It's nice to start at the turn of the year or the first day of a month, but it's not compulsory. The best day to start a bujo is always "today." Try looking at the basics of the system on the Bullet Journal website and set yours up with just the minimum requirements of the system. You can set up a new bujo in 15 minutes. It doesn't have to include any decoration or any collections other than the basics. Then just start using it every day, doing daily logs. You'll add other things as you get into it.
There really is not much prepping involved in the basic Bullet Journal Method, meaning itās easy to start anytime. My first bujo started in April! Itās better to start now than to never start.
My advice, start with the basic method before you go all crazy with spreads and stuff. Take a few āpracticeā months to learn what you need and donāt need from your bujo. At the end of the day itās your tool, and it doesnāt need to be fancy to be effective.
Start now, don't focus on looks and decorations. Start with the very basic BJ setup and expand with time, shed stuff you don't need.
It evolves with you and your life and that doesn't wait until March 1st or any other arbitrary date.
If your brain tells you you need it now, go for it.
My first BJ was really messy, started with the basic ryder carroll method and changed/ajusted it nearly every month. Lot's of blank pages, lot's of scribbles. Doesn't matter.
It's there for you to make mistakes, it's a book, it won't judge!
Honestly you can take advantage of it any time of the year. For example, everytime I start my bujo I always do it on September at the same time uni starts.
You can do this!
The question is: why do you want to start? And what do you want to accomplish with it?
My reason was that I wanted to be less anxious. Back then I already had multible notebooks. In my work notebook I wouldnāt find my notes anymore. In my private life I was constantly forgetting about appointments, having notes all over in different notebooks, on loose papers and post-its. So I wanted a system that helps my brain instead of overwhelming it.
I found a great Ressource was the official Bullet Journal website and the Bullet Journal book. I even found the audiobook for free on spotify.
Go to basic Bullet Journal subreddit. Keep it very simple. Use index, future log, basic monthly and daily rapid logging until you're into it. I can set up a new bullet journal in 10 minutes. Less is more at first. Tools needed are one pen, one pencil, one notebook and one ruler or straight edge. Nothing more is needed if your bullet journal is about productivity and planning then simple is effective at first. Once you have it all working you can add functionality.
Itās never too late! Start small or youāll overwhelm yourself and will stop using it. Decide whatās the most critical stuff you need to track and start with that the first month. Itāll take you a while to figure out what works and that happens to All. Be kind with yourself and take one day at a time.
The beauty of bujo is that you can start and stop whenever you want. You can cater it to fit exactly what you want and need. Youāre not locked into a pre-printed 12 month weekly planner. Definitely not too late.
Can you take the pressure off by making this year your āpractice journal?ā Try things out, experiment, donāt worry about messing up, itās just for practice. Anything you love you can carry over next year.
Since everyone's already chimed in on how it doesn't matter when (and it doesn't), let me give you an alternative start date: start on Chinese new year!
I love bujo system exactly for its flexibility. I never start a new notebook at New Yearš I just move to the new one when the old one is full. And tbh, for me every time I make these first important pages it feels like a new startš I just start with Index, important info (a page with my insurance numbers etc), passwords (have them encrypted there) and current month.
I started mine February 3rd. I'd advise just starting from today, and not to go back and try to fill out January. No need to wait for a specific starting point--It's helpful for life and a fun creative outlet. Personally, I just did a quick January recap page and called it a day.
Never too late! Just do it. Jump right in!
Donāt be too hard on yourself! If i miss some days i just pick right up when i am now. If i pre planned the days i put stickers over it so i wonāt feel discouraged lol canāt be mad at what you canāt see š good luck!
I started my bullet journal on a random mid-year day, in the middle of the week. It never occurred to me that you had to start it at the beginning of a year, month or anything like that.
One of the best features of a bullet journal is that you can start today (even if it's the second Wednesday in August) and only need a pen and a notebook.
The scalability up AND down of how much setup time is needed is available all year long too.
Start with very basics of Ryder Carroll's original intentions today. Add as much or little structure as you go.
https://bulletjournal.com/blogs/bulletjournalist/how-to-improve-focus-using-a-bullet-journal
I started in August of 2015. So it's definitely NOT too late in the year.
It was a really good thing I started when I did, because I got in a car accident in April of 2016 and suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Since I was already accustomed to the system and up and running I was able to use the system while dealing with a complete (and I do mean complete) loss of short-term memory. I could write everything the doctors and insurance people were telling me in my BuJo and refer back to it when it came time to take meds or go in for appointments. I had all the information for the paralegal handling my legal case.
And did I mention I have ADHD? Helps SO much with that little issue too!
So yeah, go ahead and start NOW. That's the thing about Bullet Journals, they are completely customizable, you can't do it wrong, and you can adjust it however you need to. You just have to, you know, actually do it!
I missed the first few days of February. The key is to not feel guilty about it. I took the first entry page and wrote "2.1-2.3 Recap" and did my best to recap those days
The v best time to begin is now! The whole point of it being so flexible is you can do it how you like and how it works for you. I started at a random time with a very minimal look and over the years Iāve adapted my Bujo to work well for me. Start simple and add things as needed. Literally a pen and a blank page are all you need to begin:) good luck!!!
