The best way to generate consistency in anything you do is by establishing a routine. The same goes for journaling. The best benefits from journaling will come when you make it a regular part of your daily life. Set aside a specific time to journal and make it a priority.
“Every habit and capability,” Epictetus says, “is confirmed and grows in its corresponding actions, walking by walking, and running by running…therefore, if you want to do something, make a habit of it.” Nothing becomes routine without first building the habit. Journaling is no different. Follow the lead of the stoics and use these tactics to build a rewarding journaling routine.
Journal in the morning
Marcus Aurelius likely did his journaling early in the mornings, using that time to prepare for his day to come. Sitting down with your journal at the beginning of the day allows you to get it done before the day has a chance to get in your way. Do it before you get tired from daily errands, working all day, or distracted with the normal things that pop up each day.
Journaling in the morning also gives you chance to answer questions like:
- What are three small tasks I want to get done today that will get me closer to my bigger goal?
- What are three things that I’m grateful for?
- How can I be more patient today?
Each morning, I start my journaling by writing down some things I’m grateful for. The stoics write a lot about gratitude and it’s important to start off your day by reminding yourself of the people and things you’re lucky to have. It helps get you in a positive headspace, releases any negative thoughts, and prepares you for the day’s challenges.
Journal at night
In contrast to Marcus Aurelius, another great stoic, Seneca, used his evenings as the day winds down to sit with his journal and reflect. “When the light has been removed and my wife has fallen silent, aware of this habit that’s now mine, I examine my entire day and go back over what I’ve done and said, hiding nothing from myself, passing nothing by.”
Journaling at the end of the day is a perfect opportunity to review your thoughts and actions throughout the day. Ask yourself:
- What did I trade my time for and was it worth it?
- Did my actions today get me any closer to the person I want to be?
- What did I accomplish today and how can I build on that for tomorrow?
Nightly self-reflection challenges you to conduct an honest audit of who you were today and how you’ll be better tomorrow. It gives you a chance to leave all that mental gunk that built up all day on the pages of your journal and help ease your mind for a better night’s rest. There’s no reason to carry it all to bed. By setting some time at the end of the day to reflect, you’ll be setting yourself up for a better start tomorrow.
Make it easy
Only one sentence or for only five minutes, it doesn’t really matter. Use bullet points. Whatever you need to do to make it easier is all that counts. Just get started and be consistent. Remove as many obstacles as you can that’ll prevent you from developing your journaling habit.
Have your journal and pen set aside at your favorite spot, ready to go. Keep a list of simple journaling prompts to ponder and write about. This can be incredibly helpful at first when you’re trying to get a feel for how this whole journaling thing works.
Set a timer for one minute, five minutes, or however long you want. And no matter what time of the day you journal, if you’re struggling to get going, just start small. It doesn’t need to be some grand endeavor. Do you want to journal once a week? On the weekends? Every day? Whatever your goal is, start small and keep building. Just get started.
There’s no magic formula. It’s ultimately up to you to figure out what works best with your schedule and for what you want to get out of your journaling habit. The important thing is to make starting as easy as humanly possible.
Now, go get started
The #1 best piece of advice I can give about establishing a journaling routine is to just get started. That’s it. Over time, it’ll become easier. I started journaling randomly, here or there, then a few times a week, then several times a week, and now I journal every single day. It’s become an integral part of my day that I really look forward to.
It can be the same for you. Sure, it takes time and energy, but it’s time and energy well spent. A regular journaling habit can change lifes and set you on a course for success. So, get out there and go get started.
