Bullet journaling is a popular way of organizing activities by listing down tasks in bullets. It is a creative way of tracking goals, responsibilities, and other things in your life. Ryder Carrol, who started this trend, refers to the bullet journal method as “the mindfulness practice disguised as a productivity system.”
Some people prefer it over planners because it allows you to start from scratch – you can make illustrations, use colored pencils or watercolor, or add cut-outs. This new year, organize your life better. Know what you should be monitoring to avoid unnecessary hassles (such as insurance premium payments) or to help you finally achieve your resolutions. Here are 10 bullet journal ideas for 2019.
1. Bills payments, urgent payables
Perhaps the most important category in your bullet tracker is finances. This is further broken down into subcategories: bills payments, savings, and investments. You can also track short- and long-term financial goals. Start building a fund for your own DMCI Homes condo this 2019. A bullet journal can help you strategize.
List down each bill (rent, electricity and water, Internet, mobile phone postpaid line, and insurance), and the due date of each. You can track these in a Gantt chart, which provides a visual of scheduled tasks. You can have separate charts for monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual payables.
2. Track your payables
Aspire for a debt-free 2019. Is that possible? Definitely. Monitor all your debts including those due to credit card companies, loan and financing companies, government agencies, and individuals. Remember that debts, if not managed well, can cause bankruptcy. Loan interests roll over, causing a snowball effect. This is why you should be wiping out your credit card debts instead of merely paying the minimum amount due.
Keep your debt payments up-to-date with a bullet tracker. You can create a table with the list of your payables, the interest rate (to remind you of the amount you are paying), and the due dates.
3. Boost your savings
Saving up is not the easiest thing to do. Most of the time, you find yourself with just enough cash until the next payday. In personal financial management, you are supposed to set aside at least 20 percent of your pay for savings.
Boost your savings with the aid of a bullet journal. Indicate your savings goal, in financial figures, in your monthly calendar. Increase your savings every quarter by 5%, starting at 20% in the first quarter of the year.
4. Monitor your investments
Your savings are not your investments. The former serves as a pot for your immediate to short-term needs such as home repairs and kids’ tuition fees. The latter is for long-term expenditures at least five years from now. Investments include placements in bonds or stocks, ownership of real properties, and business ventures.
List down your investments in your bullet journal and track your progress. If you own bonds, stocks, or mutual funds, it is advisable to make regular placements to average the cost. Bulleting is also a reliable way of monitoring the lease income from your condo property and businesses.
5. Improve your spending habits
This new year, be smarter in managing your money. It is time to rethink your spending habits. Do you really need to replace your functional smartphone with a newer model? You can use a bullet journal to improve your spending habits.
Mark “No Spending” days on your calendar. These will likely be the days when you are working at home or on a holiday. You can also track the instances you dine out, shop for new clothes and shoes, replace your gadgets, etc. By having a visual of your spending habits, you can easily identify which to let go.
6. Plan your 2019 adventures
Get creative with your travel bullet journal trackers this 2019. Exploring a new place can help you relax and recharge. It does not need to be an overseas travel. There is no shortage of places to visit in the Philippines. You can go trekking in the northern provinces, island hopping in the South, and touring in historic sites in Metro Manila.
Jot down your vacation destinations this year. For every stop, create a list of tasks such as transport arrangement, accommodation, and itinerary. Have a travel fund and monitor its progress. Avoid incurring debts to fund your vacations.
7. Eat clean, sleep better
Meet your health goals in 2019 with a healthy habit tracker in your bullet journal. Draw a chart that tracks the amount of water you drink daily. This is easier with a 1-liter water tumbler you can bring to school or office. Simply count the number of refills each day. Do the same thing with your vegetable and fruit servings. You should also monitor the number of hours you get uninterrupted sleep each night. The National Sleep Foundation advises adults aged 18 to 64 to log at least seven to nine hours of full sleep daily.
Draw little calendars and mark No Cigarettes, No Soda and No Alcohol days. This is not to manage your vices, but rather, to help you quit eventually.
8. Stay ahead of your fitness goals
Losing weight is a favorite new year’s resolution. However, you should know by now that simply cutting down on your rice consumption will not have any significant impact on your weight loss goal. This requires lifestyle changes.
Do not only shed extra pounds; get stronger in 2019. With your bullet journal, you can make a fitness calendar with specific physical activities such as gym visits, muay thai or jiu-jitsu sessions, or basketball games. The World Health Organization advises adults aged 18 to 64 to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activities throughout the week. Make the most of condo living by using the lifestyle amenities in your community.
9. Regulate your social media use
You may not be aware of the exact amount of time you spend browsing social media. Whether you are doing it for leisure or business, it is important to regulate your screen time. Create a social media habit tracker in your bullet journal. Choose only a few platforms, preferably a maximum of 4, to make it easier to manage. This monitoring trick can help you maximize your time for productive endeavors. Instead of spending long hours watching cat videos, you can read a book, discover a new hobby, or meet friends in person.
You can also come up with bullet journal ideas for work that can help you browse less and be more productive.
10. Remind yourself of how blessed you are
If there is one thing you should be keeping tabs of, it is the many blessings you receive. Stop comparing your life with your Facebook friends, and start to find peace with what you have. Make a Gratitude Log in your bullet journal.
This 2019, make real changes in your life. Be a smarter spender, boost your savings, and start your investing. You can explore bullet tracker ideas for your finances as you go along. The goal is to eliminate entries from your payables and add those for your savings and investments. Get healthy and stay fit, and be grateful for the little joys in your life.