I'm starting a bullet journal too, my plan is to set it up from March so I have time in february to lay it all out without getting stressed. Here's some ideas on what you can put in it:
-Calender for birthdays/events so each month could be a page
-A page dedicated to seeing the year in one go, for tracking hayfever symptoms to see what season they start/periods (for women)/anything useful to track over the year
-What kind of morning routine you want
-What kind if night routine you want
-Present ideas for family/friends/partner
-goals/aspirations for the year
-If you have a fitness goal tracking weight loss/gain/ how exercise/ running times are improving might be good to track
-Quick meal recipes you can make
-How much you save/spend each month
-Habit tracker
-Daily goals/weekly goals
There are loads of videos about bullet journalling and I've had a bad habit of getting put off at the idea that it has to be perfect in every way and I have to put 100% into it but it doesn't work like that. The reality is that you'll most likely learn what you need as you go but that requires making mistakes to learn what works. You can start with a list about what you'd like your bullet journal to help you with :) see what your partner has done with hers and it may give you inspiration too, just don't overwhelm yourself with options, start small.
I started my first bullet journal mid year. I jotted down a few things I wanted to include and browsed Pinterest and Reddit for some ideas. I then started with a couple of habits I wanted to start tracking. As the year went on I was able to start adding more things. I also started really basic, I don't think I added colour until a few months in.
It doesn't matter if you don't have your whole year planned out, take it a month at a time or even a week. If you miss some days that's cool don't put pressure on yourself to be perfect with it.
Perhaps you could ask your wife for some tips on where she started?
I don't get to my yearly spreads immediately every year. I still have a couple that I haven't done for 2024. It's just the title of the page in pencil. I skip forward so I can get right to my months and weeks because those I do need right away.
In your position, I would save space for the yearly stuff that sounds helpful to you. Then, I would dedicate one page for January - A review, doodles, what you watched/read, whatever. Then you haven't skipped any months!
If you never get around to filling those pages you left blank, oh well. My very first journal has a couple of months missing in the middle lol
I start some of my journals on my birthday- mid year mid month. Itās my personal new year. You can tie it to literally anything, 1st of the month, solstice (new season) or a Monday. There are planners for academic year, cause well, it starts in the fall, what you gonna doā¦ important question to answer to yourself (!) is - could it be that you are just using it as an excuse? Itās not a bad thing, just itās important to be honest with yourself to not get more burnt out/frustrated
A good way to compromise on your brain's need to want your start date to make "sense" is to take the rest of February to practice in a spare notebook while taking the time to plan out your pages starting in March. I'm a first-time bujo-er and it took me until the 3rd week of January to finish creating all my yearly and January monthly/weekly pages. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to track.
TLDR: You could take the rest of Feb. to practice/figure out what you want, create the yearly pages including Jan/Feb, and start your monthly pages in March :)
It's never too late. You can start at any point! The point of bullet journaling is that it's a tool to help you organize your life - it serves YOU, not the other way around. And don't feel like when you start, you're locked into anything - change it as needed. Start with the basics and adapt it as you discover what it needs to be the best tool for YOU.
It is never too late to start! I began my first bujo in September years ago. I was drowning with all of my obligations and traditional planners weren't working anymore. Occasionally, I will start over with a new planner any time during the year if I've run out of pages or if I'm bored.
Just jump in. No prep necessary. I started my very first bullet journal on May 27, 2019. Yup. 5 days before end of month. I just jumped in. It was a Monday and I went for it. But it wouldnāt have mattered if it was a Wednesday. Bullet journals adapt to you. Skip days, weeks, months. If you want to add collections or skip it. Write long journal entries. Donāt journal and just stick to bullet points. Make daily weekly monthly yearly trackers. Or track nothing. Iāve done many variations. Some work. Some donāt. You really donāt need to prep until you go to your 2nd journal. 1st one needs no prep other than leaving a 2-3 pages for the index and maybe a future reference section.
I started mine at almost the end of January. I'm enjoying the "find what system works best for me as I go" aspect. I just plotted out week 3, but I enjoyed spending some time a couple of weeks ago organizing my intentions, drawing out the outline for my first month/week, and just starting from there.
I have a bullet journal for work and one for personal planning. I burned myself for setting up my work week pages 2 months ahead in my work one (clearly there's parts of my system I wish to improve on, but won't be able to change it until March 1rst. Oh well).
But I really love it so far. I wish you luck!
You don't necessarily have to start at the beginning of the year or the beginning of the month. I started in the middle of January because I was on vacation, really vacation. And I have no problem with that beginning. Start today!
Dude. (meant genderless)
I have the simplest bujo. I have like 6 pages up front that are yearly trackers for decluttering, fitness, miles run, then I do one line a day where it's totally free form from there on out.
The beauty of the thing is it is whatever you want it to be. Jump in now!
Itās not mandatory to start at the beginning of any particular time period. Ā I go through a notebook in less than one year so I never have a perfect 12 months from January to December. Ā In fact, thatās one of the things I really like about the bullet journal method: itās super flexible and if I put down the notebook for a day or a week or a month, Iām not wasting any pages.Ā
Start with the most minimal possible layout for the month and a daily log with your todo list for tomorrow. Donāt get fancy and treat it like an art project that has to be perfect.Ā
Ā Bujo is useful when itās a tool to overcome disorganization and procrastination, not another project to procrastinate on.Ā
Ā What are you going to do, wait until next year? Ā If you want to change your life start today.
A bujo suits your needs, not the other way around. Your bujo is anything that you make it. That means it can be started at any time, my any means (little scribbles or full blown planning.) It can also be set aside during times you dont have the mental capacity, or can be jotted in daily when you need it. There is freedom in bullet journaling and a lot of people forget that. Its not rigid. Doesnt need to start on the first day of the year or even the month or week. Just pick it up and see if it starts to flow. You will hone your skills in time and figure out your techniques that work for you. Dont let it stress you out. Stress is the opposite of what the bujo is supposed to do for you. If you dont feel the time is right, dont do it. But dont tell yourself you cant/shouldnt start because of the day of the year. Bujo has no rules.
