If you’re wondering whether bullet journaling can actually work digitally… Absolutely! Digital bullet journaling is a great solution to many limitations of the traditional analog (notebook) system.
I started using a digital bullet journal just for my (chaotic) work life many years ago, while I kept an analog journal for my personal life. Then, about three years ago, I found a digital system that worked for my personal bullet journaling routine, too.
There are a few things you’ll want to know before you get started. In this post, we’ll take a high-level overview of the basic digital bullet journaling options and how those systems might fit your needs.
Wondering if digital bullet journaling is the best fit for your lifestyle? Compare digital bullet journaling to analog and hybrid bullet journaling → Bullet Journaling for Busy People: Digital, Analog, or Hybrid?
What is a digital bullet journal?
Digital bullet journals come in a wide variety, but for the purpose of this guide:
A digital bullet journal is an app- or computer-based system that uses bullet journaling techniques (like rapid logging) and flexible structures (like logs and collections) to create a mindful productivity system.
Of course, this could look like anything, so it’s important to know what aspects of bullet journaling are most important to you so that they translate digitally. For me, the use of rapid logging and collections are essential, so I make sure that my digital bullet journal can accommodate them.
Some digital bullet journalers choose to recreate the notebook experience almost exactly, using a tablet and stylus to write in a digital notebook such as GoodNotes. Others prefer app-based journaling that can be done on a smartphone.
I’ve personally enjoyed the efficiency of using Excel for bullet journaling at work, or a suite of apps that work together to fill most of my needs.
If you’re curious about how to bullet journal in a spreadsheet → How to Use Excel as a Simple Digital Bullet Journaling System
Should you try a digital bullet journal?
There are some things that can be accomplished digitally that are difficult to replicate in a physical notebook.
To get an idea as to whether a digital BuJo will fit your daily life, consider:
- Are you naturally on your phone or computer throughout the day?
- Do you need your journal to be searchable?
- Is the analog setup actually creating friction for you?
- Do you want your journal to integrate better with your digital life?
If you answered yes to some or all of these, then going digital might be your solution — not necessarily because it’s better, but because it might help you create a practice that’s more aligned with your daily routine.
There are several benefits to going digital (although their applicability depends on what kind of digital system you use):
Efficiency
We often type faster than we write. (Of course, this only applies if you’re actaully typing.) One may argue that this defeats the purpose of a bullet journal, which intentionally slows you down, but it’s not necessary — you’ll still benefit from other aspects of the system.
It’s easier to find old notes. Most digital solutions will allow you to search what you’ve written in the past. In an analog notebook, you’d need to know the date range for when you wrote something and look it up in the Index. If it’s a random note, it’s hard to find unless it’s indexed or in a collection.
There’s typically no rewriting. We do a lot of re-writing tasks in an analog bullet journal. (This is a feature, by the way — it helps you evaluate if whatever you’re scheduling or migrating is truly worth the re-write.) Most digital solutions will allow you to copy-paste a task, if you need to do so at all.
Accessibility
Portability. It’s not always possible to carry a notebook around with you — even a pocket version. Many digital solutions are accessible from your computer or smartphone.
Legibility. If you have trouble reading your own writing, a digital solution can help. It can also help you access what you’ve written in low-light situations.
Practicality. Already work at a computer-based desk job? If you work on your own computer, using a digital bullet journal can be a matter of convenience.
Privacy
If you can implement digital safety protocols, then a digital journal can also keep your journal private. This is partly why I started an Excel bullet journal at work — I wanted to use the bullet journal method to organize my work life, but all the details had to be kept confidential. Many of us already used Excel to manage our workflows — I just adapted mine so that it worked like a bullet journal.
Go digital for efficiency, accessibility, privacy, and staying organized with minimal friction.
How to start a digital bullet journal
There are many ways to start a digital bullet journal, and it’ll look different depending on whether you’re using a tablet and stylus, a single app, or a suite of apps.
Here’s what we’ll do to keep it simple:
- Choose your approach
- Choose your tools
- Start rapid logging
- Expand if needed
- Adjust as you go
The key here isn’t to replicate an analog bullet journal as closely as possible. Just like with an analog bullet journal, we want to:
Keep it simple — don’t try to do too much, too quickly. The everything-at-once approach will create overwhelm.
Make it usable — not because it’s popular online, but because you will use it. It needs to fit your life.
These common reasons why bullet journaling isn’t working apply to digital journals as well → Is Bullet Journaling Just Not For Me? Why It’s Not Working (And How to Reconnect)
Step 1: Choose your approach
The way I see it, there are two main approaches when it comes to digital bullet journaling:
Recreate the notebook experience digitally
- Uses a tablet and stylus
- Entries are often handwritten
- Generally functions like a notebook, but digital
Build a digital-first system
- Uses an app or suite of apps
- Entries are typically typed
- Adopts the bullet journal method to digital tools
Step 2: Choose your tool(s)
The tools (apps) you choose will depend on which approach you’re taking.
If you’re recreating the notebook digitally, you’ll want to look for apps that mimic the way you would use an analog notebook as closely as possible. Watch for blogs or YouTube videos that use digital bullet journals to see how others have set up and used theirs, and aim to look at a variety of apps.
