Consistent journaling has been a massive trend on self-help social media lately. It is talked about in terms of its efficacy for stress relief, self-awareness, goal settings, meditation, and much more. However, if you only write when inspired, you’ll probably write only once a month or even less. With that routine, you might not be able to avail the life-changing benefits of journaling. “But how do I journal every day,” you might ask, “it seems so difficult.” You are right. It is difficult but not impossible. With the correct schedule, everything can be easy.
So, if you want to learn more about self-development through consistent journaling, hop in. Everything you need to know is in this article!
Also, if you’re new to journaling, check out our easy journal prompts for beginners.
Is It Good To Journal Every Day?
Yes. Journaling every day opens gateways that will transform the quality of your life. It is an effective medium for relaxation, cognizance, learning gratitude, and emotional regulation.
However, it is worth noting that there is a specific method of journaling that offers such benefits.
According to research by Ullrich M.A. and Lutgendorf, journaling only offers positive benefits when writers focus on cognition and emotions.
So, yes, it is good to journal every day. But be sure to avoid fixation on the negatives only. We recommend journal prompts if you need help filtering out your thoughts.
You can also check out journaling as a tool for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) if you want a psychological perspective on journaling:
How Do I Journal Every Day?
Although it may seem overwhelming and tedious, journaling daily is anything but. All you need to do is follow simple rules that encourage consistency. Here is how you can do that:
Keep a Routine
Allocating a specific time to journaling sessions will help build your consistency. Ask yourself the following questions:
- When do I wake up?
- When do I fall asleep?
- What do I do during the day?
- When do I feel most active?
Even if you think you do not get a lot of free time, there will always be something you can cut down. You might even try checking your screen time throughout the day.
- Which app do you use the most?
- Is it essential to your well-being?
According to research, as of January 2022, online users in the United States spent 19 hours per week watching videos. Another research revealed more than 7 hours of daily internet usage with approximately two hours and 14 minutes of daily social media.
Now we’re not asking you to dismantle your schedule entirely. But journaling can be a great way to destress and regulate yourself emotionally. All you need is some time away from your regular activities.
Start slow. Take a 10-15 minutes break where you channel your thoughts. That will allow you to be more emotionally expressive and connect with your innermost self.
That is especially helpful in this era where connectivity through social media is more prevalent. Remember to also connect with yourself through journaling.
Have a Space That You Like to Journal In
Writing is an art. There is no fixed approach to how you pursue it. However, when you want to journal every day, there are some steps that you need to take. These will allow you to make the task more fun, entertaining, and an overall pleasant experience.
Ask yourself this:
- Where do you like to journal? Do you have a diary? Or do you feel better when your fingers type away?
- Where do you journal? What is the ambiance like? What are the background noise levels?
- Do you prefer writing in solitude? Or do you feel more comfortable with people around you?
Understanding your needs and preferences will allow you to create an atmosphere best suited for you.
So, for example, if you’re more of a quiet person that does not like disruptions, early morning or late night might suit you well. You can sit alone while having a cup of warm coffee and continue channeling your unfiltered thoughts on whichever medium you prefer.
On the other hand, some people prefer a lonely spot in a cafe or a park.
Bonus Tip: Carry earbuds if music helps you focus. We recommend Beats Studio Buds. Their comfortable fit and design make them a perfect choice when journaling.
Know Your Preferred Journaling Style
Journaling isn’t an ancient man writing about whatever happened that day, reminiscing about their youth.
Knowing which style you find most amusing will play a significant role in helping you journal every day.
Here we will briefly discuss three different styles of journaling, so you can decide which one suits you best:
Art Journaling
If you’re an artist, this will be perfect for you. You can bring your art supplies and unleash that creativity.
The best part about art journaling is that there’s no obligation to make it perfect. It’s just you, the colors of your emotions circling your mind, now imprinted on paper.
Visual Journaling
While art journaling mainly consists of sketches, visual journaling combines illustrations with personal reflections. So, you might doodle people, animals, nature, or anything that comes to mind.
Again, there are no restrictions on how you do it. The key is to practice mindfulness by escaping for a few minutes each day.
Video Journaling
If you’re not much of a literary person, video journaling is an alternative to expressing your thoughts verbally. All you need is your phone. Press record and that is it!
You’re free to talk about whatever you want. You can see your face and hear your voice while journaling this way. That is something that other alternatives do not offer.
Put Your Phone Away
Whether you accept it or not, excessive phone usage affects your concentration levels. Its addictive nature makes it almost impossible to break away from.
According to research, users worldwide spent approximately 23.7 hours per month on YouTube in 2021.
