Life can get messy with everyday errands, task events, hectic work schedules, and keeping up with daily challenges. Many people don’t spend time in understanding the best way to create a bullet journal. It is simple, as it is imperative. Most of the times, people avoid learning about creating a bullet journal is because they think it will be hard to understand, so why waste time? This is not the case. Even if you journal all your necessary appointments, work meetings, family work, and personal goals, chances are, they get disorganized on the journal page. This is where the bullet journal key comes in.
How? Well, the key is comprised of colorful symbols and icons that help you maintain a work-life balance. Seems complicated? Well, not all. All you have to do is learn a few bullet journal symbols, and you will completely change your way of journaling. And it’s fun!
So, are you interested in learning more about it? If yes, then this little guide will help you.
What is a bullet journal key?
SUMMARY
The key in your bullet journal helps you identify the meanings of specific signs and symbols. It is also useful for taking notes quickly. The meanings of various symbols are listed.
A bullet journal key is simply a reference guide to help you remember some significant signs and symbols that signify specific tasks in your bullet journal. People use these symbols for the quick-note taking. The ‘key’ of the bullet journal refers to the colorful symbols or icons that help you quickly log information.
So, before we move further, here are a few popular bujo key symbols for your perusal-
· To -do
o In Progress
x Completed
> Reschedule
! Priority
Feel free to learn more about these symbols. The more you soak in this knowledge, the better you will become at the art of journaling. Also, there is no rule to follow the same symbols with their meanings. You can use the key that works well for you!
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While you are at it, it is suggested to use a lot of colors on your icons or symbols. For example, if you are also keeping a schedule for your family members, you can assign a different color to each one of them and keep up with their schedule. A minimalist bullet journal looks quite aesthetic with a variety of colorful pens.
How to use a bullet journal key?
SUMMARY
Ryder Carroll has created some specific key symbols that can help you with journaling. However, you can also devise your own key symbols according to your own ideas and color codes.
Now that you have gained some knowledge about the bujo symbols, it is time to move forward with our lesson. As per Ryder Carroll, the one who created a bullet journal key for the first time, it is recommended to use a bunch of symbols on bullet journal pages consistently. Below are some of the permanent bujo keys of Carroll-
- A dash or – means a note
- A right arrow or > signifies a migration
- An asterisk or “*” is used for essential notes
- An X signifies completed task
- In case the task didn’t complete at the end of the day, just change it into > to migrate the task to the next day.
- If the task didn’t complete and doesn’t have to be completed for a long time, turn the dot into a < to migrate it to the future log.
Even though the above symbols are officially a part of the bullet journal key of the Ryder Carroll, you do not have to stick to these icons. In fact, most people design their own color code or key ideas and do great jobs at it!
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Now that you have decided to give it a try, here are some hacks to help you on your new journey. Firstly, choose a critical page which is easy to find. People usually put the key on the first page. Secondly, use the symbols, colors, and icons that you typically use in your favorite bullet journal. This way, you will remember them easily. Finally, create your own keys, the kind that works for your lifestyle without overcomplicating it.
Components of bullet journal key
SUMMARY
Paradoxical commandments are a set of guidelines that will support your
Bullet Journal Key has five main types of logs. These include an Index table where you can update your journal, a daily log, a monthly log. Besides these, you can also do rapid logging and future logs.
Even though they have difficult names, the main components of a bullet essential journal have a simple meaning. Learn about them below-
- Index – A table of content that you keep updating as you add more tasks and goals
- Daily log – The process of adding daily tasks to your bullet journal
- Monthly log – The process of adding tasks on a monthly basis
- Rapid logging – The symbols and icons that help you in maintaining a bullet journal key
- Future log – It works like a calendar, only you add the annual events and schedules in your bullet journal. Basically, the future log is used for long term purpose Line 2
Tools to get create a bullet journal key
SUMMARY
You can get started with bullet journaling with straightforward tools. These include – a journal, some black pens, some markers, stencils, and other supplies.
There isn’t a lot of supply that you need to create your personal brand of the future log. A simple bullet journal key requires the following things to work its magic. Check them out.
- A journal that makes you feel good when you look at it
- Colorful or black pens that run smoothly
- A few markers to experiment with bujo keys
- Stencils
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To make your bullet journal key unique and attractive, you can add an inspirational quote on the page as well. So, every time you open the key page to learn about a task, reading the quote will motivate you to accept the day with enthusiasm and happiness. You can also browse through various Instagram pages to get new ideas about maintaining your bullet journal.
Benefits of bullet key journals
SUMMARY
Bullet journaling is easy to learn, and it saves quite a lot of time. It also allows us to become more productive, as well as creative. It brings mental clarity, and can even help you earn some extra cash online. These are just a few of the many, many benefits of bullet journaling.
If you understand how a simple bullet key journal works, then you can yourself figure out how beneficial it is for your life. If you are considering the idea of starting a bullet key journal, then perhaps, the following benefits of the same will convince you to start immediately.
1) Easy to learn
It may seem like a task in the beginning, but once you get into the vibe, you will know how easy and convenient it is to use. All you need is a blank book and a pen to start. It is creative and fun, as well!
2) Saves time
Why write long sentences to keep up with your daily tasks when you can use pointers or even symbols to remind you about the important stuff? Unlike daily planner and journal entries, the bullet key journals can be done and dusted within 5 minutes.
3) Makes you a productive person
When you add tasks on paper, especially with symbols, you would hate seeing the undone tasks on paper. It is a psychological thing that makes you want to finish your tasks as soon as you can and strike them off of your key page. Plus, marking the task as complete produces serotonin, it’s been proven!
4) Brings out your creative artist
In a way, you are creating art or doodle when you are jotting down your tasks. This is also therapeutic for you. Doodling is also associated with improved memory. As per a study, drawing things improved memory more than writing them down.
5) Enhances mental clarity
When you put things on paper, you create space in your brain to focus on other things. Thus, when you put your appointments, tasks, schedules, and goals on paper, in a way, they are released from your brain into the paper. It clears your brain.
6) Potential to earn
There are so many people that are drawing key pages in their journals and selling them online. You can too! All you need to do is build a website and add the services on it.
In case you are thinking of setting up an online business for the sale of bullet journal keys, you can become an associate with the LLC associates program, which is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide affiliate links on your website. You can choose yourself to program an affiliate advertising as well.
7) Everything in one place
You will feel super organized when all your tasks and schedules will be collected in one place in a minimalistic manner. It helps you find things quickly, and when everything is cluttered, psychologically speaking, you feel at ease or better.
8) Great for tracking yearly goals
You won’t have to remember the birthday, celebrities, and other important events that people generally forget. All you need to do is draw/doodle them on y our bullet journal, and there, you are done for the year! This also imbibes you with a sense of self-accomplishment since you are always updated with your goals and schedules all through the year.
Take-home Message
Keeping a bullet key journal has proven to be quite fruitful in the lives of people. It is fun, it is creative, and it is an amazing way to get those disorganized thoughts out of your brain. Some of the most successful people have a habit of keeping a bullet journal key to finish their tasks in a quick and easy way.
Even though it feels like a task at first, keep up with it, and this ‘task’ will soon become one of the most helpful activities of your life. Most importantly, you must go for things that make your life simple. So, if this bullet journal key idea works for you, then say goodbye to those planners and diaries.