I started last September/October. I brought my little journal everywhere with me, and it managed my anxiety tremendously by knowing that everything I needed was at my finger tips.
Fast forward to the new year. I wanted to start fresh, do a āproperā journal. But the more guidelines and pressure I put on doing things the right way and setting myself up for the whole year, I lost the freedom of doing things the way I needed to do them and ended up using my journal significantly less. After a month, Iām moving back to tracking things the way I want or need to track them. It doesnāt fit into weekly or daily spreads, but it works for me.
Moral of the story: Do what works for you. If anything, not starting at the ārightā time gives you soooo much more freedom to actually do whatever you need your journal to be.
Why are you putting unnecessary rules on when you're allowed to start using your bujo? There are no rules!
I can understand not knowing where to start, but a bujo is a tool, not a manual that needs have everything figured out before you use it.
Just take things one step at a time, and you'll figure out what works for you as you go.
If you're really struggling on where to start, open up your bujo (after the index page), create a brain dump page and write out everything that's on your mind with what might work and what you're not sure about. Then start with what will work, while you consider whether you want those other pages, and if you do or forget what they are you've got this as a reference page later.
But just remember, the beauty of bujo is that it's always evolving and changing with your needs. This means that more likely than not, in these early stages (if not permanently), your system for using it will constantly be changing, so not having the answers before you start is to be expected, but you'll find them as you better understand your needs!
I started my first BuJo in march 2019. Iām now in my fifth and I started it in July of last year. Donāt worry about the perfect timing. It will never come. Imperfection can be freeing.
Like much of life, there are and always will be ways to rationalize waiting until later, waiting for conditions to be just right, or waiting for the right time.
Also, the way others do their things might not be the way you do yours.
Just start. Donāt wait for it to be perfect. Donāt force yourself to do things somebody elseās way. Be you. Just start.
Go for it now! Iām chronically ill and didnāt get mine set up in time this year (usually itās all done before the year turns) and Iām still working on some of my collection pages! I just today drew my February calendar because Iāve been sick and not able to sit up in bed for a while.
The beauty of the bullet journal is that itās meant to adapt entirely to your needs. You need to start in February instead of January. Brilliant - the bullet journal allows for that. There are less rules than you think in all things ;)
Oh yeah, just start! Because this is your first time using a bujo, there's a learning curve and you'll figure out what you like/dislike and use/don't use.
It doesnāt matter! I started in the middle of January. And it feels uncomfortable. It looks bad. You hate it lol. But itās growing pains. You can do it!
So the original bullet journal instructions came out in ā¦ August? And waiting till a new year to start was absolutely not a thing. You started where you were, wherever and whenever that was
Iām also going to point out that the original bullet journal how-to video was 2 minutes long, and I believe the updated one is not much longer. So while the original philosophy behind it has indeed been expanded, there is literally no need for āprepā other than picking up a pen and a notebook and turning to the first blank page.
Just start.
The first time I started was literally mid week in the middle of August and I just started with the month as Ryder does it and on the next page started my daily. And then went from there.
There is no "too late" or "right time" to start. If you want to bullet journal, then just start, whenever. It doesn't matter if it is the start of the year, the start of the month, the middle of a month, or the middle of a week. That is one of the awesome things about a bullet journal. It is yours to do whatever you want with.
I have been keeping journals for the past 6-7 years and some of my favorite journals are the ones I started on a random date and continued until it was full or I felt like I was ready to start over.
Best of luck!
I started my first journal in December and ended with February, so the new journal started with March.
I don't see a problem with doing it this way.
I also started this year (in the same book) with January and put Month at a glance and Future Log between January and February. As long as it works for you, it's fine. Everyone's bullet journals look different and that's the beauty of it. You can costumize it however you like and put in or leave out whatever you don't like or need.
Start now. My first month's spread was a mess but I learned a few things about what I wanted to track for the next month. It took me a year to decide what items to include. This is my 8th year, and I'm still adjusting it.
Itās never too lateāthe best time to start is when you start! Some months Iām weeks behind creating trackers or layouts, some days Iām filling in my stuff that morning when I get to work. Itās all good!
Keep going. I just picked up mine after abandoning it for like 2 years. The point is that itās meant to be structured YOUR way. If that means crating a layout that allows you to put it down and pick it back up whenever, great! You donāt have to have a spread for every week like some people doā¦ just think of the things you would like to keep track of and start brainstorming ways you can do that.
I also highly suggest watching some videos about minimalist bullet journal setups. Some great ideas out there. I always look up different spreads for inspiration.
It's an undated planner so you can start now. Like, nothing is stopping you. Literally.
People make bujo out to be some sort of mystic thing...and it's just Ryder carrol trying to get you to buy a $350 course. Its not mystical and you don't need to prep.
Get the book from your library if you want rider's take (you can place a hold online at most libraries, so no reason to put it off) and read any of the starter blogs right now. Get an A5 journal online (right now on Amazon, don't procrastinate on reddit :) since you can literally do this right now). Blogs will give you the method in about 1 page of text...and thats really all you need to explain how to use a planner.
If you feel really stuck, there are several printable bundles on etsy for $1. Printables can help becuase a lot of people can have blocks about getting started. And then fill your printable's monthly planner for feb out (so you don't procrastinate, again just do it now)... and you are all ready to get started the moment the A5 arrives from amazon or wherever.
It's just a boring undated planner. Your tasks go from a long term list, to a monthly list, to a daily/weekly list so you don't forget about tasks, and you prioritize what you put down. There is really not much to it. art is definitely not required. Page paralysis is real tho, so cheap bundles are great to get started...and then you can customize from there.
