Dot Journal Ideas

One of 80 dot journaling page ideas per press, with what to rule and how many squares it takes.

Dot Journal Ideas

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  1. A month tracker as a ring of 31 slices20 by 20 squares. Two circles, 20 and 14 across. Quarter the ring, cut three quarters into 8 slices and one into 7.

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All 80 ideas

Month and week calendars 20

  • A countdown of thirty boxes to a date you choose 20 by 12 squares. Boxes 2 wide and 4 tall, ten across and three down. Number them backward so the last is the day.
  • A date strip down the margin with this week boxed 2 by 31 squares. One square a date, the weekday letter beside it. Draw a box round the seven that make this week.
  • A day page, the hours down the left and three boxes down the right 20 by 30 squares. Left column of 10 with a line every 2 squares, fifteen slots. Right column in three boxes of 10.
  • A mini month to tuck in a corner, one square a day 7 by 8 squares. A row for the name, a row of weekday letters, six rows of dates. No lines to rule at all.
  • A month across two pages with room to write in every day 20 by 30 squares on each page. Four columns of 5, six rows of 5: four weekdays left, three and a notes column right.
  • A month as one long column, a row for each date 20 by 31 squares. Two squares for the date, two for the weekday letter, sixteen left to write in.
  • A month in two halves, the 1st to the 15th beside the rest 21 by 17 squares. Two columns of 10 with a clear square between. A header row, then sixteen rows of 1.
  • A month on one page in boxes three squares wide 21 by 18 squares. Seven columns of 3, six rows of 3: six rows fit any month. Date in each top left corner.
  • A timetable for a week of classes 22 by 17 squares. Period labels 2 wide, five columns of 4. A header row, then eight rows 2 tall.
  • A week across two pages, seven day columns and one spare 20 by 30 squares on each page. Four columns of 5, the full height. Head each with its day; the eighth is for notes.
  • A week as seven small boxes over one big notes box 21 by 30 squares. Seven boxes 3 wide and 5 tall along the top, a clear row, then one box 24 tall.
  • A week as six boxes, the weekend sharing the last 20 by 27 squares. Two columns of 10, three rows of 9. Split the sixth box down the middle for the two weekend days.
  • A week down a center line, days to the left and right by turns 20 by 28 squares. One line down the middle with a tick every 4 squares. Each day gets a box 10 wide on its own side.
  • A week on one page as seven stacked bands 20 by 28 squares. Seven bands 4 tall. The day's name sits in the first 3 squares of each; the rest is left to write.
  • A week with the hours down the side 23 by 17 squares. Hour labels 2 wide, seven columns of 3. A header row, then sixteen rows, one for each hour you plan.
  • A weekend page in two tall columns 20 by 24 squares. Two columns of 10, each ruled into three boxes 8 tall: morning, afternoon, evening.
  • A year at a glance from twelve mini months 23 by 32 squares. Twelve blocks of 7 by 8, three across with a clear square between, four down.
  • Six months ahead on two pages, three bands a page 20 by 30 squares on each page. Three bands 10 tall. A mini month of 7 by 8 at the left of each, 13 squares for plans.
  • Three months side by side, a row for each date 21 by 32 squares. Three columns of 7. In each a header row for the month, then 31 rows of 1.
  • Two weeks on one page, a row of boxes for each 21 by 20 squares. Seven columns of 3. A row of weekday letters, then two rows of boxes, 10 and 9 tall.