Facebook and TikTok were ranked second among social media apps with the most engagement, with about 19.6 hours per month spent on each app.
Even messaging, which we generally consider relatively less captivating, had an average usage of 18.6 hours per month.
Now, consider this: you do not have endless hours in a day. So, the more time spent on social media apps, the less you have for other activities.
Not to mention that recent studies have revealed a high correlation between social media engagement and dopamine release in the brain. It is also important to note that dopamine is regarded as the ‘reward chemical.’
It’s no wonder then why we use social media more and more. Reward feels good, after all. You want to do whatever makes you feel satisfied.
Moreover, research conducted by May and Elder in 2018 revealed media multitasking disrupts attention, note taking, and self-regulation. These are the three components essential to an effective journaling session.
While it may be hard, we urge you to put your phone aside at your designated journaling time. Put it on silent or simply go to another room so it doesn’t serve as a distraction. The results will be worth it, we promise.
Make It Easy!
While it may seem hard, we assure you it only requires practice and discipline.
According to Dr. Maltz, “…it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to form”.
Now, 21 days doesn’t seem too hard, does it? Especially when you start slow and spend only 10-15 minutes on your preferred journaling style.
Here are a few more tips you can use to journal every day:
Let Go of Your Old Self-Image
Your self-perception plays a huge role in how you act. The internal monologue works on auto-pilot as you continue through the day.
So, if you keep thinking that you cannot do it, chances are you won’t be able to. Instead, soften that inner critic. You’re doing a fine job. You’ll be journaling daily soon enough.
Set Realistic Goals
When you start to journal every day as a beginner, it is very likely that you won’t be able to write for hours on end. And the truth is, you don’t need to.
We encourage you to set easy goals that your lifestyle allows. Do whatever seems easy, and remember to practice self-compassion along the way.
Create Positive Associations With Journaling
Journaling is vastly different from writing an essay for an overly critical teacher you do not like. You don’t have to worry about making any mistakes.
There are no rules. You have the liberty to express yourself as you please, without any constraints. No one will judge you here.
How Long Should I Journal For?
There is no universal rule that applies to everyone when it comes to journaling. In Journaling with Clients, Mark Stone stated that each of his clients has a unique approach to journaling. He asserted that one strategy is not recommendable for every client.
It is also worth noting that different people have different stamina for creative expression. It comes naturally for some, whereas others might have to foster it.
Thus, how long or how much you want to journal are questions only you can answer. As a general rule, we recommend a minimum of 10-15 minutes of journaling, at least four times per week.
However, the choice lies with you. There is no decisive answer here. But quoting Stone again, “the process of journaling often outweighs the content.”
So, shove the worries of perfectionism and productivity aside. Focus on what is doable for you and make journaling enjoyable.
Check out our post about the ideal length of a journal entry.
Benefits of Journaling Every Day
There are numerous benefits to journaling every day.
- It is an effective medium for emotional expression. Especially if you struggle with mental health issues, writing about your emotions provides an effective gateway to unburden yourself.
- It allows you to de-stress and take a step back. Getting what was bothering you off your chest offers a clearer perspective.
- Understanding your mind is the ultimate way to discover yourself. Once you understand what you like and don’t like, you can plan a routine accordingly.
- Greater self-awareness also comes with greater accountability. Your mind shifts from the simple blame game leading to a healthier mindset. Instead of fixating on what others have done wrong, you can set goals for yourself and move on.
- Journaling is also known to improve cognitive processing. This is correlated with strengthened memory. Since you’re taking regular notes of the daily occurrences throughout the day, it is unsurprising that you have deeper insights and greater awareness than those who do not journal regularly.
- Journaling allows you to identify problematic thoughts and behaviors. Consequently, this leads to a transformation of behavior through mindful activism. You switch to healthier coping mechanisms, and the entire trajectory of your life changes for the better.
- Ultimately, journaling creates a higher quality of life through mindfulness. Taking a calming break from the regular humdrum of life allows us to travel into a meditative state. When you escape the shackles of life, it automatically brings you towards transcendence and finding peace in the present.
Final Thoughts
To journal every day is to lose emotional attachment to your ideas. Paradoxically, when you detach from problematic ideas is when you gain an insight into who you are.
You get to look at yourself from a different perspective. This ultimately allows you to be better by identifying what works for you.
All you need is to reframe your mind and make a schedule that suits your individual needs. We hope this article helped you understand how to journal consistently and keep up your routine.
Do not forget to practice self-compassion. And, of course, learn to enjoy the journey. So, what are you waiting for? Take out your diary and pen. It’s time to journal!
