Bullet Journal 101: Complete Beginner Course

Welcome to Bullet Journal 101

Your complete free course to master bullet journaling. Follow these lessons in order to build a solid foundation, or jump to any section you need.

Course Overview

Time to complete: 1-2 hours of reading, lifetime of practice
What you will need: Any notebook and pen
Skill level: Complete beginner

Lesson 1: What is a Bullet Journal?

A bullet journal is a customizable organization system created by Ryder Carroll. It combines a planner, diary, to-do list, and notebook into one flexible system that adapts to your life.

Unlike pre-made planners, you build your bullet journal as you go. This means:

No wasted pages for sections you do not use
Complete flexibility to add what you need
A system that evolves with your life

Key takeaway: Your bullet journal is whatever you need it to be.

Lesson 2: The Index

The index is your table of contents. Reserve the first few pages of your journal for it.

How it works:

Number your pages as you create them
Add each new spread to your index with its page number
Find anything in seconds by checking your index

Read the complete Index Setup Guide

Lesson 3: Rapid Logging

Rapid logging is the language of the bullet journal. It uses short-form notation to capture information quickly.

The Core Symbols:

• (dot) = Task
○ (circle) = Event
— (dash) = Note
× (x) = Task complete
> (arrow) = Task migrated

Master Rapid Logging with our complete guide

Lesson 4: The Future Log

The future log captures events and tasks scheduled for months ahead. Create it after your index.

What belongs in your future log:

Birthdays and anniversaries
Appointments scheduled months ahead
Deadlines and due dates
Goals for future months

Learn to set up your Future Log

Lesson 5: Monthly Logs

At the start of each month, create a monthly log with two components:

Monthly Calendar

A simple list or grid of the month's days for appointments and events.

Monthly Task List

Everything you want to accomplish this month, migrated from your future log or brain dump.

Complete Monthly Setup Guide

Lesson 6: Weekly Spreads

Many bullet journalers add weekly spreads for more detailed planning. These bridge the gap between monthly overviews and daily logs.

Explore Weekly Spread Layouts

Lesson 7: Daily Logs

The daily log is where you spend most of your time. Each day, add a new entry using rapid logging.

Daily log structure:

Write today's date
Log tasks, events, and notes as they happen
Use signifiers for priority items
Review at day's end

Lesson 8: Migration

Migration is what keeps your bullet journal sustainable. Regularly review incomplete tasks and decide:

Is this still important? Migrate it forward.
No longer relevant? Strike it out.
Future date? Move to your future log.

Learn Migration and Collections

Lesson 9: Collections

Collections are themed pages that live outside your chronological logs. Examples:

Books to read
Movies to watch
Gift ideas
Project notes
Habit trackers

Explore Collection Ideas

Lesson 10: Trackers

Trackers visualize patterns in your life. Popular trackers include:

Habit Trackers – Build better habits
Mood Trackers – Understand emotional patterns
Budget Trackers – Manage finances

Browse our complete Tracker Library

What is Next?

You now know the foundations of bullet journaling. Here is how to continue:

Start simple. Index, future log, monthly log, daily log. That is all you need.
Add slowly. Only add collections and trackers when you feel a need for them.
Make it yours. Modify any element to fit your life.