Journal at the same time every day.

There’s one simple rule for beginning journalers about what time to journal every day.

Journal at the same time every day.

You are building a habit. You want to be consistent. The time you choose to journal dictates your consistency.

Consider these three factors when choosing your time.

Your typical day: Is there a time (the same time) you can set aside each day for journaling? I started journaling first thing in the morning before I became too busy or tired.

Your established routines: Do you have a routine you can build journaling into? (This is called habit stacking.) My morning routine was established. I prepared breakfast, read while eating, and packed my bag for work. I found it easy to add five minutes of journaling before eating and reading.

Your format: Does your journaling target morning thoughts or evening thoughts? My original format was to set my day up for success with gratitude and intent. Morning journaling became my habit.

As a beginning journaler, your journaling time is five to ten minutes. Make a decision and stick to your chosen time for at least two weeks. If it's not working, tweak your time.

After establishing your habit, you can add more time(s) to your routine or change your time.