My Journaling Exercises and Organization

Journaling is a great way for me to keep myself on track and organized, relieve stress, and express myself. Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a certain fascination with journals and notebooks. When I was little, as soon as I got my allowance I’d head to the store to spend it on a new book of blank lined pages, waiting to be filled. I got excited every September to go shopping for school supplies and stationery (let’s be honest – I still do!) I loved the idea of expressing myself through writing and being organized.

But for all that I loved buying and having notebooks, I had so much trouble keeping up with writing in them regularly. I’d do it for a straight week and then forget about it for months. When I finally opened up the pages to continue, I’d want to start over and so I’d rip out the pages I’d already written in.

This cycle continued up until maybe a year or so ago, when I finally found a journaling system that works for me. My solution was to separate my notebooks into four categories: one for my schedule, an all-purpose one for note-taking and learning, one for random things like errands and grocery lists, and a personal journal. This might seem like overkill (and not very minimalist), but I find it totally works for me and has allowed me to keep up my writing for longer than I ever have before. So today I wanted to share with you how I organize my four journals and what journaling exercises I do, in case you’ve experienced a similar struggle and want to try something new to get into it.

I use a weekly planner to keep track of my schedule and stay organized.

It’s a little oldschool I know, but I still prefer to keep track of my schedule with pen and paper. My 2017 planner is by Fringe Studio and it’s perfect for what I use it for. Each month has a monthly overview so I can see a quick snapshot of everything I have coming up. Then each week is broken out over two pages so I can get a little more detailed. I keep track of everything from events and birthdays, work deliverables, and personal milestones.

I also set due dates for my own goals, such as blog posts and workouts, and to-do’s for the weekends. (Confession: sometimes I’ll even write down a task I’ve already completed, just so I can cross it off – this is how much I like to-do lists.) Plus, it’s so pretty that it encourages me to keep up with it and stay on track! I purchased this one for a steal at Winners but they also have a good selection online at Nordstrom.

I keep a notebook to record what I learn from podcasts and webinars so that I can revisit the key points anytime.

I’ve gotten really into listening to podcasts recently, mainly of the self-improvement variety. I also listen to webinars every now and then that give advice on blogging and running an online business. I don’t want to just listen to them and then forget everything I learned, so I’ll take some notes while I’m at it that I can read over later on and go back to when I need to. This is part me wanting to actually put what I learn to use, and part me just being a dork who loves taking notes.

This super-cute notebook is by Clementine Paper Inc and I also picked it up at Winners. It has a lot of pages so it will keep me a long time, and I love that it’s hardcover but also kind of bendy – and it stays open on its own without me having to hold it! Jason always laughs at me but honestly, there’s something about finding a notebook that just ‘feels perfect’. (Okay, I’ll stop geeking out over the stationery now.)

My multi-purpose notebook is great for toting around and jotting down random things like errands, to-do’s, and groceries.

This is just a general notebook that I use for anything that doesn’t fit in my other books. If I need to bring a notebook anywhere I’ll take this one; its thin and light so it’s super portable. I just use it whenever I need to really. Flipping through some of the pages, I’ve taken down grocery lists, errands and to-do’s, quotes, random things I want to purchase, book titles, and blog post ideas, to name a few. It’s just really handy to have, and instead of keeping bits of paper scattered around, having a general notebook keeps it all tidy and in one place. The one I have is a large soft cover notebook from Moleskine, and it retails for $24 . These are a little bit on the pricey side because of the brand name, but I have to say it is high-quality and the simple design is pretty close to perfect.

Thoughts, feelings, reflections, goals, and other journaling exercises go in my personal diary.

Finally, I have a personal diary that I keep beside my bed. This is the one I struggle with keeping up the most, but also that I find to be the most beneficial. I try to write either right before I go to bed to clear my mind, or else first thing when I wake up to take down ideas or dreams. I don’t really write down my day-to-day happenings, which would probably be the more traditional kind of diary. For the most part I do exercises that help me de-stress or work towards personal development. This notebook is by Kate Spade and I love what it says on the front: “It’s what’s inside that counts.”