The five bullet journal symbols every beginner needs are the task dot (•), the event circle (○), the note dash (—), the priority star (*) and a simple habit tracker. Rapid, symbol-based logging is one of the main reasons the bullet journal works: with a handful of marks you can sort any line in a few seconds, with no colour codes and no complicated tables.
Below you will find what each symbol means, when to use it, and an everyday example, followed by a quick reference table you can copy onto the first page of your notebook.
1. The task symbol (•)
This is the most basic symbol of all. Anything you need to do starts with a dot. When you have done it, turn the dot into an ✕. At a glance you can then see what is finished and what is still open.
- • Email the landlord about the boiler
- • Return library books
- ✕ Pay the phone bill (done)
2. The event symbol (○)
Use an open circle for appointments, meetings and important dates: things that happen, rather than things you have to do. Keeping events separate from tasks stops your to-do list from filling up with items you cannot actually tick off.
- ○ Dentist, 3:30 pm
- ○ Maya’s birthday dinner
3. The note symbol (—)
A short dash marks ideas, facts or thoughts you want to capture but that need no action. Notes are what turn a plain list into a record you will enjoy rereading later.
- — The café on the corner has a quiet table for studying
- — Idea: a reading log for next month
4. The priority symbol (*)
Put a star next to the single most important task of the day. In a busy list it keeps your main focus visible. Use it sparingly: if half the list has a star, nothing is a priority any more.
- * • Finish the project proposal
- • Buy groceries
5. The habit tracker
The fifth tool is a small grid rather than a single mark. Write the days of the month along one axis and your habits along the other (for example “8 glasses of water” or “20-minute walk”). Each day you keep a habit, fill in its square. After a few weeks the filled squares show your patterns more honestly than memory does. For a full walkthrough, see our habit tracker guide.
Quick reference table
| Symbol | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| • | Task: something to do | • Return library books |
| ✕ | Task completed | ✕ Pay the phone bill |
| ○ | Event: something that happens | ○ Dentist, 3:30 pm |
| — | Note: an idea or fact, no action needed | — Quiet table at the corner café |
| * | Priority: the most important task | * • Finish the proposal |
| Grid | Habit tracker: days × habits | 20-minute walk, filled in daily |
To see how these symbols fit together with the rest of the notebook (index, future log, monthly and daily logs), read our complete bullet journal guide. The symbols themselves come from the original method described on the official Bullet Journal website.
Conclusion: start with two symbols
You do not need to use every symbol from day one. Start with tasks and events, and add notes, the priority star and a habit tracker gradually as you feel the need. The structure of a bullet journal should serve you, not the other way round. If you would like a ready-made daily, weekly and monthly plan to fill in with these symbols, BulletPlan can build a personal one for you, and the method works just as well on plain paper.
Written by Persian Studygram, the first Iranian junk journaling creator. Follow our work on Instagram and Pinterest.
