Simple Bullet Journal Key Ideas ⋆ Sheena of the Journal

When you first start using a Bullet Journal, Its easy to get confused by all those kooky symbols and icons. Dots, circles, X’s, Squares – what does it all mean? And why does it make you more organized? A Bullet Journal Key is the answer and part of what makes the bujo system so superior to other planners. But what is a Bullet Journal key? In this post, I’m going to explain exactly what a “key” is and why you need one! Already a Bullet Journal expert? Scroll down to see tons of creative examples of Bullet Journal keys!

What is a Bullet Journal Key?

A Bullet Journal key is a page in your journal where you keep a list of all those crazy symbols and what they stand for. It’s a quick reference guide that cracks that Bullet Journal code!

A Key can be an elaborate collection of icons and color codes, or it can be a simple small list of symbols. It’s entirely customizable and entirely up to you! It really depends on what you use your journal for.

But what are these symbols and why do we use them? Is it really necessary or are we just overcomplicating things?

Allow me to explain why you see so many symbols and icons in Bullet Journaling, and how this can DOUBLE the effectiveness of your planner!

Bullet Journal Key Symbols

So you’re scrolling thru all those beautiful bujo’s on Instagram and it’s a sea of circles, squares and X’s. Why? Are people out there really that neurotic? Well, yeah, probably, but there’s a good reason too!

The symbols and icons used in Bullet Journaling enable us to quickly log information. It also makes it possible to understand what we’ve logged at a glance. How so?

Modern life is complicated. We juggle work, family, chores, friends, side hustles. When you’re dealing with so many different areas of life on a daily basis, it’s easy for things to get lost in the shuffle. How do you prioritize what comes next and make sure you’ve got that work-life balance?

Symbols and icons identify what needs to be done, what’s currently in progress and what’s a priority. Even better, with the addition of a color code, you can see at a glance what category of life you’re working on! It’s a wealth of organization from the extra two seconds it takes to jot a symbol next to your tasks.

Once you know the power of icons, it’s time to decide which ones you’ll use. What you choose depends on your circumstances and how much you want to track, but here are some basic bujo symbols to get you started:

To Do

o In Progress

x Completed

> Reschedule

! Priority

Bullet Journal Key Ideas

Now that you’re ready to up your Bujo game create your own Key, here’s a ton of examples to get you started! As you can see, there’s no wrong way to make a Key. It’s all up to you!