5 Easy Ways to Start Journaling 🖊️

Summary

This video provides five low-effort journaling tips for people who want to start a diary or improve their existing journaling habit. It suggests using a line-a-day journal to avoid blank page anxiety, downsizing to small notebooks that seem easier to fill, simplifying entries to quick logs of weather/meals/hobbies, incorporating art and decorations instead of writing, and keeping a running list of writing prompts for inspiration. It aims to make journaling an enjoyable, sustainable daily practice rather than a stressful or short-lived endeavor.

Takeaways

• 😊 Use a line-a-day journal to avoid feeling overwhelmed by blank pages
• 📝 Downsize to a small notebook that's easier to fill
• ✏️ Simplify entries with short, simple logs of weather, meals, hobbies etc.
• 🖍 Turn diaries into visual journals with scrapbooking, drawing, washi tape etc.
• 💡 Keep a running list of journal prompts for inspiration when stuck
• 🤔 Reflect on your day in just a line or two
• 📅 Dated journals have dates filled in already
• 🗓 Undated journals allow you to start whenever
• 🎥 Consider journaling by video if writing is tough
• 👍 Share your own journaling tips in the comments!

Q & A

What are some solutions suggested for dealing with the fear of the blank page when starting a journal?

Using a line-a-day journal that dedicates a page to the same day over successive years, writing in smaller notebooks that are easier to fill, and simplifying entries.

What are some examples of simplified journal entries?

Keeping a log of each day's weather and meals, making brief updates about a hobby like crafting or tabletop gaming, or just warming up with a quick, simple entry.

What are some non-writing ideas suggested for keeping a journal?

Scrapbooking by gluing found objects and ephemera, drawing simple four panel comics about something interesting that happened, or decorating pages with washi tape and stickers.

What is suggested for getting inspiration for what to write about in a journal?

Making a list of journal topics and prompts ahead of time on index cards or sticky notes that can be moved from page to page.

What are some sample journal prompt ideas provided?

The weather, meals, updates on a hobby, something funny or interesting that happened, etc.

What are the benefits of a line-a-day journal?

It dedicates a page to the same day over successive years so you can journal every day without feeling overwhelmed, and read previous years' entries to see personal growth.

Why might smaller notebooks be better than large journals for some people?

Smaller notebooks like A6 or pocket-sized are less intimidating and easier to fill out than a journal with too much empty space.

What options are available for undated line-a-day journals?

Undated diaries from Apica and Midori are available in 3- and 5-year versions, allowing you to start writing whenever.

What is a benefit of simplifying journal entries?

It's useful for those who find it difficult to write long, detailed accounts of their day and makes journaling more approachable.

Why are journaling tips being provided in this video?

To help serial notebook abandoners, first-time journalers, and others who struggle to maintain a journal find easy ways to start and stick with it.

Outlines

00:00

😊 Introduction to Journaling Tips and Motivations

The first paragraph introduces the video's focus on providing tips for starting and maintaining a journal in 2021. It acknowledges common barriers like anxiety over blank pages but promises simple, low-effort solutions. The goal is to make journaling a stress-free experience.

📆 Use Line-a-Day Journals to Reduce Writing Anxiety

This paragraph recommends line-a-day journals with small, daily sections to eliminate the stress of filling large blank pages. Both dated and undated varieties are discussed, with pros and cons of starting late in dated versions that already have full years printed.

📒 Write in Smaller Notebooks for Less Intimidating Pages

The third paragraph advises using small notebooks, even pocket-sized, to make filling pages more manageable. Specific example A6 and Field Notes sizes are mentioned as less overwhelming than standard A5.

📝 Simplify Entries to Quick, Small Updates

Rather than long, detailed accounts, the fourth paragraph suggests brief, simple daily entries about small events that change often. Examples like weather, meals, and hobby progress are provided to reduce writing difficulty.

🎨 Use Visual instead of Written Journaling

This tip recommends visual journaling by gluing items or drawing quick comics instead of writing entries. Short text plus decorations with washi tape and stickers is also proposed for less intimidating pages.

📋 Use Prompts and Topics for Journal Inspiration

The sixth paragraph advises preparing inspiring prompts or topics ahead of time to make it easier to know what to journal about. Ways to capture ideas for later like sticky notes and index cards are also mentioned.

🙌 Share Your Own Journaling Tips and Tricks

The final paragraph invites viewers to add their personal journaling suggestions in the comments. It also promotes subscribing for more stationery content if maintaining a consistent journal is difficult.

Keywords

💡journaling

The main theme of the video is journaling - the practice of keeping a personal diary or log. The video provides tips for people who want to start journaling or improve their existing journaling habits. It emphasizes making journaling easy and stress-free rather than a demanding process.

💡fear of the blank page

This refers to feeling anxious or overwhelmed when facing a blank page that needs to be filled with writing. The video suggests using journals with small, defined spaces for each day's entry as a solution. This makes journaling less intimidating.

