2020 was going to be the year of organisation and productivity, thanks to daily journaling habits, of course! Then covid hit and that all went out the window. The good news is, you don’t have to wait for a new year to shape a new you. I think November is actually the best time to begin journaling. You have a few months to play around with different forms of daily journaling, discovering what works best so you can go into 2021 full steam ahead. 

Here are some easy journaling tips, tricks and ideas of what to include so you can journal like a boss. 

Buy a journal that you love

Invest in a beautiful journal that makes you smile every time you see it. Whilst journaling on your phone or computer may seem convenient and reliable it just doesn’t have the same effect as putting pen to paper. The screen free time will also do wonders for your mental health. 

Shop our favourite journals here: 

Set aside time every day 

Get in the habit of writing in your journal every day, but don’t be hard on yourself if you forget. The beauty of journaling is that it can be done at any time of the day. Most people like to designate 5-10 minutes towards journaling in the morning. However if this doesn’t suit your lifestyle you can adapt journaling into your lunch, afternoon or bedtime routine instead. So whatever time you decide to set aside for journaling, try to stick with it. 

What to include:

Gratitude 
First and foremost, write down something each day you are grateful for. Keep in mind, these things don’t have to be extraordinary, in fact they can be very ordinary. Being grateful reminds us of how lucky we are and lets us have a more positive outlook on life. Some little joys could include, coffee in the mornings, having clean water to wash your face, having warm water to shower, the smell of fresh air or the sound of kids laughing. 

Something you will do for someone else 
Set yourself a goal to do something nice for someone else. This could be as simple as smiling at a stranger, calling a friend or holding the door open for someone. These kind gestures, won’t take time out of your day but can make a world of difference to someone else. Most importantly, the feeling you get when you do something nice for someone else, it’s kind of unbeatable. 

NB: If you are journaling at any time other than the morning, plan something you will do for someone else for the next day. 

Something you will do for yourself 
On top of doing something for others, make sure to set aside time to do something nice for yourself. Choose something that will make you feel good. Some examples include, going for a walk, having a bath or cooking a wholesome meal. 

NB: If you are journaling at any time other than the morning, plan something you will do for yourself for the next day. 

Daily plan 
Prioritise the most important tasks for the day (both professionally and personally) in your journal. This will give you a sneak peak of what to expect and helps you designate time to get things done. 

NB: If you are journaling at any time other than the morning, write a daily plan for the next day. 

Don’t limit yourself to words 

There are endless ways to express yourself, so don’t limit yourself to words. You can add pictures and drawings to your journal, better yet, create a mood board. Another way to spice up your journaling could be to include some of your favourite song lyrics or an affirmation into your daily entry. 

Enjoy the experience 

Journaling shouldn’t be a chore. It should be something you do everyday for yourself to help you feel more grateful, grounded and organised. Be proud you are taking the time out of your day to journal.