How to Journal Every Day for Increased Productivity, Clarity, and Mental Health

I've been thinking about journaling a lot this year, and not just because of the bullet journal method. Instead this is about more "traditional" journaling and logging ideas and notes from your day. I want to show you how I'm using a pocket size notebook to do this instead of the bigger bullet journal size that I'm using for organizing everything else in my life and work.

Journaling or keeping "morning pages" has been a key part of my personal development and mental health. I wanted to share how I was doing that each day.

There are 4 main points that I want to emphasize on how to journal every day.

1. Make it easy for you. Even one "word of the day" is fine to start with!
2. Use pictures and icons to make it more visual. Think stick figures!
3. Write down all of your ideas, notes, questions. It's not a letter.
4. Backfilling days is ok, even if it's just one moment from the day.

People get really stuck on journaling because it feels like you're supposed to have this amazing collection of thoughts and ideas that future generations are going to obsess over. That's probably not going to happen, so it's best not to worry about it!

First and foremost, a journal is for you and no one else. For me it's been a place to put my notes, ideas, celebrations, fears, frustrations, and much more. The fears and frustrations are why you'll actually see sticky notes throughout the journal! Practicing this daily has been a real source of improving my mental health by literally getting a thought out of my head and on the page.

I hope you enjoy this video, it's a little different than my previous bullet journal episodes so I'd love to hear what you think in the comments!
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My name is Matt Ragland and I make videos about using a minimalist bullet journal to focus on what matters most to you. I’ll show you how to use concepts like 10 Blocks, Time Tracking Grids, and Project Timelines to quickly see what needs to be done and when.

You can look for these videos every week, so please hit subscribe to stay in the loop for each new show!
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[jessiewinkler]

I think we worry way too much about how people think of us and how our notebooks look. The only thing we should be worried about is our organization and productivity.

[G_]

1. Make it easy (one line on a day is a good way to start)
2. Use icons/pictures
3. Write about anything, use it for anything you want
4. Back-filling

[DaleNovella]

Thanks for emphasizing that you can put whatever you want in your journal! So many people make it seem like it has to be super structured. Just having all my random thoughts, to-do lists, poems, drawings, and feelings in one place is helpful for me. Its stresses me out trying to keep multiple notebooks for specific things.

[aaliyah]

Matt: Fits right in my pocket

Women's clothes : *🙄*

[ladyflimflam]

I’m constantly amazed at how people should all over themselves with their journals. A journal is for yourself, it’s not performative, it’s not competitive, it’s entirely personal. People seem to confuse helpful sharing of ideas with reified systems that must be followed. Why do we tie ourselves up in such knots?

[JohnnyUtah]

I have a hard time writing fully uncensored in my journal because in the back of my mind I'm always worrying someone will get hold of it and read it. That's a huge amount of embarassing info in one place!

[josepha]

Yaiii finally something that seems doable + helpful for someone who isn‘t artistically talented in the slightest 🙌🏼

[curtdawg]

I like your idea of drawing little things in a journal because it kind of just uplifts and spices up the atmosphere of the journal and it makes it feels more personal/personable

[providence]

love this video. thanks reassuring us that our journals don't need to be a work of art and that it should be just for us, to serve our needs, not to impress others.

[ThePursuit_]

Thanks for the video! I have never written my thoughts or what has happened each day in a diary, but after watching this I'm thinking about giving it a try!

[Russel_Paz]

aww it's so nice to see a guy keep a journal, most of the videos I see on the internet are of women doing it

[stingray]

Really love how there was a page in your journal about God's plans and prayer, that really encouraged me because I was struggling with it, the self doubt and all and reading a little about it in your journal was so encouraging :)

[pisserandkisser]

Your more organized and aesthetic than any people I know

[SophieLovesSunsets]

This is one of the best videos I've watched on keeping a journal. I very often feel a lot of people make journaling way more complicated than it needs to be, writing should always be a cathartic and positive experience, so when people make journaling sound like an assignment, it turns many off the idea. I also think journaling is different for every individual. Personally, I'm not someone that really pours out my feelings in my diary, I think I'm getting slightly better at it, but I also really love to write about songs, quotes and books that I love. Journaling really is great for mental health, having that personal notebook where you can express yourself is very calming. Thank you for this video.

[zara]

This is what I know about myself after journaling for a while:
I can't do it with drawings, it gives me anxiety.
Unless if they're done only at the very top or bottom page.
The only thing I can do to have a variety in my journal is by using different colours of pen.
No numbers for any to do list because numbers intrigued my rebellious nature, I'll deliberately not do it, even if it's going to make me angry afterwards.
Always have an enough empty space in each page, or else I'll get agitated just by looking.
I hate seeing crowded space.
Always have a list of gratitude to remind myself that my life is good, so if my suicidal thoughts comes again, I can go back and see it.
Always have a list of today's accomplishments.
Again, if my suicidal, worthless feeling comes to attack, I can see those writings and stop myself from feeling shitty.
Writing my expenses that day.
I suck at sticking with my budget, but I write it so I know how many useless things and how many important things I've bought the whole week.
It helps me to evaluate my shopping habits.

[AndresCreates]

Awesome, I'm here from Matt D'Avella
email about journaling. Great idea, will get started right away tonight.

[sacdaabdurhman]

Journal is a helpful tool
Whoever is reading start journaling NOW

[dampiere]

I have been doing the journal since 2019... only in the last 60 days or so have I given myself permission to doodle and freestyle the things that I am trying to get done, or thinking about or just using it to clear my head. Thank you for your content, it has helped to change everything for me.

[Aricston]

Really like the way you are journaling!
Motivates to just start writing something down

[GeraldBRhodes]

Thanks for inspiring me! When I first started my morning practice, I started with writing down 10 ideas. That soon turned into journaling. I use Evernote on my Mac. Same as you, I wrote down my feelings, my plans, my dreams, my wins. I try not to make it a todo list. And I never run out of ideas. Today, my morning practice consists of meditation, a 6-mile bike ride, delicious French press coffee, and journaling. Everyday. I love my morning practice. Thanks again for a great video!