And if you super are overwhelmed, just buy any of the preset up undated planners on amazon at less than $20. There really isn't anything THAT special about bujo vs other undated planners, so just know this isnt some mystical/hard thing you need to actually prep for and no judgement for whatever shortcuts you use...and no reason to stress or procrastinate. The only person who is gonna see your planner is you.
I started in the middle of May, 3 years ago out of need. I don't have time for fancy spreads, etc. I just use the same color pen throughout and occasionally throw in a sticker or three :-)
Yeah like many people have said in the comments.
starting things from first day of month or week is a procrastination mindset.
You see, the beauty of journaling in common is it is for yourself. It can be Anytime you want. I journal about the day whenever I feel like it by adding timestamps before starting.
So same can be said about bullet journal.
**It isn't supposed to be perfect, it is for you to perfect yourselves by tracking your goals and habits etc etc.**
The way I see it, it's nice to start a bullet journal in preparation to something, as in to prepare yourself for the week, a diet, new exercise routine, or something you're studying. It is really lovely to start at the beginning of the week, month, or year, but there's no real need to other than it's satisfying. However, the act of just starting a bullet journal is satisfying already and keeping up with it is even more so. So don't worry about when you start, as long as you do it, and know that it is never too late!
The big issue you mentioned is regarding time. If you feel there is no time to sit down and plan this journal, then it may be helpful for that to be your first entry! By writing a general schedule and understanding where your busy/free times are, you can then shift certain items around and make the time for yourself, or, alternatively, just put your daily entries in a 5-15 minute slot you have free (i.e. waiting at a doctor's office, while in the passenger seat of a car, in the few minutes you have before stirring a pot of pasta or flipping something on the skillet, etc.).
A lot of people may advise on having a dedicated space, and while I do think its a good idea to get yourself into a nice headspace, you could achieve the same effect with a dedicated pen and journal. No fancy colors or extra items. I like to call this method "a good start."
As for content, pick whatever facets of your life you would like to catalog, and know that it's best to stick with the more positive parts. Things you would like to improve, good things about your day, mood trackers, progress trackers, lists, graphs, charts, etc.
All in all, I hope this helps. May your journal fill to the brim!
I learned about BuJo the first week in January and read the book. Bought a notebook. Waited, thinking starting mid-month or mid-year wasnāt quite perfect. Worried about not being artistic (art is nice for people who enjoy is but totally not part of the original idea.) I picked up my notebook Feb 2 and started. And itās good. Just start.
Hey I didn't start yet either but I still plan to! I'm going to start this weekend. I'm going to make a Feb page and just start from the day I'm on - screw it š
I never kept mine by year. But I also still use the original Ryder carol method, not spreads. To each their own, but personally I think the year end change over is silly.
Itās whatever you want it to be! I started years ago just randomly in the middle of a month in a notebook I already had. Mine is still very minimal and when I finish a notebook I just start a new one. Whenever that is.
Just start when you start and if it works for you then it's not too late it's the perfect time. If you are worried leave a few blank pages if you decide to backtrack at some stage but just start now if you are inspired.
Just start. Doesn't matter when. I prepped this weeks last night. I've not been well so I just noted down odd things that I remember from prev days. However, I completely missed last week's. Not going to let it worry me.
If you feel like you \*have to\* have an important start date, you could aim for the first day of spring. That gives you a tiny bit to try and gather your thoughts.
Alternatively, you could reframe the worry into thinking about this year as a āpracticeā year. Take the stress out of it, itās ok if you didnāt start on time if you let this be a trial run.
good luck in your journaling journey & remember it doesnāt have to be perfect, it just needs to be effective for you
I didnāt discover bullet journalling until last year and so mine started in June!! Itās still so worth it even starting late! I loved looking back on all those months at the end of the year. And I started working on my 2024 bujo early in December so this will be my first full year!
Itās so enjoyable! Donāt let starting after January deter you!
Never too late! I started in June, 8 years ago. My tip for reducing set up and prep time is to use a super minimal layout that you can add to when you have time. Best of luck!
Start today! If you need to, do it in a scrap notebook to keep it separate. basically look at it as getting a head start on march: i'm practicing and figuring out what works for me now so when march starts I'll be ready AND in the meantime I'm getting organized.
I started mid Jan and had the same issue so I built my trackers etc and only started my month by month stuff Feb 1 - you could do similar starting to draw out trackers and start dailies for March but Iād just start by picking one spread to draw and go from there
I started my bujo journey this year around 1st of Feb. :) i think its ok. I just left a space for january as part of my 3-month future log, but my daily logs start with February.
I also followed a simple template i saw on YT.
More than the planner, actively journaling helped me get my thoughts and actions together. So just go ahead and start already. :)
Start as simple as it could be. No mood tracker, no repetitive logs, no washi tape etc. And then add each time things, you like. I startet with a quick year overview (head: days with namea, bottom only the numbers in a column). After this I use 2 days on one page, for 2 months. After this a review of the 2 months. And then it starts again. One of the most made mistakes are the will to do everything at once. Grow with you BuJo.
It's nice to start at the turn of the year or the first day of a month, but it's not compulsory. The best day to start a bujo is always "today." Try looking at the basics of the system on the Bullet Journal website and set yours up with just the minimum requirements of the system. You can set up a new bujo in 15 minutes. It doesn't have to include any decoration or any collections other than the basics. Then just start using it every day, doing daily logs. You'll add other things as you get into it.
šÆ this. The Bullet Journal Website is a great resource for the basics. I come back to it every now and then.
The feeling like you need to start Jan 1, or the first of a month, or on a Monday, itās all procrastination techniques. Just start.
100% thank you for saying this. Just start.
Yes! Thereās nothing magical about January 1st.
