As you build a journaling habit, should you journal in the morning or at night?

You’ve heard you should journal first thing in the morning. Get up early to spend some time with gratitude and bring clarity to the day to come.

You’ve heard you should journal at night. Don’t go to bed without reflecting on your day and settling your mind.

I advised both of those. 

You must journal both in the morning and at night for maximum benefits. You’ll be journaling for different reasons at each time.

Now you’re thinking. “I don’t have time to do all that journaling!” But you do.

Here’s how I fit in that much journaling.

In the morning, I start with two statements of gratitude and one statement of intent. I usually write more. If I stick to gratitude and intent, it sets the tone for the day in five minutes.

Before bed, I write one or two sentences about what made me happy, followed by two or three more sentences reflecting on the day’s events. It takes me no more than ten minutes.

The time you spend in the morning and at night is only 15 minutes each day.

You can do this.

My bottom line advice for beginning journalers is: 

Pick a time to consistently journal, morning or night, and aim for morning AND night as your habit grows.