When you start out with a new bullet journal, it can be overwhelming to figure out what pages you should include. The beauty and trouble with bullet journaling is that it’s so flexible you can do anything, which then begs the question: if you can do anything, what do you do?
1. Start With The Basic Bullet Journal Pages:
There are a few key pages that all bullet journals need to have, we outline them here. These pages are the core of any bujo and make the whole system work. The basics are:
- A key – a set of bullet journal symbols to codify your tasks
- An index – a place to catalogue your pages
- Collections – Think a focused list
- Spreads – often a way to keep track of things weekly or monthly
“Try a couple. Don’t tie yourself into one layout and think you have to stick with it. Try out different layouts and spend some time reflecting on what worked and what didn’t and then make adjustments from there.” – Erin of ThePetitePlanner.com
2. Next Figure Out What You Already Do
The best way to figure out what you should put in your bullet journal is to look at what you’re already doing. Many people jump to what they WANT to do, but humans are funny, it’s hard to change habits. First, focus on what you already do and your current needs, then you can figure out where you aspire to be.
Open up your current calendar, planner, or whatever you use and see what is there. Start to write down what you see as your major items. Look for patterns, things that come up a lot, or things that often get lost in the shuffle. You can create a collection in your new bullet journal just for this! Write down what you see as needs here.
“If you’re just starting out try to keep things fluid. Try rapid logging if you can. That way you’ll get to see how much space you really need on a daily basis. . Based on these findings you can start to design a spread that has enough room”  – Rachael of PlanningWithMaggieRae.com
If you don’t have any system yet (why would you be looking at bullet journals otherwise?) open up your email inbox, then look at who you email most. What types of things do you notice about that?
- What meetings do you often have?
- What projects or tasks came up in the last 30 days?
- What meeting invites did you receive?
- What tasks result from your top 5 people you email?
You can do this with your text messages on your phone, social media messenger apps, the bills you get in the mail, etc. Pretend like you’re an anthropologist analyzing the pieces of your life to figure out what you do day in, day out. Add these to your collection.
“Brainstorm ideas before you even get started. Grab a random piece of paper, and just write down everything that comes to mind. What do you need your journal to do for you? From that list, you’ll have a really good idea of what layouts you’ll need in your journal.” – Kara of BohoBerry.com
3. What Else To Include In Your Bullet Journal?
Next, think about beyond what you already do and think about what you’d like to aspire to be. I’d suggest starting with only 1-3 new things. Remember that we aren’t really good at changing behaviors and besides, its best to start with a few goals that we really nail, then move on to a new one. Studies have shown this to be way more effective.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What would my ideal day look like?
- What do I want more of in my life?
- What do I want less of in my life?
- If I didn’t have to worry about money, what would I do?
Once you answer those things, figure out what goals you have, choosing only 1-3 goals. Write those down and think about a spread that might support that goal. How can you document your progress on that goal?
“You can either create your own layouts or search for examples online to get ideas. There are very active online communities for bullet journalists on Facebook, Reddit, and Instagram that can also be great places to ask questions and get ideas if you feel stuck.” – Shannon of Wellella.com
“Each month, I always include a ‘highlights’ spread where I write down something good that happened to me every day. (I’ve seen others do similar spreads before, but I wouldn’t say it’s terribly common.) It’s great for positivity, and it’s also awesome to look back on later.” – Annie of BlossomsAndBulletJournals
4. Putting It All Together
Take your list of things you already do plus the things you hope to do. These will outline what your new bullet journal needs to do for you.
Once you you know what your Bujo needs to do, start looking for bullet journal spreads that meet those needs.
Now that you’ve figured out what you need, check out some ideas for bullet journal pages.
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