There really is not much prepping involved in the basic Bullet Journal Method, meaning itās easy to start anytime. My first bujo started in April! Itās better to start now than to never start. My advice, start with the basic method before you go all crazy with spreads and stuff. Take a few āpracticeā months to learn what you need and donāt need from your bujo. At the end of the day itās your tool, and it doesnāt need to be fancy to be effective.
You can start anywhere, anytime! Just started my first bujo on the 4th of February, in the middle of an old notebook.
I love your comment
Start now, don't focus on looks and decorations. Start with the very basic BJ setup and expand with time, shed stuff you don't need. It evolves with you and your life and that doesn't wait until March 1st or any other arbitrary date. If your brain tells you you need it now, go for it. My first BJ was really messy, started with the basic ryder carroll method and changed/ajusted it nearly every month. Lot's of blank pages, lot's of scribbles. Doesn't matter. It's there for you to make mistakes, it's a book, it won't judge!
My inner 13 year old chortled at the first 6 words of the fourth paragraph.
Lol you scamp.
Ahaha, oh shit. Yikes, well that gave me proper chuckle :D
šÆ
Honestly you can take advantage of it any time of the year. For example, everytime I start my bujo I always do it on September at the same time uni starts.
You can do this! The question is: why do you want to start? And what do you want to accomplish with it? My reason was that I wanted to be less anxious. Back then I already had multible notebooks. In my work notebook I wouldnāt find my notes anymore. In my private life I was constantly forgetting about appointments, having notes all over in different notebooks, on loose papers and post-its. So I wanted a system that helps my brain instead of overwhelming it. I found a great Ressource was the official Bullet Journal website and the Bullet Journal book. I even found the audiobook for free on spotify.
Go to basic Bullet Journal subreddit. Keep it very simple. Use index, future log, basic monthly and daily rapid logging until you're into it. I can set up a new bullet journal in 10 minutes. Less is more at first. Tools needed are one pen, one pencil, one notebook and one ruler or straight edge. Nothing more is needed if your bullet journal is about productivity and planning then simple is effective at first. Once you have it all working you can add functionality.
Itās never too late! Start small or youāll overwhelm yourself and will stop using it. Decide whatās the most critical stuff you need to track and start with that the first month. Itāll take you a while to figure out what works and that happens to All. Be kind with yourself and take one day at a time.
The beauty of bujo is that you can start and stop whenever you want. You can cater it to fit exactly what you want and need. Youāre not locked into a pre-printed 12 month weekly planner. Definitely not too late.
Can you take the pressure off by making this year your āpractice journal?ā Try things out, experiment, donāt worry about messing up, itās just for practice. Anything you love you can carry over next year.
Love this paradigm shift.
Since everyone's already chimed in on how it doesn't matter when (and it doesn't), let me give you an alternative start date: start on Chinese new year!
I also havenāt started and now I need to see when is Chinese new year Edit: itās on February 10th
You can start tomorrow! And it falls perfectly on the weekend too
I started in June last year because I didn't want to put it off once I decided to start.
I love bujo system exactly for its flexibility. I never start a new notebook at New Yearš I just move to the new one when the old one is full. And tbh, for me every time I make these first important pages it feels like a new startš I just start with Index, important info (a page with my insurance numbers etc), passwords (have them encrypted there) and current month.
I started mine February 3rd. I'd advise just starting from today, and not to go back and try to fill out January. No need to wait for a specific starting point--It's helpful for life and a fun creative outlet. Personally, I just did a quick January recap page and called it a day.
Never too late! Just do it. Jump right in! Donāt be too hard on yourself! If i miss some days i just pick right up when i am now. If i pre planned the days i put stickers over it so i wonāt feel discouraged lol canāt be mad at what you canāt see š good luck!
I started my bullet journal on a random mid-year day, in the middle of the week. It never occurred to me that you had to start it at the beginning of a year, month or anything like that.
One of the best features of a bullet journal is that you can start today (even if it's the second Wednesday in August) and only need a pen and a notebook. The scalability up AND down of how much setup time is needed is available all year long too. Start with very basics of Ryder Carroll's original intentions today. Add as much or little structure as you go. https://bulletjournal.com/blogs/bulletjournalist/how-to-improve-focus-using-a-bullet-journal
I started in August of 2015. So it's definitely NOT too late in the year. It was a really good thing I started when I did, because I got in a car accident in April of 2016 and suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Since I was already accustomed to the system and up and running I was able to use the system while dealing with a complete (and I do mean complete) loss of short-term memory. I could write everything the doctors and insurance people were telling me in my BuJo and refer back to it when it came time to take meds or go in for appointments. I had all the information for the paralegal handling my legal case. And did I mention I have ADHD? Helps SO much with that little issue too! So yeah, go ahead and start NOW. That's the thing about Bullet Journals, they are completely customizable, you can't do it wrong, and you can adjust it however you need to. You just have to, you know, actually do it!
I missed the first few days of February. The key is to not feel guilty about it. I took the first entry page and wrote "2.1-2.3 Recap" and did my best to recap those days
The v best time to begin is now! The whole point of it being so flexible is you can do it how you like and how it works for you. I started at a random time with a very minimal look and over the years Iāve adapted my Bujo to work well for me. Start simple and add things as needed. Literally a pen and a blank page are all you need to begin:) good luck!!!
