A recent Lifehack article title 15 Best Autobiographies Everyone Should Read At Least Once In Their Lives had Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography right at the top of the list. Of all the journals ever written, this is one of the giants, but Franklin wasn’t alone in his journaling habit. Everyone from presidents, generals, and geniuses, through to teenagers have all been keen journalers and recorded their experiences and inner thoughts and feelings for posterity.
But the journaling habit goes way beyond just recording what happened and how you feel. People journal for a wide variety of reasons.
- Athletes might journal about their training regime.
- Business people may journal about their triumphs and failures.
- Dieters might keep a food journal.
- Religious and spiritual people might keep a gratitude journal or maybe a Bible reading journal.
- People with health challenges may journal about what they are doing to get well.
Maybe you’ve been keen to get into the journal writing habit, but have struggled to make that habit stick. It could be that you are already incredibly busy and just can’t figure out how you can squeeze even a positive life-habit like journaling into your non-stop schedule, or maybe you just think you stink at writing and so journaling is not for you, even though you realize it has so many positive benefits.
So what is the secret to journaling success and how can you get into the journal writing habit?
I wish I could tell you there was one golden rule, but there is no holy grail when it comes to journaling. The good news is that even though there might not be one golden rule there are several top tips that you can follow that will really help you on your path to making journaling a positive life habit. I’ve split these into three sections; time, method and other.
The important thing with journaling is to find out what works for you, so in the tips below you will find some tips that contradict the ones that have gone before.
When is the best time for journal writing and for how long?
Tactic #1 - Try to stick to a time
Choosing a specific time works well for many people. Think of a time that works well for you on most days and then set that time aside. It could be as soon as you get up, before you go to bed or maybe at lunchtime each day. Whatever works for you. Once you get used to journaling at this set time, it will slowly become a habit and will eventually lead to journaling success.
Tactic #2 Do it whenever and wherever
If you can find a perfect time each day, you might want to get into the habit of always having your journal on hand so you can get writing whenever the fancy takes you. This can be a highly effective tactic as it can mean that you capture those moments in the moment rather than having to remember them at your next scheduled journaling time.
Tactic #3 Don’t think you have to write an essay
Many people new to journaling make the mistake of thinking they have to write a lengthy masterpiece each time the sit down to write. This is a definite no-no. If you want to write something the length of a chapter of War and Peace, then that’s fine, but if you just want to write a single sentence or even a single word, then that is fine too.
Tactic #4 Don’t focus on the quality
Trying to make your journal entries works of literary beauty is absolutely unnecessary for the vast majority of journalers. Yes, there are some journal writers who enjoy creative writing, but for most people the important thing is getting things out of your head and on to the screen.
Tactic #5 Ditch the spelling and grammar checker
With journaling there are no prizes for quality. Feel free to ditch that that subconscious editor in your head that is constantly pulling you up for bad spelling or bad grammar and use as much bad language as you like. Your journal is for your benefit, and unless you ever plan on sharing it, it is unlikely to ever be read by another soul. Many longstanding journalers would urge you to always write as though nobody else will ever see it.
Choosing a journal writing method that works for you:
Tactic #6 Good old-fashioned pen and paper
Some people love the tactile feel of a good old-fashioned notebook and pen, and the great news is that these days there are an abundance of journals and notebooks to choose from. Whether it is a leather-bound classic or a modern notebook doesn’t matter. As long as it works for you is all that matters.
Tactic #7 Download an app
Both Android users and iPhone users have an abundance of journaling apps to choose from. If you think that journaling on your phone or tablet is something that would work for you then give several of these a try and choose the one that works best for you.
Tactic #8 Use an online journal
There are many excellent online journaling services available ranging from free to paid for services that offer full-encryption and a host of additional features. Many people find journaling on a laptop or computer easier than on their phone or using conventional pen and paper. In our modern day high-tech world most of us are relatively quick at typing, even if we are far from being a touch typist. Once you get into the flow, this can definitely be the quickest way to get those thoughts out of your head and into your journal.
