How to develop a journaling habit (even if you don’t like to write and don’t have time)

Maybe you’ve heard about how great journaling is for you. So you went out and bought a cool, inspiring journal and you are all ready to write. Excited about it even. Except, that you aren’t doing it…

Instead, you walk by that cool journal every day and never pick it up.

It’s even out in a place where you will see it a lot.

But, that only makes you feel more guilty because now you have to face the disappointment that you haven’t been journaling when you walk by.

You kick yourself because you should have more willpower. You should be able to create a habit more easily than this.

Is it that you aren’t good at it, so why bother?

That you don’t have time?

That you can’t create a good habit?

I doubt it…

What you need is a journaling habit that suits you.

And, here’s how you can create your very own habit to reap all the rewards of journaling whether you like to write or not.

What’s your type?

Finding your style is important to set you up for success because if you've got the style wrong, no amount of habit-making will transform you into a journaler.

Written or Spoken Word:

Writing words on paper can be transformative. Yet, this is where my clients often get hung up. If you aren’t a writer, can’t spell or don’t have time to write, try speaking your journal instead.

Written:

1. Do you love to write?
2. Are you a visual person?
3. Do you like to revisit what you wrote?
4. Do you want to be able to burn your journal at the end of a season?
5. Do you have a long commute on a bus or train?
6. Do you want to use drawing or mindmaps?
7. Are you nervous or self-critical about how you look or sound?

Spoken:

1. Do you hate writing?
2. Are you a person that talks to think?
3. Do you write or type all day and want something different?
4. Do you have a long commute in a car?
5. Do you have a favorite person that you could pretend you are talking to?

Which one sounds better for you to start with?

Below are a few ways to explore each one.

Written journal: Paper or digital? Or both?

Physically writing uses a different part of the brain than typing and looking at a screen. When we do something physical while we are processing our thoughts, it can help us to solidify new learning. It's as if we bring the information through our body by writing while we are learning.

However, if writing on paper isn't for you, no problem.

Get creative to design a journaling style that fits you:

You can get plenty of benefit from typing either on your phone or your computer. It's so much better to type than to hold out for writing in your paper journal and never get to it.

And, if you don’t like one method try another!

Innovative solutions from my clients:

1. Email to yourself - A client sends messages to a dedicated email because that was an easy way for her to do it. She was in her email all day already so this made sense.
2. Old school day timer - I have another client who bought an old school day timer just for journaling. She can write just a few notes in each day and that works better for her than trying to write out paragraphs.
3. Post-it? notes - Another client wanted to journal about her experiences while in meetings because she was working on having better meetings. She brought post-it notes to the meeting in her regular work notebook. She would then take the Post-it note back and tack it into her journal.
4. Day One? app – One more client uses the Day One app to jot down thoughts whenever they come up. This way she doesn’t feel pressured to write at a certain time or about a specific topic but captures her thoughts on the fly. Note: This method works great for reflecting on how conversations went throughout the day while the words are still fresh in your mind.
5. Google Forms – A data-oriented client created a quick survey on Google Forms to prompt her to quickly capture how she is doing on her initiatives. For example, she can check a box for working out that day and list the people she connected with, two of her focus areas. She can download the spreadsheet monthly to see trends and appreciate her progress.

Other creative journaling styles:

1. Drawing - It can be fun to use drawings or mind maps in your journaling. The act of using some creativity can help unlock thoughts that might be out of reach otherwise.
2. Bullet Journaling - A popular method to use images and colors to code your journaling.
3. Minimalist Journaling - Using boxes and symbols too quickly record how the day went.

Spoken Journal: Audio or video?

Spoken journals can be just as powerful. If you are someone who loves to record themselves on video, you are in good company as seen in the popularity of vlogging.

But maybe you don’t want to see your face or feel like you have to do your hair for journaling, then audio dictation is a great alternative.

