Can’t Stick To Journaling? Try These 4 Simple Hacks

A daily journaling routine can change your life, organize your day, increase your confidence and lower depression and anxiety.

But we’ve all been there: intending to crack open that new leather journal on Monday only to wake up and scroll in bed then rush to start the day.

I’ve been journaling for over 30 years and I’ve realized that willpower isn’t what keeps the pen moving.

It’s having a routine that makes daily journaling as automatic as brushing your teeth.

Here are the exact journaling hacks I’ve used to navigate writer’s block and low motivation to reach writer’s bliss.

These aren’t just feel-good tips that you’ll forget after you read them. They’re the essential strategies for your real and busy life.

Because unless you build a realistic daily journaling routine, then you’ll just never get around to starting.

Here’s how to start a daily journaling habit – and make it stick:

1. Find time to journal

If you’re convinced that you don’t really spend that much time online, then trust me: download a screen time tracker anyways.

You probably don’t even realize how long you spend watching short-form brain rot, AI cat videos and the latest drama in the comments.

But a screen time tracker will tell you the harsh truth.

You probably spend way more time scrolling than you realize.

And maybe you’re not ready to quit Instagram cold-turkey or limit your YouTube sessions to 15 minutes a day.

But you can take that first step and become aware of exactly how many hours are going into exactly which apps. 

And you’ll never be able to tell yourself that: you just don’t have time to journal.

Pro tip: I recommend the StayFree app – it’s entirely free, very easy to use and measures a half dozen different metrics.

2. Create a cozy journaling ritual

Journaling should be a pleasure – not a wellness habit you tick off your list alongside exercising and taking your vitamins.

And the more you enjoy your journaling sessions, the more likely you’ll stick with your daily writing habit.

Take 15 minutes to journal in the morning in the sunshine on your porch with your first cup of coffee. Or write for awhile on your balcony as you sip some green tea.

Make your journaling session cozy, sensory and indulgent.

Anchor your writing session to another feel-good habit like drinking a spicy hot chocolate or lighting a scented candle.

Wrap yourself in a fuzzy blanket and journal right before bed if nighttime writing better fits your schedule. Dab on some lavender perfume or your favorite scented oil to link journaling with pleasant scents.

Journal outdoors in the park or at your favorite cafe for a change of scenery.

Pro tip: Create a cozy evening routine that includes journaling to boost your sleep quality.

3. Use “habit stacking” to make writing automatic

Don’t wait until you get that magical extra 15 minutes in your day to crack open your journal.

Chances are you’re busy already and not often inspired to write.

And that’s perfectly natural. We’re not even used to writing by hand anymore in this world of smartphones and laptops.

Journaling isn’t exactly easy. It takes effort, motivation and commitment. And it’s definitely not as easy as turning on your TV or reaching for your smart phone.

And that’s why you have to rely on the power of routine to keep your writing habit going.

You probably don’t think about brushing your teeth or eating lunch every day. You just do it.

Make journaling a part of your daily routine until it becomes just as automatic.

Set aside a specific time of the morning (or evening) for a 15-minute writing session. And anchor that session to an already-existing habit to incorporate journaling into your schedule.

4. Let go of perfectionism and “aesthetic” expectations

Here’s the harsh truth: your writing is often going to sound cringy and awkward.

Just accept it. You’re not going to sound like an award-winning memoir. And on some days you’ll struggle to find the words.

Your handwriting is going to be a disaster and your hand will cramp from writing because you probably haven’t written at length with a real pen in years.

But none of that really matters.

Because journaling isn’t about the finished product. The real magic is in the process of writing. The magic is in the messy working-it-out and the inarticulate catharsis.

Your journal is a tool to fill with doodles, random ramblings, museum ticket stubs and half-baked ideas.

It should feel comfortable, reliable and accessible – not polished, perfect and intimidating.

So whenever you feel the weight of your high aesthetic expectations bearing down on you, take a single journal page and fill it with an absolute mess.

Sketch an ugly doodle, set a timer for 10 minutes to fill up an entire page with writing or make a quick list of your top priorities for the week.

Get comfortable with your journal and make it uniquely yours. Forget what you’ve seen on social media about how a perfect journal is supposed to look like.

Trust me: years from now, it’s those messy, raw and honest journal entries that you’ll treasure most.

Don’t know what to write about?

Journaling prompts are my favorite go-to tool when I’m staring at a blank page and wondering if I really want to ruminate about my annoying family member yet again.

I’ve got Pinterest boards, screenshots, bookmarked articles and lists packed with various journal prompts all ready to go.

I use different journal prompts for literally any occasion – from these self-esteem prompts whenever I need a confidence boost to these prompts for depression.

Pro tip: Keep a list of your favorite journal prompts ready to go for those days when you really don’t feel like writing.

The benefits of journaling for mental health

Journaling is an incredibly powerful tool that eases anxiety, depression and all the other ills that accumulate after years of busy schedules and doomscrolling.

Here’s how journaling benefits your mental health:

• manages anxiety
• copes with depression
• reduces stress
• conquers fears and worries
• identifies negative thoughts and triggers
• improves self-confidence
• teaches from experiences
• improves sleep quality
• lifts your mood
• solves problems
• processes trauma

Beginner-friendly journaling techniques

From art journaling to commonplace books and Morning Pages, there are dozens of different journaling techniques that various online experts all swear by.

How to find the journaling technique that works best for you?

• Morning Pages are three pages of stream of consciousness writing done first thing in the morning. There are great reasons to write first thing in the morning. You’ve got a limited amount of willpower each day and writing first thing lets you harness that energy.
• A bullet journal includes brainstorming, to-do lists, reminders and schedules all in one convenient place. It’s used to plan and reflect, and has its own set of shorthand symbols to indicate notes, events and tasks, and symbols for tasks that have been completed, scheduled, moved or marked irrelevant.

Read next:

10 Powerful Journal Prompts For Self-Esteem And Confidence

6 Habits In My Evening Routine That Changed Everything

20 Easy Ways To Simplify Your Life

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