2. Weekly Planning Next is a black and gold set of  Weekly Planning stickers  incl...

As in any area of life, your bullet journal is a place that can get messy even while helping you. An organized schedule involves more than just keeping something on record. It's also a matter of making that record easy to find when you need it. Your approach to journaling is often a reflection of your mindset for life. Do you want a less cluttered mind? You can cultivate this very thing with your journal. In case you haven't noticed, a minimalist approach, by definition, is meant to keep the unnecessary to a minimum. Mind boggling, I know. But you have stuff you need to keep track of. Sometimes a lot of stuff. So let's look at some details where we might be able to declutter your journal. Margins Have you ever seen a book where every possible inch of space is printed on every single page? I saw a page like this once in a presentation that was about the value of margin space. This was about margin space in life, not merely on the page. Filling every possible secon...

So you're a writer or you want to be (which means you might already be one at heart). And you see the beauty of the bullet journal system. Are you looking for a way to put these two things together? I'm looking for ways to use the bullet journal system to develop some writing ideas. There are a lot of ideas already, but organizing them in a way that can then be used to tell a story is not easy (at least not for someone who hasn't done this before). The website On Demand Instruction has a good blog post for people struggling with this very thing titled  JOURNAL WRITING & BRAINSTORMING: BULLET JOURNAL FOR CREATIVITY . That post addresses a little bit about brainstorming then gives 5 quick points to list and help develop a story. It's a pretty logical approach to flesh out a few major aspects of a story: Characters Plot, Conflict, Problems Settings and Scenes Dialogue, Lines, and Quotes Tone, Mood, and Style This is an approach I've started with...

What is it about writing on paper that is so fascinating? Writing in a journal, even if for pure function, has an appeal I can't explain that is fun in and of itself. Then there is the pragmatic value of bullet journaling: you keep track of stuff you need to get done. But what if you keep forgetting to even use the brilliant bullet journal system? Or what if you've lost the joy you once had using it? There are myriad reasons people may neglect using their bullet journal. I don't know your situation and maybe the following is useless to you. But let me mention a few ideas that might help keep the habit. Forgetfulness - Pick a time For those who neglect your journal because you keep forgetting, set an alarm right now. Pick a time either today or tomorrow (or maybe later in the week) when you expect to have a few minutes to think about this. You may need to tap the snooze button a few times, but keep that reminder active until you can sit down and go through your jo...

To weekly or not to weekly, that is the question for some. For others, the question is  how to weekly. Earlier posts on this blog featured some streamlined weekly spreads  and some elegant weekly layouts  all of which are minimalist and easy to implement. In this installment I've got something for you creatives and something for you functionalists. Creative For those who like to create your own weekly spreads, Emily Tarver has a video featuring 5 minimalist and 5 not-so minimalist weekly spreads for your inspirational pleasure. The first five designs can be created more quickly than the latter five. Check out this 9 minute video where she explains as she writes out these 10 weekly spread ideas. Ultimate Minimalist Weekly Spread For you functionalists, for whom minimalism is a priority, I found this amazing weekly spread at the Facebook group Bullet Journal Junkies . As we functionalists know, minimal effort, time, and maintenance is key in this approach...

When you need to take notes for a meeting/class/sermon/etc., try this minimalist two column approach to keep the information organized and quickly accessible in your bullet journal. In this method, a 1:2 ratio has worked very well for me. In the left column, taking a third of the page width, I keep non-content related details. The type of event or title (such as class name) begins the column and serves as the page title. Perhaps the room name or number may be relevant for some events such as a new class. In many cases the date of the event can be important. Also, any reference material can be named in this column such as books, chapters, videos, authors, etc. Lastly, any notes to self or action points fit here as well. In right column, taking 2 thirds of the page width, I keep the content of the meeting itself. There is plenty of uninterrupted space to take notes in this wider column. This is basically my event note spread. If I expect the event to require a lot of notes I...

What all can the bullet journal system do for me? Could I get more out of my journal than I currently am? What do I really want out of this system? If you've asked yourself anything like these questions, keep reading. You've no doubt already seen there are many ways to use the bullet journal system. It's amazingly customizable. But have you found your way? The way that really fits your life? If you haven't discovered Valerie at mom knows it all  let me introduce you. She takes a good look at the various ways to bullet journal in her post an intro to the different styles of bullet journaling . Valerie addresses multiple purposes of the bullet journal such as: daily planner, organizer to-do list creative outlet memory keeper personal improvement productivity booster You've probably looked into all these options before but maybe not from Valerie's perspective. She describes a number of ways within each category to get good use out of the bullet jou...

Imagine this: you didn't realize you lost a library book until you tried to check out more. Or maybe you can't find that item you borrowed from a friend, and they want it back. Perhaps you lent something and wonder why you can't find it at home now. It sure would be nice to have a list for all this. Do you know where or even WHAT everything is that you borrowed or lent out? Set up Here's a minimalist borrowed/lent list for your bullet journal. It starts with a row at the top of the page for the organizing details: Item name, quantity (Q), borrowed (B), lent (L), Date taken, RETurn date, and Damage (D). Note the spaces (rather than lines) used for borders. No need for lined borders, in my opinion, as that's part of the ultra-streamlined style . But designate the area as you wish. Details This layout uses two rows for each item. The first row starts with the name of the item, and on the second row I include the name of the person/organization I'm borr...

So you've got multiple pages devoted to one topic strewn about your journal. What's an easy way to keep track of all that? Threading. We're not talking about eyebrow threading here, this is the bullet journal system. The threading technique is a simple way to maintain your bullet journal. By "maintain" I mean keeping your stuff organized, but with as little time and effort as possible. Setting up is one thing, keeping it all organized is another. The Index, the primary way of organizing your entire journal, is meant to help you find what you are looking for in your journal. But having to flip back and forth between your Index and your dispersed content slows you down. Threading solves this problem. The bullet journal's originator, Ryder Carroll, produced a video explaining how threading works. He explains how to thread multiple pages within a journal and how to thread between notebooks. If you want more on bullet journal threading you should visit...

The Universal Journal is an ultra-streamlined style meant to get as much productivity out of the bullet journal with as little time and effort put into it as possible. Therefore, one of the goals of this style is getting multiple uses out of the limited real estate of the page. Monthly Spread Set Up The (incorrectly named) dutch door monthly spread posted last month shows a "door" flap in the monthly spread. But nothing was done with the interior of that door at the time of the video. In today's post we'll look at one way to use that space. As you'll see if you watch the video, my current monthly spread includes the following: door calendar thumbnail printout monthly schedule page with separated weeks task list page The door itself has both sides used, both of which are trackers. On one side I have a general habit tracker, and the other focuses on a wellness tracker. Both trackers share the 30/31 day column created for the monthly schedule ...

You veterans of the world of bullet journal know daily logs see about as much variety as the monthly logs. You can find anything from tiny sections to whole page layouts for the dailies. I don't remember where I originally saw this but here's my version of an elegant two column idea for the daily logs. The monthly spread, as I use it , doubles as a weekly outlook in my bullet journal. I use Rolling Weeks as well, which can be done with any daily log design. The monthly log and rolling weeks combine to make the weekly log unnecessary for me, though this could change once the school year starts up again. For more than a year I've tried different approaches to daily logs with little satisfaction. There was a lot of wasted space and it just wasn't pleasing to look at. This design makes much better use of real estate on the page while making good use of margins (space rather than lines where possible). The two column daily log should suit the needs of people who ...