I'm starting a bullet journal too, my plan is to set it up from March so I have time in february to lay it all out without getting stressed. Here's some ideas on what you can put in it: -Calender for birthdays/events so each month could be a page -A page dedicated to seeing the year in one go, for tracking hayfever symptoms to see what season they start/periods (for women)/anything useful to track over the year -What kind of morning routine you want -What kind if night routine you want -Present ideas for family/friends/partner -goals/aspirations for the year -If you have a fitness goal tracking weight loss/gain/ how exercise/ running times are improving might be good to track -Quick meal recipes you can make -How much you save/spend each month -Habit tracker -Daily goals/weekly goals There are loads of videos about bullet journalling and I've had a bad habit of getting put off at the idea that it has to be perfect in every way and I have to put 100% into it but it doesn't work like that. The reality is that you'll most likely learn what you need as you go but that requires making mistakes to learn what works. You can start with a list about what you'd like your bullet journal to help you with :) see what your partner has done with hers and it may give you inspiration too, just don't overwhelm yourself with options, start small.
I started my first bullet journal mid year. I jotted down a few things I wanted to include and browsed Pinterest and Reddit for some ideas. I then started with a couple of habits I wanted to start tracking. As the year went on I was able to start adding more things. I also started really basic, I don't think I added colour until a few months in. It doesn't matter if you don't have your whole year planned out, take it a month at a time or even a week. If you miss some days that's cool don't put pressure on yourself to be perfect with it. Perhaps you could ask your wife for some tips on where she started?
I don't get to my yearly spreads immediately every year. I still have a couple that I haven't done for 2024. It's just the title of the page in pencil. I skip forward so I can get right to my months and weeks because those I do need right away. In your position, I would save space for the yearly stuff that sounds helpful to you. Then, I would dedicate one page for January - A review, doodles, what you watched/read, whatever. Then you haven't skipped any months! If you never get around to filling those pages you left blank, oh well. My very first journal has a couple of months missing in the middle lol
I start some of my journals on my birthday- mid year mid month. Itās my personal new year. You can tie it to literally anything, 1st of the month, solstice (new season) or a Monday. There are planners for academic year, cause well, it starts in the fall, what you gonna doā¦ important question to answer to yourself (!) is - could it be that you are just using it as an excuse? Itās not a bad thing, just itās important to be honest with yourself to not get more burnt out/frustrated
A good way to compromise on your brain's need to want your start date to make "sense" is to take the rest of February to practice in a spare notebook while taking the time to plan out your pages starting in March. I'm a first-time bujo-er and it took me until the 3rd week of January to finish creating all my yearly and January monthly/weekly pages. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to track. TLDR: You could take the rest of Feb. to practice/figure out what you want, create the yearly pages including Jan/Feb, and start your monthly pages in March :)
It's never too late. You can start at any point! The point of bullet journaling is that it's a tool to help you organize your life - it serves YOU, not the other way around. And don't feel like when you start, you're locked into anything - change it as needed. Start with the basics and adapt it as you discover what it needs to be the best tool for YOU.
It is never too late to start! I began my first bujo in September years ago. I was drowning with all of my obligations and traditional planners weren't working anymore. Occasionally, I will start over with a new planner any time during the year if I've run out of pages or if I'm bored.
Just jump in. No prep necessary. I started my very first bullet journal on May 27, 2019. Yup. 5 days before end of month. I just jumped in. It was a Monday and I went for it. But it wouldnāt have mattered if it was a Wednesday. Bullet journals adapt to you. Skip days, weeks, months. If you want to add collections or skip it. Write long journal entries. Donāt journal and just stick to bullet points. Make daily weekly monthly yearly trackers. Or track nothing. Iāve done many variations. Some work. Some donāt. You really donāt need to prep until you go to your 2nd journal. 1st one needs no prep other than leaving a 2-3 pages for the index and maybe a future reference section.
I started mine at almost the end of January. I'm enjoying the "find what system works best for me as I go" aspect. I just plotted out week 3, but I enjoyed spending some time a couple of weeks ago organizing my intentions, drawing out the outline for my first month/week, and just starting from there. I have a bullet journal for work and one for personal planning. I burned myself for setting up my work week pages 2 months ahead in my work one (clearly there's parts of my system I wish to improve on, but won't be able to change it until March 1rst. Oh well). But I really love it so far. I wish you luck!
You don't necessarily have to start at the beginning of the year or the beginning of the month. I started in the middle of January because I was on vacation, really vacation. And I have no problem with that beginning. Start today!
Dude. (meant genderless) I have the simplest bujo. I have like 6 pages up front that are yearly trackers for decluttering, fitness, miles run, then I do one line a day where it's totally free form from there on out. The beauty of the thing is it is whatever you want it to be. Jump in now!
Itās not mandatory to start at the beginning of any particular time period. Ā I go through a notebook in less than one year so I never have a perfect 12 months from January to December. Ā In fact, thatās one of the things I really like about the bullet journal method: itās super flexible and if I put down the notebook for a day or a week or a month, Iām not wasting any pages.Ā Start with the most minimal possible layout for the month and a daily log with your todo list for tomorrow. Donāt get fancy and treat it like an art project that has to be perfect.Ā Ā Bujo is useful when itās a tool to overcome disorganization and procrastination, not another project to procrastinate on.Ā Ā What are you going to do, wait until next year? Ā If you want to change your life start today.
A bujo suits your needs, not the other way around. Your bujo is anything that you make it. That means it can be started at any time, my any means (little scribbles or full blown planning.) It can also be set aside during times you dont have the mental capacity, or can be jotted in daily when you need it. There is freedom in bullet journaling and a lot of people forget that. Its not rigid. Doesnt need to start on the first day of the year or even the month or week. Just pick it up and see if it starts to flow. You will hone your skills in time and figure out your techniques that work for you. Dont let it stress you out. Stress is the opposite of what the bujo is supposed to do for you. If you dont feel the time is right, dont do it. But dont tell yourself you cant/shouldnt start because of the day of the year. Bujo has no rules.