💡line-a-day journal

This type of journal dedicates a single line or small section of the page for each day's entry. As described in the video, these make journaling more manageable on a daily basis. Examples are the Apica and Midori undated diaries.

💡dated vs undated journals

Dated journals have the dates already printed, while undated journals require you to fill in the date. The video gives the Hobonichi Five-Year Techo as an example of a dated line-a-day journal.

💡smaller notebooks

The video recommends using small notebooks like A6 or pocket-sized Field Notes to make journaling less intimidating compared to big blank journals.

💡simplifying entries

Rather than pressure to write elaborate entries, the video suggests simplifying to short and simple journal updates about basic daily events or hobby progress.

💡visual journaling

Instead of writing, journal entries can focus on scrapbooking, drawing comics of daily events, decorating with washi tape and stickers, etc. This provides a creative alternative to traditional written entries.

💡journal prompts

Pre-made lists of suggested journal topics or questions can provide inspiration if you don't know what to write. The video recommends noting down prompts over time on index cards or sticky notes.

💡warm up writing

Quick, simple journal entries can help ease into writing. After some brief logging of basic events, you may feel motivated to write more extensive entries in the same session.

💡maintaining consistency

A common struggle with journals is abandoning them after a few days or weeks. The tips in this video aim to make regular, sustained journaling easier and less intimidating.

Highlights

Use a line-a-day journal to avoid feeling overwhelmed by blank pages

Undated line-a-day journals allow flexibility in when you start writing

Smaller notebooks make journaling less intimidating

Simplify entries to quick logs of weather, meals, hobbies etc.

Short, simple entries can warm up your writing habits

Add visual elements like scrapbooking instead of writing

Decorate pages with washi tape and stickers along with short entries

Plan prompts ahead of time to inspire journal entries

Write down prompts on sticky notes to easily move between pages

Overwhelmed blank pages cause journal abandonment

Fear of filling blank pages deters potential journal writers

Consistent, non-stressful methods keep people journaling

Visual journaling works for those who don't like writing

Journal prompt ideas provided to inspire writing

Comment your own journaling tips and ideas

Transcripts

Are you a serial notebook abandoner who’s going  to journal for real this year? Or a first-time newbie who  

wants to start a diary? No matter what your  motivations are, writing in a journal doesn’t  

have to be a process that takes hours. In this  video, we’ll share five, low-effort ways to start  

journaling and stick with it in 2021.

Journaling shouldn’t be a stressful  experience, but many people feel anxious  

to see an enormous page that has to be filled  with writing. If you’ve experienced the “fear  

of the blank page” before, you’re not alone. An excellent solution to this problem is to use a  

special journal that dedicates a page to the same  day over successive years. Each day only gets a small,  

defined space to fill in. You can journal every  day without feeling overwhelmed by how much you  

have to write. As an added bonus, you can read  entries from previous years on the same page  

to see how much you’ve grown. Line-a-day journals come in dated  

and undated varieties. Undated diaries like  these by Apica and Midori are available in  

three- and five-year versions. You can start  writing in these diaries whenever you like,  

though you’ll have to write in the year  for each entry. Hobonichi’s dated Five-Year  

Techo has all the dates filled in for you, but  starting late will have you skipping pages.  

Write in smaller notebooks. While we’re talking about the fear of the blank  

page, this deceptively simple tip can make it  easier to write. Rather than using a large journal  

with too much real estate, downsize to a smaller  notebook that is easier to fill. An A6 notebook  

like this one from Midori is half the size of  an A5 notebook. You could even pick up a set of  

pocket-sized Field Notes to always have on hand. Simplify your entries.  

Instead of writing out elaborate  journal entries, opt for something short  

and sweet. It’s also useful for those who find  it difficult to write an hourly play-by-play.  

Choose small events that change frequently.  For example, you can keep a simple log of  

each day’s weather and meals. If you enjoy  crafting, tabletop gaming, or letter writing,  

you can record brief updates around your hobby. A quick, simple entry is also a great way to  

warm up your writing muscles. If you feel you  have more to say, your journal is already open  

and you can jump right in!

You don’t actually have to write to keep a journal.  It might actually be easier to keep consistent entries  

by turning diaries into visual experiences.  Scrapbookers can glue  

found objects and ephemera into a notebook. Artists can draw simple four  

panel comics to remember something  funny or interesting that happened.  

You can also write short entries and decorate the  rest of the page with washi tape and stickers.  

If you’re not sure what to write  about, a list of journal topics and  

prompts can be the inspiration you need. You’ll need to plan ahead for this tip,  

but it’s really easy to do. Just jot down  interesting prompts when you see or think of them!  

Write them down on an index card or sticky note so  it’s easy to move the prompts from page to page.  

To get you started, here are some topic ideas:  

Just use the ones you like!

Do you have any journaling tips?  Let us know in the comments below.  

Click the card above to watch our How to Journal  video for even more ideas.

Or if you're like me, and you struggle to maintain a journal past 3 or 4 days

but you like looking at stationery videos, subscribe. See you next time!