17 tips on How to stay consistent with journaling every day
You want to start journaling and make it a part of your life, but you can’t seem to do it for long enough? If this is you, these 17 tips on How to stay consistent with journaling every day are all you need to know!
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How do you maintain consistent journaling habits?
I have been journaling for many years, and one of the things I used to find the most challenging was staying consistent
Do you feel the same way?
Whether it is forgetting to journal, thinking I do not have enough time, or just thinking it is too much and you keep procrastinating.
But deep down, you keep thinking about wanting to journal
Every time you start and do it for one day
You feel good and plan to do it every day
But it never happened again
If this is you, relax because I can totally feel you!
I have been through this myself in the past, and I would say that after making a few changes in my life.
And I have finally successfully overcome this Trap!
I have written 17 tips to help you stay consistent with journaling and make it a part of your life!
Let’s get started!
17 tips on How to stay consistent with journaling every day
1. Know why you want to journal
Not knowing why you want to journal, can make you resist journaling
Every time you will sit down with a pen and notebook, you will find it challenging to write and enjoy the process of journaling
Because you don’t have any direction and you are not sure how journaling is going to benefit you
You will keep thinking about what to write today and if you should, and the burden of thinking every day is exactly, what’s going to come in the way of being consistent!
But when you know the purpose of your journaling, it will be easier and more natural to get into the flow of writing.
More than that, you will enjoy it and most likely stick with it.
Ask yourself Why you want to journal?
Think about it,
There are plenty of purposes journaling can offer
- Communicate your daily thoughts and feeling
- Changing mindset by practicing affirmations
- Heal an area of life by practicing journal prompts
- Tracking your mood
- Venting once in a while to feel light
- get clarity when confused with diverse thoughts
There are many more things journaling can do for you, so take a moment to start with one that you are curious about or want to benefit from
This will give you a direction and push you to journal consistently!
2. Choose an area of interest or urgency
Similar to above, Find an area that needs your immediate attention.
for example: if you have been filled with overwhelming feelings today, then you need a piece of paper and vent out everything
This is going to help you today and for more days until you feel better
But this may not be something you may need every day! The overwhelming feeling comes and goes occasionally
Apart from that, on others, you can look for an area of interest or other needs you want to fulfill
Some days I like to journal for manifesting. Whereas somedays for finding clarity or uplifting my mood
This helps me, fulfill my interest and needs that change with time, and I have more days of journaling this way
3. Find a journaling style that suits you
If you are unsure about How to stay consistent with journaling every day, then there is a high chance you have not tried the various journaling styles!
Here are a few journaling styles, you can explore to find one that suits you!
Starting, you can write in a blank notebook, use a guided journal or use notes on your phone to write.
There are also, different journaling styles that can help you find one that suits you and interests you
- Daily journaling
- Bullet journaling
- Morning pages
- Gratitude journaling
- Reflective journaling
- Art journaling
- Junk Journaling
- Food journaling
- free writing
- Reading journaling
You may enjoy bullet journaling more than writing in a bank notebook as it involves creating art and crafts, or you may like gratitude journaling as a way to be thankful or manifest abundance.
Only after trying various styles, you will find one or more that suits you and keeps you going.
Maybe before, you were journaling in only one way, which was not working for you, and hence you ended up giving up on journaling altogether.
But now, after exploring, you will most likely find one that works for you! so allow yourself to explore different forms of journaling!
4. Start with one line a day
When I started journaling, making time to journal for 15 or 30 minutes was a lot! Even now, I don’t get to journal every day for too long, which is normal.
When you start out with journaling, and if time is one thing that is resisting you stay consistent
Then, start with only ONE LINE A DAY.
Whichever form of journaling you want to get into, start writing only one line a day.
Writing one line is easy and hardly takes a minute to write
This is why you can be consistent with writing every day and not feel the pressure or guilt of the journal for long or missing days in between
Slowly with time, you will have some days you will be able to write more than a line, and words will easily flow into the paper!
5. Journal as soon as you wake up
If every time you think about journaling, you say ” I don’t get time for journaling throughout the day”
Then the best way and time to journal is as soon as you wake up!
Keep your journal on your bedside table next to you! A guided Five-minute journal will be your best friend if you are short on time!
As soon as you wake up while sitting on your bed, take your journal and start writing.
Whether it is, writing one line a day and getting started with your hustle! Do it!
You can use the five-minute journal which is a guided journal that takes only one and a half minutes of your day in the morning and night.
This way, you can be consistent with journaling as you have gotten over it in the morning itself!
The habit will naturally form when you do this!
6. Journal just before going to bed
Similarly, Even your morning is extremely rushed with journaling, right before laying on the bed. You can write out just one line as well!
Sitting down in your bed and dimming the light, and ending your day with one line or 3 points, just anything is more than enough to stay consistent!
7. Use prompts to help you
When you are writing in a blank notebook. every day coming up with what to write can take too much time and energy
You may not enjoy the process of journaling because thinking about writing drains you.
You can buy a guided journal in which there are already questions or prompts written, and you only have to answer them.
Whereas, If you do not want to get a guided journal and prefer your empty notebook,
In that scenario, Prompts are your best friends!
You can easily get journaling prompts online!
I have more than 30+ posts sharing prompts for various areas of life for free! You just have to pick up a few prompts for the day and start journaling!
