Everything you need to know to start journaling - Journaling Guide: part 3

When to journal

Journaling doesn’t have to be a huge time-commitment. You’ll find that you can write a page or two in just 10 to 15 minutes. I think you shouldn’t aim for more than that in the beginning, to make sure that you’re not making it too hard on yourself.

My favorite time to write is right before bed: it helps me relax and sleep better, signaling my brain to turn itself off for the night. It allows me to reflect on the day that has just happened and frees up my mind from all the things that my brain could want me to think about or worry about as I try to fall asleep.

Although it happens more rarely, I sometimes pick up my journal when a thought or emotion comes up that I want to document or analyze. Another popular technique is morning pages, which consist of writing three pages of any thoughts that come to mind, first thing in the morning. I have never really tried it because I always feel like I don’t have anything to say in the mornings, as nothing has happened yet and my brain is empty. I am not relaxed enough to write when I just want to get going with my day. It can still be worthwhile to try it out and see if it works for you.

Where to journal

Journaling should be a calm and peaceful activity, so it’s great if you can find a cozy space to do it in. It’s important that you feel safe enough to write, that’s why I rarely journal in public spaces. I usually write from my bed or from my desk. You can also use a specific corner of your house that is comfortable, maybe light some candles or sit in your favorite chair, to make it a special moment.

If you trust the people you live with, or live alone, keeping your journal in a place where you can see it can help remind you to journal. For example, I always put my journal on my nightstand, so that I see it before I go to sleep and am reminded that I can journal, otherwise I might completely forget about it for weeks.

How to journal

When it comes to the way you should journal, there are two main approaches: using an electronic device vs writing on paper. Let’s see what those two bring you and find out what the most appropriate setup is for you. Let’s keep in mind that doing one doesn’t prevent you from doing the other as they are complementary.

Digital journaling

Journaling on an app or on your computer can be a good way to get started, as you already have the tools right in front of you. Whenever I feel the need to write some thoughts down while I’m out and about, I use my notes app on my phone. However I never journal on my computer as it would feel too much like work, and wouldn’t really feel authentic to me.

But journaling digitally does have its advantages. First off, you won’t lose your entries the way you could lose a notebook. As long as you’re careful with backups or use cloud storage, your journal is always with you, all the time, and doesn’t take up any space. This method is also more economical as you don’t need to pay extra for any fancy pens or stationery. You can get started right now with what you have and no extra purchases.

It can be practical if you like re-reading your entries, especially since you can easily search for a date or a keyword, which is harder on a paper notebook. You can also make sure your thoughts stay safe and private by using secure apps, and no one will just find your journal lying around.

Some caveats with digital journaling are that you can be tempted to edit or delete things as you go or even when you re-read it a few months later. Where paper give your thoughts permanence, and even your mistakes are still visible, writing digitally can give more room to your inner perfectionist and pressure you to write better or censor yourself more.

It also feels less personal, as it’s not in your unique handwriting (which can be helpful if you can’t reread what you write, but still…) but just in a generic, uniform font. You can’t see the difference between an entry you wrote messily in the car in 3 minutes and one where you were careful to use your best handwriting.

It also feels less calming to me, as journaling is one of my (few) no-screen activities. And let’s be honest, if I pick up my phone wanting to journal, chances are I will just open Instagram and start scrolling. A physical journal would not make you go into such a spiral, the worst that can happen is that you re-read old entries, which is always fun.

Journaling on paper

Writing in a paper notebook is my favorite way to journal. The feeling of the pen on the paper, holding the book in your hands, seeing how far in the notebook you are, flipping through the pages, choosing a beautiful notebook and pens are great pleasures you only get by going with paper. However it is tempting to fall into the trap of buying more notebooks than you will ever be able to fill up, so stay mindful and try not to buy more than 2 journals in advance. Remember that there will always be enough beautiful notebooks in the world, so it’s okay if you don’t get every single one of them on your shelves. You can also just use a composition notebook you have lying around, or an old notebook where some pages are left, or even some random sheets of paper. Let’s try not to fall into the trap of buying too many tools to journal, as the important part is to actually write, and for that you only need one pen and one piece of paper.

I like writing on paper because it is slower, so it gives you more time to think and be honest. You don’t need to rush and are more intentional with what you write down. You can see all your previous notebooks on a shelf and see how far in your notebook you are every day: progress feels more tangible.

It is also way easier to get creative if you’re journaling on paper: you can add collages, write sideways, clip in some tickets or cards you want to keep, draw, etc… You’re not constrained to write in straight lines, always in the same font and color. Your journal lives with you, when you rip it, fold it, spill something over it, it actually lives a life of its own, making it all the more precious.

How to choose your notebook

When it comes to choosing the notebook itself, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First off, you should make sure that you are getting a notebook with good quality paper: it can be frustrating if your ink goes thought the paper.

The cover can be soft or hard, both have their advantages. You’ll usually want to make sure that the notebook actually opens flat enough, and doesn’t have any parts sticking out that actually prevent it from sitting nicely on a flat surface. A hard cover helps with writing in spaces where you don’t have a table, but I actually prefer softer covers as they don’t feel as sturdy and constrained. The binding is also important, having spiral binding can make your journal harder to transport or cause sheets to fall or tear out.

The size of your notebook is probably the most important aspect of it: having a notebook that is too big can make you feel like you’re not making any progress, as you have to write a lot more to fill a page. I can also be harder to travel with. On the other hand, smaller notebooks can be hard to write in, if you always have to be in a cramped position to be able to write in the small pages. It all comes down to what you’re expecting and in which settings you journal, and you have to find your sweet spot through trial and error.

You also have to think about whether you want a notebook that’s lined or unlined. A lined notebook will help make it tidy and look more even, but it can come in the way if you want to draw or do other creative things in your journal.

In the end, you should choose a journal that you find cute, but make sure not to buy a notebook that is too fancy or expensive. That would put too much pressure on your writing as you’ll want to match the quality or price of your notebook and not “waste” it. Journaling should remain fun and guilt-free.

Other ways you can journal

You are also free to explore other, more uncommon mediums for your writing. For example, you could use:

• a photography journal: take pictures of your space, things you see, or significant events of your day
• a video/audio journal: you can also record yourself or the sounds around you, which can be even more personal and make for a beautiful, even more faithful way of documenting your life.

What to journal about

When it comes to actually writing, it can be useful to add some structure to your journal. One thing that you can’t skip is adding the date at the top of your entry. I also like to add the time and, if I’m not in the same place as usual, the location from which I’m writing. You can also add anything that helps you kick start your writing engine, such as the music you are listening to, the temperature or atmosphere of the space around you, the weather, etc…

You are free to write whatever you want and you can experiment with different writing styles and themes. Some ideas can be writing things you’re grateful for, your favorite or worst moments of the day, how you are feeling, something you’ve learned recently, something you are worried about, etc… If you’re out of ideas, there are lots of writing prompts and writing exercises out there, some of which I’ll link in a future post.

In the meantime, if I could recommend only one journaling exercise, it would be this video by struthless.

Are you ready to get started?

Now, you should have everything you need to know to be able to start journaling. Remember that, as with many things in life, there is no one size fits all for journaling. You can find some shortcuts and advice here, but the best way to find out what works for you is to actually pick up a pen or keyboard and write, and stay open to experimentation.

In the next article I will share the main pitfalls you can find in journaling, so stay tuned for that! Until then, good luck with your writing journey.