It’s ok to mix up formats too. Some apps are set up for this like Journey, which saves text, audio, and video all to your Google account.

That way you can capture notes after a meeting on your phone, write a long-form entry about a situation you need to think through, and record some video entries on vacation to remember a few special spots.

Finding Space and Time

I challenge you to find the time to reflect. It’s one of the most valuable things we can do for ourselves, our workplaces and our families and it happens all too little.

Start with 10 minutes. Set a timer and write or speak. You will be surprised how much you can get down in that amount of time. It's more important to do it on a consistent basis than it is to get a lot of time in.

How Great Journaling Habits Are Made

There's a lot of conflicting information about how long it takes to create a habit. It turns out this is a personal thing and it depends on you, as well as the habit. A good rule of thumb is that it takes from 1 to 2 months to instill a habit. So, don’t lose heart if you need more than 21 days.

Kick procrastination to the curb (and get ‘er done)

1. Dig Deeper for the Truth - My favorite technique for combating procrastination is to stop and ask myself why I am procrastinating. We procrastinate for a reason. It usually has to do with fear in some way. Fear around journaling can be related to perfectionism, avoidance of difficult issues, and not feeling worthy. These are great topics to start journaling about…
2. Create Confidentiality – Some of my clients who are concerned about someone reading their journal keep it locked up. An app can be password protected whereas others use loose-leaf paper and burn them when they're done. Note: Burning the paper you write on can be a wonderful way to release and let go. Some journalers make a New Year's tradition out of burning their journals.
3. Embrace the ‘Vomit Draft’ - My second favorite way to kick procrastination is what writers call the ‘vomit draft’. This is where you just write and you don't stop writing until you're done with the first draft. You don't stop to think about how you sound or to correct spelling errors. You just keep writing.
4. First Things First – Doing important, yet hard-to-get-to items first thing in the morning is another trick of mine. I do all my important habits in the morning like meditation, journaling and working out. If I leave them to the afternoon, I'll never get to them.
5. Find an Accountability Partner – Just like a workout partner will get you to the gym, a habit partner or better yet, a journaling partner will help you get in the grove.
6. Find Your Habit a Partner - Attach it to another habit you already have. For example, if you already drink coffee in the morning, writing in your journal while you drink coffee will be easy to implement.
7. Create a Structure - Some people have a routine at the end of their day where they answer specific questions. For example, people learning a new skill can list things they are trying to implement and journal about how it went each day. The app called Grid Journal lets you program in your questions.

Those who are in my Raise Your C-IQ online course journal about how they have used the Conversational Essentials in their day:

1. Being open to influence
2. Priming for trust
3. Asking questions for which you have no answers
4. Listening to connect, not judge or reject
5. Reframing, refocusing and redirecting
6. Double-clicking

By looking over the list each night, it helps them see where they have used the essentials as well as giving them time to reflect on how it went with each of the essentials. This daily act helps cement the new skills into their arsenal so that they come out more naturally as time goes by. On days where they didn't use any of the essentials, they can journal about places where they could have used them and how that might have worked.

Now that you have some new motivation and ideas to try out, you will no longer need to walk past your journal hanging your head in shame.

Your next step is to decide how you want to start your first test:

1. Written or voice? Digital or analog?
2. Determine your time and place
3. Schedule it on your calendar or put a note up to remind you
4. Write your first entry!

Test out a style and see how it works for you. If you love it, stick with it. And, if you feel like testing some other systems, rotate through different mediums, different times of day, etc for a week at a time and see which works best for your lifestyle.

With your new journaling habit, you will be able to reinforce the important changes you want to make in your life. You will be able to understand yourself more clearly because you’ve given yourself a consistent time to pause to reflect. And, you will be able to think more clearly when facing difficult problems or decisions.

Heck, you might even lower your stress level a bit.

All from a few minutes of journaling.

Let’s get started!

Additional Resources

Journaling Apps

Bullet Journaling

Minimalist Journaling

Building Habits