Simple Formats Help Beginning Journalers Build Consistency and Ultimately a Habit

Following routines are the easiest way to build a new habit.

If your new habit is journaling, to reduce the daily struggle by using a format as part of your routine.

As a beginner, you don't know your ultimate format. Start with a simple format to increase your chance of consistency. More complex formats can come after a consistent habit.

Your beginning format depends on whether you have a specific why. If you have a why, choose a simple format based on it. For example:

Gratitude - Write two sentences about what you are grateful for.

Exercise and diet - Write about how you exercised and what you ate. Include how you feel about what you accomplished.

Mental Health - Write about your primary emotion and what made you feel that way.

If you don’t have a specific why, consider one or more of the above. Two other options:

In the morning, write about your plans for the day ahead.

In the evening, write about what you did that day.

Two more tips for beginning journalers:

Limit their journal entries to a few sentences. Develop the consistency of writing daily before you expand.

Finding a format to fits your needs requires experimenting. Try your chosen format for at least a week before you try a different one.

With consistency and experimentation, you will find a format that fits you.