If you’re building a digital-first system, you’ll need to establish which aspects of bullet journaling you want to carry over to the digital world. Tasks and events are probably a given, but how would you like to handle notes? Do you want photo integration? Are you mostly trying to stay organized, or are you capturing inspiration?
There are six types of digital bullet journaling tools to consider:
1. Tablet + stylus apps
- GoodNotes, Notability
- Closest to writing in a real notebook, possibly less efficiency than other apps
2. All-in-one notebook apps
- OneNote, Evernote
- Balances structure and flexibility — can work with the bullet journal method, but not designed to mimic writing in a notebook
3. All-in-one organizational apps
- Notion, TickTick, Todoist
- These apps aren’t designed like notebooks, but you can still apply bullet journaling principles within them
4. Task + note app system
- Google Suite (combination of Google Calendar, Tasks, and Keep)
- A modular approach that works well on a smartphone. You can keep a daily log in the task app, use the calendar for events and scheduling, and keep collections on a note app such as Keep.
5. Spreadsheet-based
- Excel, Google Sheets
- These are accessible and efficient, particularly if you know the keyboard shortcuts
- You can try my Excel Digital Bullet Journal here → The Excel Digital Bullet Journal That Kept Me Sane at Work
6. Dedicated bullet journaling apps
- Bullet Journal Companion
- Designed with the bullet journal method in mind and encourages the use of rapid logging, daily logs, collections, migration, etc. These tend to be more structured than a notebook app, but less flexible than a general organizational app.
Generally, and particularly if you’ve already been using an analog bullet journal, the key is to identify how you use your bullet journal now, and how you’d like to continue using it digitally.
Some questions to start you off:
- How will you handle future event, task, and note planning, normally done in the Future Log and Monthly Log? Do you wish to incorporate a digital calendar?
- What will your Daily Log look like — will you rapid log in a taskmaster app?
- Where will you keep collections?
You could also use a combination of apps to satisfy all of the functions of a bullet journal; for example, I used the Google suite of apps for a time, which included Google Calendar, Tasks, and Keep.
How I used the Google suite for bullet journaling: I rapid log in Google Tasks all day.
Some of my “tasks” are actually notes or upcoming events to schedule. At the end of the day, I decide what to do with the entries. Open tasks usually remain there, but sometimes get scheduled in Google Calendar with other events. For notes, if it’s blog-related, it goes in my Trello ecosystem. If it’s just a general life thing, there’s probably a collection for it in Google Keep.
(I still use these as part of my hybrid bullet journaling system — I’ll share it in the future, stay tuned!)
One risk here is incorporating too many apps into your bullet journaling process. In that case, you may wish to find a single application. I’ve found that a combination of Excel and my Outlook Calendar worked very well at work and limited distractions.
Step 3: Get started with rapid logging
This is the heart of the bullet journaling method, so no matter which solution you choose, you’ll want to make sure that rapid logging works for you in this system.
Start a Daily Log, and begin by jotting down what’s on your mind, what you need to get done today, and so on. Your daily log might be:
- Written with a stylus on a digital page
- Typed onto a note or page in your notebook app
- Added as a task in a task app
Step 4: Expand your digital bullet journaling system
If your rapid logging solution is feeling good, then you can start to expand your system to accommodate other aspects of the bullet journaling method that are meaningful to you.
You may need to get creative here!
Start adding something that works as a Future Log. A digital calendar is a popular, simple option.
Then, try a little migration; for example, moving important tasks or events from your daily log into your digital calendar.
Take notes, or create a collection somewhere. While short notes could be rapid logged into a task app, they can also be held in a dedicated note app.
Over the next month, see whether the flow from your Daily Log works for you.
More on migration here → How to Use Threading, Migration, and Scheduling in a Bullet Journal
Step 5: Iterate and evaluate
Just like in an analog bullet journal, your digital journal will require some hands-on experience and reflection over what aspects are working for you, and what aren’t.
Drop anything that doesn’t seem meaningful. Simplify any aspect that’s creating resistance. Try new apps if one isn’t working.
That’s it!
We’ve covered a lot of steps in this post, but something to keep in mind as you think about this:
Don’t look for the most optimal system. Look for the system that feels natural to use because it already works the way that you do.
Parting words
Digital bullet journaling was the answer to my overwhelm when my second maternity leave was coming to an end, and I had to figure out how to stay present at home while managing my demanding day job (and returning to the office after working from home since 2020).
I love my analog bullet journals (and I’ve since worked them back into my system), but at that point in my life, I just needed something that met me right where I was at.
If your analog system feels like it creates more friction than flow, it might be telling you that the system isn’t designed for this chapter of your life.
So, experiment with ways to reduce the friction so that you can stay present in your life.
Remember to start simply, embrace imperfection, and be open to adjustment as you go. The system will evolve with you — you just have to let it, and that only happens if you start!
If you’re coming from an analog bullet journaling system, it can be tricky to switch to digital as some aspects must fundamentally change, leaving the process to feel a bit clunky.
If you’re figuring out how to make the switch in a way that still feels intentional, this might help → Switching to a Digital Bullet Journal (Without Losing Meaning and Mindfulness)
My personal experience with digital bullet journaling → I Left my Analog Bullet Journal (Here’s What Changed)
And if you want to get back to the bullet journaling basics → The Busy Creative’s Guide to Bullet Journaling (Start Here!)