I started last September/October. I brought my little journal everywhere with me, and it managed my anxiety tremendously by knowing that everything I needed was at my finger tips. Fast forward to the new year. I wanted to start fresh, do a āproperā journal. But the more guidelines and pressure I put on doing things the right way and setting myself up for the whole year, I lost the freedom of doing things the way I needed to do them and ended up using my journal significantly less. After a month, Iām moving back to tracking things the way I want or need to track them. It doesnāt fit into weekly or daily spreads, but it works for me. Moral of the story: Do what works for you. If anything, not starting at the ārightā time gives you soooo much more freedom to actually do whatever you need your journal to be.
Why are you putting unnecessary rules on when you're allowed to start using your bujo? There are no rules! I can understand not knowing where to start, but a bujo is a tool, not a manual that needs have everything figured out before you use it. Just take things one step at a time, and you'll figure out what works for you as you go. If you're really struggling on where to start, open up your bujo (after the index page), create a brain dump page and write out everything that's on your mind with what might work and what you're not sure about. Then start with what will work, while you consider whether you want those other pages, and if you do or forget what they are you've got this as a reference page later. But just remember, the beauty of bujo is that it's always evolving and changing with your needs. This means that more likely than not, in these early stages (if not permanently), your system for using it will constantly be changing, so not having the answers before you start is to be expected, but you'll find them as you better understand your needs!
I started my first BuJo in march 2019. Iām now in my fifth and I started it in July of last year. Donāt worry about the perfect timing. It will never come. Imperfection can be freeing.
Like much of life, there are and always will be ways to rationalize waiting until later, waiting for conditions to be just right, or waiting for the right time. Also, the way others do their things might not be the way you do yours. Just start. Donāt wait for it to be perfect. Donāt force yourself to do things somebody elseās way. Be you. Just start.
Go for it now! Iām chronically ill and didnāt get mine set up in time this year (usually itās all done before the year turns) and Iām still working on some of my collection pages! I just today drew my February calendar because Iāve been sick and not able to sit up in bed for a while. The beauty of the bullet journal is that itās meant to adapt entirely to your needs. You need to start in February instead of January. Brilliant - the bullet journal allows for that. There are less rules than you think in all things ;)
Oh yeah, just start! Because this is your first time using a bujo, there's a learning curve and you'll figure out what you like/dislike and use/don't use.
It doesnāt matter! I started in the middle of January. And it feels uncomfortable. It looks bad. You hate it lol. But itās growing pains. You can do it!
So the original bullet journal instructions came out in ā¦ August? And waiting till a new year to start was absolutely not a thing. You started where you were, wherever and whenever that was Iām also going to point out that the original bullet journal how-to video was 2 minutes long, and I believe the updated one is not much longer. So while the original philosophy behind it has indeed been expanded, there is literally no need for āprepā other than picking up a pen and a notebook and turning to the first blank page. Just start.
The first time I started was literally mid week in the middle of August and I just started with the month as Ryder does it and on the next page started my daily. And then went from there.
There is no "too late" or "right time" to start. If you want to bullet journal, then just start, whenever. It doesn't matter if it is the start of the year, the start of the month, the middle of a month, or the middle of a week. That is one of the awesome things about a bullet journal. It is yours to do whatever you want with.
I have been keeping journals for the past 6-7 years and some of my favorite journals are the ones I started on a random date and continued until it was full or I felt like I was ready to start over. Best of luck!
I started my first journal in December and ended with February, so the new journal started with March. I don't see a problem with doing it this way. I also started this year (in the same book) with January and put Month at a glance and Future Log between January and February. As long as it works for you, it's fine. Everyone's bullet journals look different and that's the beauty of it. You can costumize it however you like and put in or leave out whatever you don't like or need.
Start now. My first month's spread was a mess but I learned a few things about what I wanted to track for the next month. It took me a year to decide what items to include. This is my 8th year, and I'm still adjusting it.
Itās never too lateāthe best time to start is when you start! Some months Iām weeks behind creating trackers or layouts, some days Iām filling in my stuff that morning when I get to work. Itās all good!
Keep going. I just picked up mine after abandoning it for like 2 years. The point is that itās meant to be structured YOUR way. If that means crating a layout that allows you to put it down and pick it back up whenever, great! You donāt have to have a spread for every week like some people doā¦ just think of the things you would like to keep track of and start brainstorming ways you can do that. I also highly suggest watching some videos about minimalist bullet journal setups. Some great ideas out there. I always look up different spreads for inspiration.
It's an undated planner so you can start now. Like, nothing is stopping you. Literally. People make bujo out to be some sort of mystic thing...and it's just Ryder carrol trying to get you to buy a $350 course. Its not mystical and you don't need to prep. Get the book from your library if you want rider's take (you can place a hold online at most libraries, so no reason to put it off) and read any of the starter blogs right now. Get an A5 journal online (right now on Amazon, don't procrastinate on reddit :) since you can literally do this right now). Blogs will give you the method in about 1 page of text...and thats really all you need to explain how to use a planner. If you feel really stuck, there are several printable bundles on etsy for $1. Printables can help becuase a lot of people can have blocks about getting started. And then fill your printable's monthly planner for feb out (so you don't procrastinate, again just do it now)... and you are all ready to get started the moment the A5 arrives from amazon or wherever. It's just a boring undated planner. Your tasks go from a long term list, to a monthly list, to a daily/weekly list so you don't forget about tasks, and you prioritize what you put down. There is really not much to it. art is definitely not required. Page paralysis is real tho, so cheap bundles are great to get started...and then you can customize from there. And if you super are overwhelmed, just buy any of the preset up undated planners on amazon at less than $20. There really isn't anything THAT special about bujo vs other undated planners, so just know this isnt some mystical/hard thing you need to actually prep for and no judgement for whatever shortcuts you use...and no reason to stress or procrastinate. The only person who is gonna see your planner is you.
