Bullet journal explained — what it is and how it works

A bullet journal (or BuJo) is an analogue productivity and organisation system created by designer Ryder Carroll. It uses rapid logging — a shorthand system of bullets, dashes and circles — to capture tasks, notes and events in a single notebook.

The core symbols

• • (dot) = task
• – (dash) = note
• ○ (circle) = event
• × (cross through dot) = task completed
• ➜ (arrow through dot) = task migrated to next page

The key components

Index: a contents page at the front. Future log: 2 pages for the next 6 months. Monthly log: a calendar view and task list. Daily log: rapid bullet entries for the day.

What it is not

The elaborate decorated spreads on social media are one person's artistic expression, not the system. The system itself is minimal and fast. Start simple using our free dot grid paper.