How Bullet Journaling Can Help You Build Better Habits in the New Year

Start the month off on a good foot with a two-page spread that lets you look at the whole span at a glance. This concept, from Diary of a Journal Planner, has a calendar-style block for daily appointments, plus boxes for goals and priorities to really dig down on what needs to get done.

Those of us who don't sleep well know how important shut-eye is to, well, everything. Using your bullet journal to keep track of how much sleep you get helps you notice any patterns that emerge. This adorable design by Masha Plans makes it fun.

In this golden age of television streaming, it can get tough to keep track of what you're watching. Use this bullet journal spread idea created by Life by Whitney to get a handle on your viewing schedule. You'll never have to wonder what to watch next again.

If you're the kind of person who always swings by the drugstore to buy a gift on the way to the party, you need this adorable birthday tracker idea by Masha Plans. Adjust the size or number of balloons to fit more birthdays in any given month or to suit the number of months you need. Don't forget to add your own!

A little meal planning will keep you from panicking over what's for dinner, and your bujo can help keep it all in one place. Create a chart to map out each day's menu, then stick Post-It notes with your shopping list to the page. When you head to the store, Diary of a Journal planner recommends bringing the sticky note with you, so you don't forget anything.

This graphic goal visualization from Masha Plans works especially great at the start of a new year. Sit down and reflect on what you want to work toward in 2020, then represent it in an artful way. Drawing it out will encourage you to really meditate on your aspirations, and you'll be more likely to look at it if it's visually pleasing.

While pretty bullet journal styles abound, circle day trackers are both gorgeous and useful. This one from Life by Whitney breaks up your entire day into manageable chunks of time so you can see what's happening and when. But you don't have to stop there. Circles work well for weekly, monthly, habit, or mood trackers, too.

These days, we all need every little bit of happiness we can get. Sometimes though, it's hard to remember what brings us joy. Use your bullet journal with this idea from Masha Plans: create a page with cute little pictures of things that make you smile. If you aren't an artist, consider just writing out your happiness boosters and using stickers or Washi Tape to make it pretty instead.

Mood trackers can give you an at-a-glance sense of how you're feeling, which in turn, can help pinpoint trouble spots to help keep a handle on your mental health. This comprehensive Year in Pixels page by Diary of a Journal Planner helps you do just that.

Think of this cleaning page from Masha Plans as your motivation to actually do those hated chores on a regular basis. Since you can break it up into segments for daily, weekly, and other regularly occurring chores, it helps keep you accountable for even those infrequent tasks like cleaning the oven or dusting light fixtures.

Whether you're looking forward to graduating from school, finishing a big project at work, or getting in better shape, a goal grid like this one from Life by Whitney will help you visualize those targets. Organize your goals over whatever time span works best for you in a starburst shape, then break down each stage into more bite-sized steps on the opposite page.

The benefits of meditation are well-documented, but when our lives get busy, sometimes a regular practice falls by the wayside. With a bullet journal page like this whimsical one by Masha Plans, you can stay accountable to finding time to center yourself.

Sometimes, we have so many thoughts swirling around our heads that it's hard to focus on anything else. Use this brain dump page from Diary of a Journal Planner to declutter your mind and get everything out in the open, so you can better organize your world.

It seems like we have more skincare options these days than ever, but the more products you add to your routine, the harder it is to keep straight. Masha Plans created this gorgeous skincare page to do just that. Consider using a similar page to illustrate other self-care techniques like meditation, exercise, or favorite hobbies, too.

If you struggle with your to-do list (who doesn't?) try this easy bullet journal idea from Diary of a Journal Planner. Rather than trying and failing to multitask, your bujo can help block out spans of time to focus on one task. You'll be amazed how much you get done.

Don't wait until the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve to set some goals for the year or even the month. Creating a graphic page like this one from Masha Plans gives you at-a-glance motivation, but even writing out what you want to accomplish in the weeks or months ahead will help.

Keep your spring cleaning list in order with this bullet journal spread from Diary of a Journal Planner. Make a list of cleaning products on a detachable Post-It, notes on what needs to get done, specific cleaning tasks, and decluttering projects all in one, aesthetically pleasing spot.

If you're dedicating yourself to a new fitness plan, stay on track with this workout page from Masha Plans. Self-care pages like this one can help you stay committed to your goals, since filling them in adds extra motivation to stick to it.

This Harry Potter-themed mail tracking page from works especially well for people who send or receive a ton of snail mail. People with Etsy or clothing resale businesses or particularly active online shoppers, give this bujo idea a try.