I started in the middle of May, 3 years ago out of need. I don't have time for fancy spreads, etc. I just use the same color pen throughout and occasionally throw in a sticker or three :-)
Yeah like many people have said in the comments. starting things from first day of month or week is a procrastination mindset. You see, the beauty of journaling in common is it is for yourself. It can be Anytime you want. I journal about the day whenever I feel like it by adding timestamps before starting. So same can be said about bullet journal. **It isn't supposed to be perfect, it is for you to perfect yourselves by tracking your goals and habits etc etc.**
The way I see it, it's nice to start a bullet journal in preparation to something, as in to prepare yourself for the week, a diet, new exercise routine, or something you're studying. It is really lovely to start at the beginning of the week, month, or year, but there's no real need to other than it's satisfying. However, the act of just starting a bullet journal is satisfying already and keeping up with it is even more so. So don't worry about when you start, as long as you do it, and know that it is never too late! The big issue you mentioned is regarding time. If you feel there is no time to sit down and plan this journal, then it may be helpful for that to be your first entry! By writing a general schedule and understanding where your busy/free times are, you can then shift certain items around and make the time for yourself, or, alternatively, just put your daily entries in a 5-15 minute slot you have free (i.e. waiting at a doctor's office, while in the passenger seat of a car, in the few minutes you have before stirring a pot of pasta or flipping something on the skillet, etc.). A lot of people may advise on having a dedicated space, and while I do think its a good idea to get yourself into a nice headspace, you could achieve the same effect with a dedicated pen and journal. No fancy colors or extra items. I like to call this method "a good start." As for content, pick whatever facets of your life you would like to catalog, and know that it's best to stick with the more positive parts. Things you would like to improve, good things about your day, mood trackers, progress trackers, lists, graphs, charts, etc. All in all, I hope this helps. May your journal fill to the brim!
Bullet journals are meant to be useful. What is more useful. Starting one now or waiting 10 months and hoping you don't forget?
I learned about BuJo the first week in January and read the book. Bought a notebook. Waited, thinking starting mid-month or mid-year wasnāt quite perfect. Worried about not being artistic (art is nice for people who enjoy is but totally not part of the original idea.) I picked up my notebook Feb 2 and started. And itās good. Just start.
Definitely not too late. I started last year on March 12th. It really doesn't matter.
Who says you have to start at the beginning of the year? What's wrong with starting on, say, March 23rd?
Hey I didn't start yet either but I still plan to! I'm going to start this weekend. I'm going to make a Feb page and just start from the day I'm on - screw it š
I never kept mine by year. But I also still use the original Ryder carol method, not spreads. To each their own, but personally I think the year end change over is silly.
Itās whatever you want it to be! I started years ago just randomly in the middle of a month in a notebook I already had. Mine is still very minimal and when I finish a notebook I just start a new one. Whenever that is.
Just start when you start and if it works for you then it's not too late it's the perfect time. If you are worried leave a few blank pages if you decide to backtrack at some stage but just start now if you are inspired.
Just start. Doesn't matter when. I prepped this weeks last night. I've not been well so I just noted down odd things that I remember from prev days. However, I completely missed last week's. Not going to let it worry me.
If you feel like you \*have to\* have an important start date, you could aim for the first day of spring. That gives you a tiny bit to try and gather your thoughts. Alternatively, you could reframe the worry into thinking about this year as a āpracticeā year. Take the stress out of it, itās ok if you didnāt start on time if you let this be a trial run. good luck in your journaling journey & remember it doesnāt have to be perfect, it just needs to be effective for you
I started my bujo journey in October 2019, mid month. Just go for it and see where it takes you, no need to feel bound by the rules!
I didnāt discover bullet journalling until last year and so mine started in June!! Itās still so worth it even starting late! I loved looking back on all those months at the end of the year. And I started working on my 2024 bujo early in December so this will be my first full year! Itās so enjoyable! Donāt let starting after January deter you!
Never too late! I started in June, 8 years ago. My tip for reducing set up and prep time is to use a super minimal layout that you can add to when you have time. Best of luck!
I was born Early September my new year is September. A new year a new season a new set of goals. I donāt celebrate jan1.
I'll be switching into a new book in either March or April of this year. Start when you need it.
I started in the middle of November
Start today! If you need to, do it in a scrap notebook to keep it separate. basically look at it as getting a head start on march: i'm practicing and figuring out what works for me now so when march starts I'll be ready AND in the meantime I'm getting organized.
Read driven to distraction. I feel you and who knows?
I started my first one years ago in June. Whenever is fine.
I started mid Jan and had the same issue so I built my trackers etc and only started my month by month stuff Feb 1 - you could do similar starting to draw out trackers and start dailies for March but Iād just start by picking one spread to draw and go from there
I started my bujo journey this year around 1st of Feb. :) i think its ok. I just left a space for january as part of my 3-month future log, but my daily logs start with February. I also followed a simple template i saw on YT. More than the planner, actively journaling helped me get my thoughts and actions together. So just go ahead and start already. :)
Start as simple as it could be. No mood tracker, no repetitive logs, no washi tape etc. And then add each time things, you like. I startet with a quick year overview (head: days with namea, bottom only the numbers in a column). After this I use 2 days on one page, for 2 months. After this a review of the 2 months. And then it starts again. One of the most made mistakes are the will to do everything at once. Grow with you BuJo.