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I would be lost without a daily to-do list. As someone who works from home and for myself, staying organized is crucial. However, I am also someone who dislikes spreadsheets, digital calendars, and anything that feels too rigid or technical. I want everything in my life to feel personal—even my to-do list—which is why my bullet journal is such a great addition to my productivity. Give me a blank page and some colored pens and I can handle the day.
I swear by this morning’s bullet journal setting. If you’re someone who prefers putting pen to paper or you feel like you need to be more creative with your morning routine – this is a habit you have to try. Here’s how I use my morning bullet journal to prepare myself for a productive day ahead.
focus
Before I get started, here’s an overview of all the different parts of my morning bullet journal.
- Brain dump. This is where you can write everything down at once. This part doesn’t have to be beautiful or even make sense right away, it’s just a chance to leave everything behind in your head. I don’t do this part every morning, but on days when I’m particularly busy or have a lot of ideas, it helps to start with this step.
- Top three. After the brain dump, hopefully you feel a little clearer about the day ahead. Identify the three most important tasks for the day. If nothing else, if you can accomplish these things at the end of the day, you can go to bed satisfied. Do yourself a favor and be careful not to make your top three too overwhelming. You want to make sure you can complete them! Incorporating self-care tasks here is welcome and encouraged.
- Small to-do list. The next section covers everything else you might think of. These are smaller tasks that you may or may not complete today. They might be less urgent, or even tasks you have to do later in the week but don’t want to forget. For me, these tasks are usually emails to send, chores, or small things I can do for work to help me make progress during the week.
- Daily schedule. I like to limit my day with time. I use the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of work, then 5 minutes of rest) and like to organize my schedule around the Pomodoro Technique. Not only does the schedule keep me on task, it also helps me get some much-needed rest.
design layout
The most fun part of morning bullet journaling is the layout. When I first started I was a little intimidated because I admittedly didn’t consider myself a visual artist. The good news is that this layout doesn’t require any special artistic skills, which is why I love it so much. All you need is your bullet journal, a favorite pen, and a colored marker or highlighter.
I like to think on separate pages so I don’t have to worry about it getting cluttered. Think of a brain dump as the unorganized chaos that precedes an organized bullet journal layout. They are all important! This is your chance to identify your three most important tasks and smaller tasks. Once dumped, it’s time to build the title on the new page.
At the top of the page, using a colored highlighter or marker, write the days of the week in capital letters. My title takes up about three vertical spots – not too big, not too small. Next, take a pen and write the day of the week in lowercase cursive in the center of the colorful title. If you like, you can write a date or “To Do” next to the title.
The first three tasks and smaller tasks
Next, use a pen to write “Top Three” below the title. Wait a minute or two for the pen ink to dry, then highlight the phrase. Write down your three most important tasks, one per line, and indicate the key points of your choice in colored markers. It can be a simple dot, or I like to draw some little little shapes with my marker. Then I’ll outline the heart shape with a pen to make it stand out. You can draw stars, flowers, anything you like! Make this part fun and creative – it can be anything you want. Repeat the same steps for small tasks.
Daily itinerary
I like to place titles and tasks on the left side of my morning bullet journal so that the right side is available for daily organization. Write down your time slots and tasks for each time slot, and be sure to include lunch breaks, self-care routines, and fun reminders. After the ink dries, highlight the time so you can clearly see how the blocks of time are separated. With tasks on the left and schedule on the right, you now have a complete morning bullet journal!
Why you’ll love your morning bullet journal
I love bullet journaling because you can make it however you want. It’s completely customizable, so I encourage anyone to try this layout and adjust it to suit your personal needs. Choose one color like I did, or choose multiple colors, doodle in the margins, try fancier fonts if you like – the world is your oyster! Of course, coloring and doodling are not required, but that’s what I love most about the process.
My morning bullet journal gives me the opportunity to be creative and have fun. It turns a scribbled list into a romanticized routine full of color and intention. I always feel more relaxed and at ease after setting this up and I love that it looks like a beautiful thing all day long. If there’s an opportunity to inject more beauty and intention into my day, I jump right in, even if it’s as simple as a journal and some colored pens.
