This two-step process makes daily journaling effortless for beginners.

As a beginner, you need effortless to build a habit.

There’s only one way to make daily journaling effortless. Before you journal, follow this two-step process, prep the stage and prep the page. These steps take a few minutes.

1.) Prep the stage

As a beginning journaler, it’s important to prep your space ahead of your designated journaling time. Leave your journal where you journal (the stage).

If you are a morning journaler, leave your journal in view for the following morning on the table or desk. For digital journalers, leave the tab open on the computer.

Evening journals will do the same, perhaps at the end of your work day or after your evening meal.

Prepping the stage gives you an immediate reminder.

I journal both in the morning and evening. I prep the stage twice.

In the morning, my journal and pen wait for me on the kitchen table. I journal during coffee time. In the evening, my journal lies on the end table by the couch. TV off or book down, Journaling is the last thing I do.

2.) Prep the page

Prepping the page is simply writing the subtitles of your format or the prompts you use on the page in advance.

As a beginning journaler, you should have a simple format and journal once daily.

My beginning format was simply two statements of gratitude and one statement of intent. I journaled in the morning, prepping the page with those words.

Prep the stage and prep the page to ensure a daily habit.