Here are few journal prompts for you-
- 25 Powerful Mindset journal prompts to overcome limiting beliefs
- 55 Joyful spring journal prompts for Adults for new beginnings
- 90 Helpful Journal Prompts for Stress Relief
- 61 Effective journal prompts for healing inner child
- 70 Deep Productivity journal prompts that will Increase growth
- 35 Journal prompts for Success- Become your best self
- 23 Amazing Anger journal prompts You must practice when Mad
- 33 Deep Self Forgiveness Journal Prompts to set you free
- 45 Food Journal Prompts to Create Mindful & Healthy Eating Habits
- 50 Powerful journal prompts to face and conquer your Fears
- 23 Money Journal Prompts for Growth Mindset and Manifestation
8. Use a five minute journal
The five-minute journal I shared in the above points, Is a great way to stay consistent.
This five-minute journal is a popular, guided journal filled with simple prompts to live intentionally in your everyday life!
It has 3 simple yet powerful point for the morning that only takes one and a half minute of your day and 2 beautiful ones for a night that also takes hardly a minute to fill.
This way, you can easily journal for intentional living and stay consistent!
9. Keep a journal tracker
If you find it difficult to stay consistent with journaling every day because you get caught up in work and totally forget that you need to journal
Keeping a journal tracker is a great way to start!
You can place a tracker or calendar for a journal near your desk where you can tick off every day as you complete journaling for the day!
10. Make the experience enjoyable
One thing that will help you stay consistent in journaling if you tend to feel bored or rushed, is by making the experience enjoyable.
For example, setting the mood for journaling, and creating a me-time space for yourself that you absolutely love.
A space that feels cozy and relaxed, putting candles at night and having a plant around in the morning
Having your favorite drink by your side and relaxing instrumental music in the background
You can get creative and make your environment as per how you like to feel
This will help you feel a lot more excited and happy to journal because you enjoy this time by yourself
It relaxes you and helps you come back to yourself from the chaos and responsibilities of the world!
11. Always carry the journal with you
Get a digital journal or a travel-size journal that you can carry with you everywhere.
You can journal anywhere you get time throughout the day or if you had an experience and you feel like writing it down.
You can easily take out your journal and start writing
We all have our inner minds always thinking about something. We may be actually engaged in an activity
Yet our inner mind tends to think something or other. A lot of times, it can be an idea, an overthinking negative thought, or a grateful experience you ended up thinking of.
In that moment, as you are feeling the emotion attached to thoughts going in your inner mind
You can take your journal to write down
It will be easier to journal then you will feel better!
12. Don’t stress about journaling every single day
A huge reason why most people struggle with journaling consistently is that they think they NEED to journal EVERY SINGLE DAY
and if they miss a few days in between, they feel guilty and give up on journaling altogether!
Don’t stress over and give yourself too much pressure that you need to journal every single day.
Journaling consistency can also look like doing it once a week, 3 times a week, or 3-4 times a month!
When you do journaling once a week, you can do a full week of reflective journaling
And when you do it 3-4 times in a month, you can a good amount of time doing it!
13. Set a reminder
Life can get busy, which I totally understand! There are so many times I totally forget to journal!
If it tends to happen quite often with you, how about setting a reminder for yourself?
You can easily add it to your planner, google calendar, or whatever tool you use!
In your phone as well! You can set a reminder that you need to journal once you remember and get time.
You can easily do it!
More than that, you can add it to your schedule so that from this time to this, you will be journaling!
14. Try bullet journaling
Bullet journaling is a great slow and artsy way to journal that can make your experience super fun!
You can paste stickers, use blocks, and stamps, and if you love drawing you can create your journaling spread for each month!
Bullet journaling is more than just a journal! It is more about the experience you feel while doing it.
The only way, you will know if bullet journaling works for you is by trying!
Check out the 16 Best bullet Journals and supplies for you to get started!
15. Keep it simple
Bullet journaling may not be for everyone! Which is completely fine!
Even I like to keep my journal simple and easy. That way I find it easy to do and not put too much pressure on myself
Do the same
Keep it simple and journal as you feel like
Do you want to open your notes app and write a few lines? Go ahead!
Want to use a guided journal that makes the process more effective and easy for you? Do that!
Want to fill out your empty page as per your preference? Then do that!
This takes me to my next point!
16. Don’t stress over right or wrong
There is no rule to journaling. The only purpose behind journaling is to connect with your inner self and become mindful of who you are and your surroundings.
There is no right or wrong way to journal. Yes, there are many ways you can journal, but they all are just ideas and inspiration for you to try when you are curious.
So don’t pressure yourself with a thought like, “I only journaled for one minute, do it even count?
I only wrote one page, is that right or wrong?
Don’t equip yourself with these thoughts!
It is all up to you and how you enjoy it!
17. Take the 21 day journaling Challenge
At last, if you are a beginner and want to start journaling every day. Take a 21-day journaling challenge that will help you build a habit of journaling!
As we all know, it takes 21 days to form a new habit
If you journal every day for 21 days, you are most likely to be consistent with it!
If you are curious, then I have a full post where I explain and share the 21-day Journaling challenge with you!
CONCLUSION
At the end of the day, as long as you are journaling every now and then, and if it works for you,
Then it is good! and you don’t need to pressurize yourself for being consistent
I know and totally understand the pressure just comes off naturally
For so long, It was the case with me
I wanted to journal, but every day was not possible
When I lifted off the pressure of whether I am consistent or not and truly just focus on enjoying and being present in the activity
I started being more consistent!
Try following some of the tips, I shared above and see if it has helped you in any way!
Be patient and have fun!
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If you liked this, you will love these-
- 7 reasons you find Journaling boring + How to fix
- Best 21 Day Journaling Challenge for 2023 to start journaling
- 15 Different types of journals to keep (you wish you had sooner)
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