Habit and mood trackers 20

  • A bar chart of the week, a bar for each day 16 by 11 squares. Numbers in 2 squares at the left, seven bars 2 wide and up to 10 tall, weekday letters beneath.
  • A color key for a mood tracker, five swatches 8 by 9 squares. Five squares of color down the left, a clear row between each. The word for each mood goes beside it.
  • A dial with a needle for the week's score 12 by 6 squares. A half circle 12 across on a base line, five ticks round the arc. Redraw the needle each week.
  • A habit month on the page's own dots, one ringed a day 6 by 4 squares. Thirty-five printed dots, seven across and five down. Draw a ring round a dot each day you keep it.
  • A honeycomb month, one cell a day 14 by 16 squares. Cells 2 wide and 4 tall, every corner on a dot. Five interlocking rows of 7, 6, 7, 6 and 7: two spare.
  • A hundred boxes for a hundred times 10 by 10 squares. Ten rows of ten single squares. Number nothing. Color one each time you do the thing you are counting.
  • A month of habits, dates down the side and a column for each habit 12 by 32 squares. Dates in 2 squares, ten habit columns of 1. A header row of initials, then 31 rows.
  • A month tracker as a ring of 31 slices 20 by 20 squares. Two circles, 20 and 14 across. Quarter the ring, cut three quarters into 8 slices and one into 7.
  • A mood graph for the month, a point a day 31 by 6 squares, page turned sideways. Dates along the bottom, five levels up. Join each evening's point to the last.
  • A mood month where each day's box is cut corner to corner 21 by 18 squares. A month of boxes 3 by 3, each cut by a diagonal: morning's color in one half, evening's in the other.
  • A practice log where one square is ten minutes 14 by 8 squares. Weekday letters in 2 squares, then twelve squares a row, seven rows under a header. Color as you go.
  • A savings tracker of fifty boxes 20 by 10 squares. Boxes of 2, ten across and five down. Each stands for an amount you set; color one as you save it.
  • A streak ladder with a rung for each day kept 4 by 30 squares. Two uprights 4 squares apart and 30 tall. Add a rung one square up each day and write the date on it.
  • A tally page, gates of five beside each habit 20 by 8 squares. Names in the first 8 squares, 12 left open for tally marks. Four habits, a row every 2 squares.
  • A thermometer bar that fills toward a goal 4 by 25 squares. A bar 2 wide and 25 tall with a tick at every square. Your own numbers go beside every fifth tick.
  • A weather month, a tiny sky drawn in each box 16 by 8 squares. Boxes of 2, eight across, four down: 32. A small sun, cloud or rain in each; the spare holds the key.
  • A week of habits with seven small boxes beside each 17 by 9 squares. Habit names in the first 10 squares, then seven columns of 1. A row of weekday letters, eight habits.
  • A year in pixels, one square for every day 14 by 32 squares. Date numbers in 2 squares, twelve month columns of 1. A row of month letters, then 31 rows.
  • Five sliders for how the week went 20 by 10 squares. Five lines 20 long, one every 2 squares, a name written over each. Draw a knob where the week landed.
  • Six habits as six mini months to color in 23 by 17 squares. Blocks of 7 by 8, three across and two down, a clear square between. Fill a square each day done.

Task pages 20

  • A brain dump with a sorting column down the edge 20 by 30 squares. One column 2 wide down the right, the rest left open. Later, letter each line by where it goes.
  • A carried-over list that counts how often a task has moved 20 by 20 squares. Tasks in 16 squares, then four boxes of 1. Fill one each week a task moves; four full means drop it.
  • A chore chart, jobs down the side and a column for each person 20 by 13 squares. Jobs in the first 8 squares, four name columns of 3. A header row, then six rows 2 tall.
  • A day's tasks drawn as tall as the time each takes 20 by 16 squares. One row is half an hour. Box each task as many rows tall as it needs and stack them down the page.
  • A four-box priority page 20 by 20 squares. One cross through the middle makes four boxes of 10. Urgent or not across, important or not down.
  • A homework page: subject, task and due date 20 by 17 squares. Columns of 5, 11 and 4. A header row, then eight rows 2 tall.
  • A meal plan beside the shopping list it makes 20 by 28 squares. Left column of 8 in seven day boxes 4 tall. Right column of 12 for the list they add up to.
  • A packing list with a column for the way out and one for the way home 20 by 26 squares. Items in 16 squares, then two columns of 2. Tick the first when packed, the second when it is back.
  • A project as a staircase of steps 20 by 16 squares. Eight steps, one every 2 rows. Start each checkbox a square further right than the one above.
  • A project as bars across twelve weeks 22 by 9 squares. Task names in 10 squares, twelve week columns of 1. A header, eight tasks. Color the weeks each runs.
  • A revision page, topics down and three passes across 20 by 21 squares. Topics in 14 squares, three boxes of 2: read, notes made, tested. A header, ten rows 2 tall.
  • A room-by-room tidy list in six boxes 20 by 27 squares. Two columns of 10, three rows of 9. A room named on the top row of each box, checkboxes below.
  • A running task list with seven day columns to mark 20 by 26 squares. Seven columns of 1 at the left, tasks to their right. Mark the column of the day you will do each.
  • A shopping list in four boxes, one for each part of the shop 20 by 24 squares. Two columns of 10, two rows of 12. A checkbox square starts each line.
  • A someday list in two halves, this year and not this year 20 by 30 squares. One line across the middle: fifteen rows above it, fifteen below.
  • A task page split by place: home, desk and out 21 by 24 squares. Three columns of 7, a place at the head of each. A checkbox square starts every other row.
  • A to-do list with a checkbox square before each task 20 by 16 squares. A box of 1 at the start of every second row: eight tasks, each with a clear row beneath it.
  • A waiting-on list: who, what and since when 20 by 21 squares. Columns of 6, 10 and 4 for the person, the thing and the date you asked. A header, ten rows 2 tall.
  • The day's top three in three big boxes 20 by 15 squares. Three boxes 5 tall. A large 1, 2 and 3 in the first 3 squares of each, the task beside it.
  • Three columns for to do, doing and done 21 by 28 squares. Three columns of 7 under a header 2 tall. Write a task again one column to the right as it moves.

