The Monthly Log is one of the core components of any successful bullet journal practice. Whether you’re new to bullet journaling or looking to refine your approach, these practical tips will help you create monthly logs that actually work for your lifestyle. Let’s explore how to make this powerful tool work better for you.
📅 Choose the layout that matches your planning style
The original Bullet Journal method uses a simple timeline layout – essentially a vertical list of dates with space for notes. Ryder Carroll designed it this way for speed and simplicity:
This format works beautifully for many – but not everyone’s brain processes information the same way. Many bullet journalists (myself included) prefer a traditional calendar grid that provides a visual overview of time blocks and patterns.
The right layout isn’t about aesthetics – it’s about how your brain naturally processes time. A Leuchtturm1917 dotted notebook offers the perfect canvas for either approach with its light dot grid that provides structure without visual distraction.
🔄 Adapt your layout to changing circumstances
Your planning needs change throughout the year – your monthly log should too. During project-heavy months, I need a detailed weekly breakdown within my monthly view. During summer, a simpler approach with more space for spontaneity serves better.
Let your journal adapt to your life instead of forcing your life into rigid layouts. This adaptability is what makes bullet journaling sustainable when other systems fail.
⏱️ Consider logging events after they happen
Bullet Journal creator Ryder Carroll suggests something counterintuitive: recording events after they occur rather than planning everything in advance. This creates what he calls a “timeline” rather than just a calendar:
This timeline is something your future self will often be grateful for, as it can provide a lot of clarity and context–it shows you exactly what you focused on in a given month by highlighting precisely when it actually happened.
Ryder Carroll, The Bullet Journal Method
This approach transforms your monthly log into a factual record rather than just a collection of intentions. A quality gel pen that writes smoothly makes updating your log a satisfying ritual rather than a chore.
📝 Keep entries clear and concise
Your monthly log works best as a summary dashboard – not a detailed account of everything. Save the details for your daily or weekly logs.
Think of your monthly log as the headline view of your month. When you look back weeks or months later, you want to quickly identify important events and tasks without wading through unnecessary details.
📊 Limit your tracking to what truly matters
Habit trackers integrate beautifully with monthly logs, but their power comes from extreme selectivity. The bullet journal method recommends tracking no more than three key habits – those that genuinely drive meaningful change in your life.
The key is restraint – focus only on tracking habits that truly add value. Tracking too many habits often leads to abandoning the practice altogether. Simply create 1-3 columns with labels and mark completed tasks with an X when finished.
🚫 Skip the decorative cover page
While social media is filled with elaborate monthly cover pages, these aren’t essential to the bullet journal method. If artistic covers bring you joy, by all means continue – but know that you can move directly to your next month’s logs without them.
Remember that functionality should always come before aesthetics in a true bullet journal practice.
⚡ Use signifiers1 for quick visual scanning
Leave space before dates to add symbols that make important entries visually distinct:
- *️⃣ Asterisks for priority tasks
- ❗️Exclamation points for deadlines
- ⭕️ Circles for appointments
This creates an instant visual hierarchy that helps your brain process information more efficiently. A set of fine-tipped colored pens can enhance this system further, creating an intuitive color-coding that works with your visual processing style.
🔄 Master the migration process
The monthly migration process is what prevents your bullet journal from becoming a graveyard of abandoned tasks. At each month’s transition:
- Review all incomplete tasks from the previous month
- Cross out what’s no longer relevant
- Move still-important tasks to the new month
- Create collection pages for groups of related tasks
- Move future-dated items to your Future Log
This regular pruning ensures your system stays focused on what truly matters. As Ryder notes, “Migration is designed to surface what’s worth the effort, asking: ‘Is this worth my time? Is it worth my energy? Is it worth my attention?'”
The Monthly Log isn’t just a calendar – it’s a system for intentional attention management. These refinements have transformed my own planning from scattered to focused. Start with what makes sense for your life right now, and allow your system to evolve as you do.
What monthly log approaches have worked best in your practice? Share your experience in the comments below.
Amazon Disclosure
Rediscover Analog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