Tactic #9 Choose a format that suits you
Most journalers just write in a normal way, but this isn’t your only option. Some people prefer to write in a list format, often known these days as bullet journaling. Another way, if you have an artistic bent, is to use drawings and illustrations and not just words. This can really bring a journal alive in a very special way. Another method is to write in a dialogue format, as though you were writing a screenplay. You can have a narrater who keeps the entry on track, but whenever appropriate you replace conventional writing with dialogue. This can be an entertaining way to journal and can add an extra level of creative and fun to even the dullest journal entry.
Other journaling considerations
Tactic #10 Use writing prompts
Staring at a blank sheet of paper or computer screen can be very off-putting to any journal writer and that’s where prompts come in. Writing prompts come in all shapes and sizes and cover a wide variety of topics. For example, a general writing prompt might be ‘Write about your favorite food’ whereas if you were to seek-out some motivational writing prompts you might get things such as ‘What one thing would transform your life completely’ or ‘What is the most productive thing you can do over the coming week?’.
You’ll find writing prompts all over the net, just Google the words ‘journal prompts’ or ‘writing prompts’ and you’ll find enough prompts to last you a lifetime. You’ll also find an abundance of books of writing prompts such as ‘642 Things to Write About’ or ‘Burn After Writing’ by Sharon Jones.
Tactic #11 Set the scene
If you can try to create an environment conducive to good journaling. For different people this means different things. For example, for some people candles and classical music is the way to go whereas for other writing their journal in a busy coffee shop is more conducive. There is no hard and fast rule. Do whatever works for you.
Tactic #12 Don’t break the chain
A chain is the number of consecutive days on which you have done something. So if you’ve journaled every day for a week your chain would be 7. The thinking behind not breaking the chain is that the bigger the chain becomes the more motivated you are to keep it going.
Tactic #13 Keep it a secret
If you want the world to read your inner thoughts, then write in a conventional notebook and just leave it hanging around, but if, like me, you want your inner thoughts to remain top secret then you need to give some thought to how you do that. The honest answer is that it can be tough if you are using conventional pen and paper unless you want to burn your writing after each journal writing session. Some journal experts advocate doing exactly that.
Luckily, if you don’t want to burn your journaling efforts, there are alternatives. All online journals and journaling apps will allow you to enter a password to prevent easy access. If you want to take it to the next level, which I would highly recommend, then look for a journal writing tool that offers secure encryption. The benefit of secure encryption is that even if someone hacked into your account, all they would see are random jumbled characters.
Tactic #14 Consider what you want to share with others
Journal writing can be a great way to help others to know what you are thinking. For example, if you are seeing a therapist they may appreciate having access to your journal entries, or at least the ones you feel comfortable to share with them. This can provide them with a valuable insight that can really help them help you.
Another time when you might want to consider sharing is when it comes to writing for your children. For this reason, some people have two journals; one in which they write their innermost thoughts in an honest unedited fashion, and another in which they write what they think their children will want to read.
Tactic #15 Review and reflect
Some people like to write knowing that they will never reread what they have written, whereas other feel they benefit from regularly reviewing what they have written in the past. Rereading your past journal entries can show you areas in which you are progressing and areas in which you might need to put more effort in. This can be a massive benefit of journaling as without these entries it can be very difficult, in hindsight, to see just how much or how little progress you have made.
Conclusion
These fifteen tactics will help you in two ways.
- They will help to put in place the conditions required to help you to journal on a regular basis. Remember, everyone is different, and sometimes it can take a little time to figure out what works best for you. So if you find that using a journal app (Tactic #7) then move on and give pen and paper (Tactic #6) or an online journal tool (Tactic #8) a try. In my opinion none of them are better than the others. They’re all different, and so you just need to find the one that works best for you.
- They will help you to develop your journaling practice from just making a note of what happened into something that can help you develop as a person, solve issues in your life, and even leave a legacy for your children.
The most important advice of all is to just do it! There is a reason so many notable people have been keen journalers over the centuries and it is for those reasons that you should make the effort to develop a regular journal writing habit.