Lists and collections 20

  • A birthdays page in twelve month boxes 21 by 28 squares. Three columns of 7, four rows of 7. The month on the top row of each box, six rows for names.
  • A cheat sheet of how 24 squares split into columns 24 by 7 squares. Four bars 24 long, a clear row between. Cut into halves of 12, thirds of 8, quarters of 6, sixths of 4.
  • A color mixing grid, every pencil over every other 14 by 14 squares. Six colors across and six down in boxes of 2, after labels 2 deep. Layer each pair where they meet.
  • A film list beside a strip of ten frames 6 by 30 squares. Frames 4 wide and 3 tall down the center, a column of sprocket squares each side. Titles go beside it.
  • A garden bed plan, one square a plant 12 by 8 squares. Draw the bed as a box and give each plant a square. Letter the squares and key the letters underneath.
  • A key page for the marks you use 12 by 12 squares. Six marks down the left, one every 2 rows, a meaning by each: task, done, moved, event, note, idea.
  • A list of twenty-five in five rows of five boxes 20 by 20 squares. Boxes of 4, five across and five down. One thing to do this year in each; draw over it when done.
  • A playlist page drawn as a tape with two sides 20 by 24 squares. A tape 12 by 8 with two reels, two clear rows, two columns of 10: seven tracks a side, 2 rows each.
  • A quote centered by counting squares 20 by 12 squares. One letter a square. Count a line's letters, halve the number, start that many squares left of center.
  • A ratings page with five squares to fill beside each title 20 by 20 squares. Titles in 15 squares, then five boxes of 1. Ten titles, 2 rows each; fill from one box to five.
  • A recipe index: dish, where it is written and the page 20 by 21 squares. Columns of 10, 7 and 3. A header, ten rows 2 tall.
  • A top three on a podium with seven runners-up 18 by 18 squares. Blocks 6 wide: middle 8 tall, left 6, right 4. Two rows of names above; a clear row, then seven lines.
  • A when-did-I-last page for jobs that come round 20 by 20 squares. Jobs in 10 squares, then five date boxes of 2. Ten jobs, 2 rows each. The row shows how often.
  • A wish list with a price column and a reason column 20 by 21 squares. Columns of 9, 4 and 7 for the thing, the price and why. A header, ten rows 2 tall.
  • An index for the notebook itself 20 by 32 squares. Topics in 16 squares, page numbers in 4. Number your pages as you fill them; add a line per topic.
  • Five alphabets, each letter one square wide and two tall 13 by 24 squares. Thirteen letters to a row, so an alphabet takes two rows. A clear row between the five styles.
  • Gift ideas in a box for each person 20 by 24 squares. Two columns of 10, four rows of 6: eight people. A name on the first row of each box.
  • Places to go, each with a box to color once you have been 20 by 20 squares. A box of 2 at the left of each entry and entries 2 tall: ten places.
  • Series to watch, a row of episode boxes under each title 20 by 16 squares. Eight shows, 2 rows each: the title, then a row of single squares, one an episode.
  • Three shelves of book spines, ten to a shelf 20 by 24 squares. Shelves 8 tall. Spines 2 wide and 7 tall; write a title up the spine when you finish the book.

How it works

Dot journaling ideas for the pages a planner is built from: month and week calendars, habit and mood trackers, task pages and lists. A square is the space from one dot to the next.

Read the full guide

Dot journal calendar ideas, counted in squares

A mini month is 7 squares wide and 8 tall: a row for its name, a row of weekday letters and six rows of dates, which fit any month. For room to write, a month in boxes of 3 takes 21 by 18 and a week in seven stacked bands 20 by 28.

Dot journal habit tracker ideas

Put the dates down the side and give each habit a column one square wide: ten habits fit in 12 squares. For a single habit, ring one of the page's printed dots each day: 35 dots, seven across and five down, hold any month.

  • Dot grid journal ideas only fit a page you have counted. Write its squares across and down inside the cover.
  • If a layout is wider than your page, take one square off every column before you rule a line.
  • Rule in pencil first, counting as you go. Ink it once the last column lands where it should.

Questions and answers

What is a dot journal?

A notebook of dot grid paper, which has dots at the intersections of a grid instead of gridlines. Dotted journal ideas use those dots to rule calendars, trackers and lists by counting squares.

What are the best dot journal ideas to start with?

The Easy group, where nothing is taller than 18 squares: a countdown of thirty boxes, a week of habits with seven small boxes beside each, the day's top three in three big boxes, a key page for the marks you use.

What are dot journal page ideas for a whole year?

A year at a glance from twelve mini months takes 23 by 32 squares. A year in pixels takes 14 by 32: a column a month, a square a day. A birthdays page is twelve boxes of 7 by 7.

What goes on a dot journal tasks page?

A checkbox square before each task is enough. To sort as well as list, rule a four-box priority page, three columns for to do, doing and done, or seven day columns beside a running list.

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