How To Upgrade Your Journaling Practice

Sometimes the hardest part of journaling is not starting, but continuing. And for that reason, a question I get a lot online is how to keep up with a journaling practice. So many aspiring journalers want to write regularly, but can’t seem to find the routine or motivation to do it. After journaling for over 20 years, I have found a few things particularly helpful when I keep a little motivation to sit down and write. If you’re someone who would like to get more intentional about their routine, here are some ways you can upgrade your journaling practice.

Pick a time—and block it off.

If you’re anything like me, it might be hard for you to stick to something if you don’t schedule it. Sometimes putting something on the calendar and being intentional about it makes you more likely to do it. So think about what time of day would be the most reasonable time for you to comfortably journal, block it off on your calendar, and dedicate that window of time to your practice. For me, I love journaling early in the morning before I begin my day and in the evening before 9 pm. Everyone is different, so do what works best for you.

If you treat your practice with as much responsibility as you treat your work hours, it will start to feel part of your daily routine, too.

Set the vibe.

A good way to journal more is to make journaling feel special. To achieve this, try setting the vibe. You can listen to focus music or lo-fi beats (here’s one of mine) or make a special playlist for just when you’re journaling. Light your favorite candle to make it a little cozier (scent can be so influential to your mood). Make a cup of tea or other warm drink of choice, maybe one you make a little special just for journaling (for example, I save my lavender tea for only when I’m journaling). Grab your favorite blanket or slippers or even a stuffed animal to make yourself more comfortable, too.

I usually do all of these things in some combination. It’s a fun way to not only look forward to your routine, but to build the habit faster, and to enjoy it.

Read it back.

I know, I know. It can be cringe to reread old journal entries sometimes (trust me, I’ve done it), but making a habit of rereading old entries can inspire you to keep up your practice. It’s a growth exercise and a way of practicing compassion for yourself. Make a habit of revisiting past entries, even just from a week ago. Something that was bothering you a week ago may have been resolved since that time. Looking back, how do you feel about it now? Maybe you were worrying too much? Rereading past entries regularly can help put things into perspective.

I suggest “starring” or tagging entries you want to revisit, or flagging them with page markers for less permanent tracking. Once it’s no longer relevant, you can just remove the flag.

Add an index.

Adding an index has skyrocketed my journaling practice. Not only does it allow you to see all the contents of your notebook at a glance, but you can also see how often you write about certain topics and people. Yes, it’s an extra step in your journaling process, but since we can’t hit Command+F on paper, it’s so worth it in the end.

To start, give yourself 2 to 4 blank notebook pages in the beginning or end of your notebook. Then start listing the collection pages or topics in your journal, followed by a colon, then the page numbers. It’s best to do your index this way, with the topic first instead of the page number, so you can list the page numbers for as long as you need.

For example, here’s what my index looked like for April 2022:

APRIL 2022: 118
Master tasks: 119
Habits: 120
Calendar: 121
Manuscript progress: 122-123
Weeklies: 124, 132, 138, 144
Feeling fulfilled + happy: 125, 128, 140
Family + friends: 126, 136, 141, 142
Therapy: 127
Work: 128, 130, 133, 139

The things you write about will have more weight and feel a little more significant if you write them out this way. I even go as far as giving each diary entry a poetic title followed by the page name in my index, so I can see at a glance what that entry is specifically about. Of course, do whatever works best for you.

Bonus: Buy the “fancy” notebook.

Or pen. Or cover. It doesn’t have to be expensive (everyone’s definition of “expensive” is different) but if you feel uninspired, try treating yourself to something a little more special than you normally would. Whether it’s a $20 notebook or a $50 fountain pen, the quality or novelty alone may just inspire you to write more (besides — you probably deserve it).

However, if you are brand new to journaling, I would stick to the basics first and see how they work for you. It may be tempting, but having an Instagram-popular $90 notebook setup and a $150 retractable fountain pen doesn’t guarantee you will stick to your practice. My $8 pack of Pilot pens has served me well over the years, after all. It’s up to you, not your supplies, to keep the practice going.

Do you have any journaling routine upgrade tips that I might have missed? Let me know in the comments!