journaling for busy people 🥹 5 ideas to start the habit

[@JetPens]

Are you able to keep up with your journal when things get busy? Let us know your favorite tips for journaling with a busy schedule in the comments!

[@amberharris4504]

I can NEVER keep up with journaling! (Crying face emoji)

[@lowwastehighmelanin]

I occasionally actually heed the Morning Pages app but other than that? lol no

[@soo_shii3263]

😭😭for me school just gets busier and busier specially now that i am in high school, teacher's give more work and the chapters are longer. Even during the weekends i have no chance of journalling even if i wanted to i have to take out time from eating time

[@dissimulant9091]

My great-grandmother kept a quick daily journal from 1929 to 1947. I never knew what those little books on the shelf were until they were handed down to me. So full of another life -I knew next to nothing about her before I started reading...Some days are full of details and others will simply say something like "ironed". I also got to read about my father as a little kid, which was funny. She also put lots of news clippings and other ephemera in as well.

[@Juulylie]

That sounds so interesting!

[@tarareads23]

I love this! And I love that some days a lot was written and some days one word. Cause sometimes it be that way.

[@LisePlansandJournals]

This is so adorable❤

[@Nikkimattei]

WoW!! What a valuable piece of family history!

[@amvs7380]

Sounds very interesting! ✨It’s good to keep a quick journal all the time✨

[@pamelahermano9298]

I keep a diary simply to keep my cursive in tip top shape. I literally write whatever. I’ve written things like, “I smell fried chicken from the neighbor’s house” or “I really shouldn’t have had that third cup of coffee” and then it’s amazing what I end up writing after all that, before I know it I have a full page down.

[@asteridshydrangea-jt2hf]

That's awesome, maybe I should try that! I've been wanting to get better at/practice cursive because it's actually kinder on my hand after an injury that short sharp motions I'm used to. Made me realize why they must have done it back in the day, when basically all writing was by hand! Doing that as even just as an ice breaker to an entry sounds amazing, ty for sharing :D

[@sarahw7644]

"A new table, where you can make a new mess." I've never had my organizational style summed up so succinctly before...

[@abijahdixon2771]

Lol I was looking for this exact comment😂🎉

[@annabananabread9773]

The bloopers are so good! "Santa sees you when you're lying in your multi-year journal" made me laugh so much! Love the video and the tips, I keep up with journaling by taking pressure off of myself to make it "perfect" or 100% filled out.

[@ejourneys]

My tip: Journaling can happen at any time of day or night, without the need to set a timer. My journal (whether notebook and pen or tablet and stylus) travels everywhere with me. I've written in waiting rooms, on lunch breaks, on the subway, on a park bench, anywhere and everywhere. It can be stream-of-consciousness, snatches of dialogue I've overheard, brainstorming, anything. (I use unlined paper because sometimes I include doodles.) I've literally stopped in the middle of a walk, whipped out my notebook, and jotted down an idea. I agree with you wholeheartedly that a journal can be anything you want it to be. Great video. Love the outtakes. :D

[@Patricia-mm2mr]

Fantastic reminder! 👍

[@rhondawilliams2140]

Same here. ❤

[@fleurvnrcisse]

has there ever been a chance that you get anxious a stranger might read what you write?

[@ejourneys]

@@fleurvnrcisse Some of my journal excerpts have been published, so no. Over the decades I've produced well over a million words, out of which a very tiny fraction feels too personal for prime time; I'm willing to take that risk. I also find that what feels too personal in the moment becomes less so as time passes and can then offer a valuable perspective.

[@FerralVideo]

All of this. Stream-of-consciousness and wanting to release my stresses were what got me started journaling. While I haven't used up any notebooks yet (I can't keep just using one long enough, I have so many!), I've been maintaining the habit for a little while now. I'll also use it for quick notes, reminders, and thoughts at work, which results in the hilarious dichotomy of me grumbling about the state of popular music, followed by a cryptic sequence of part numbers and warehouse locations. Anything that's just a little bit too personal that I wouldn't want a stranger to just SEE if they pick it up, I'll write with something like Noodlers' Blue Ghost. I know, it's not "real" security, but it'll keep prying eyes over my shoulder out of the more sensitive corners of the written half of my mind. Just don't forget to leave a little pip mark or something to remind yourself where the "hidden" writing is so you don't write back over it!

[@wendywoo2180]

I have been keeping a journal since 1972 and maybe these ideas might work for someone: 1. Find pens that you like to write with, I like pens that write smooth & don't blot, and I've developed a fetish for fountain pens--which can run into $$, but find something you like. I went to a local store that had a great selection of fountain pens and purchased a Lamy Safari and Pilot Metropolitan, both are wonderful to write with, but I really prefer the Lamy. I plan on building up my collection one pen at a time. 2. Find a good journal that looks fun to write on, there are all kinds just about everywhere, from plain spiral-bound notebooks to fancy, leather-bound journals. It's up to you. When I bought my fountain pens, I bought a nice notebook with paper that won't allow the ink to bleed through, can't wait to use it. Target usually has some nice notebooks. 3. Just get into the habit of writing a little every day, you don't have to write pages of entries, a few lines will work, it's the habit that's important. I like to write before bedtime so I can cover the events of the day. 4. Most of us don't fall in this category, but if you have access to beautiful scenery from your home or office or somewhere, write while gazing upon it, so relaxing!! It makes no difference if it's a pond, lake, ocean, stream, mountains, prairies, fields of sunflowers, beach, tundra, a nice little village, downtown streets, whatever. I'd give anything to have a desk by a window that looked out onto something beautiful and interesting. I have a daughter out west who lives near some mountains. When I visit I always bring my journal and write in it every night while out on her porch with the mountains and open spaces staring me in the face. The scenery almost encourages me to write. But then again, Anne Frank wrote her journal in an attic for 2 years, so good scenery isn't necessary, but it can be conducive.

[@RobotPorter]

My tip: Get a journal with a pen loop, and dedicate a pen to that journal. This removes the need to find or select a pen. You pick up your journal, and everything you need is right there.

[@Quarkycheese]

That is such a good tip ever since I started keeping a pen with my diary it’s just so much easier to write

[@joannal47]

“A new table where you can make a new mess”. Auntie Stephanie knows me too well.

[@asherwells401]

Currently journaling in the back of my hobonichi weeks mega. If- if you're tempted to post a facebook rant about something, or want to air your grievences about someone, a discreet journal is the way to go. Just, don't leave it lying around, and hope the people in the book don't snoop and look for it. For me, it's a great way to monitor my digital footprint- try and keep what I say and post mostly positive

[@asteridshydrangea-jt2hf]

That is so true. I've been trying to save 'draft rants' on the computer in a little text doc or private discord server channel, but it's still a slow progress of reminding myself to stay positive and stick to the better habit of thinking before I put the vent out for everyone to see. Maybe I should do it more by hand and do collage with torn/painted over pieces of the rant journal pages. Doing arts and crafts with it later could be a way to leave it behind (if the rant is in-the-moment enough that you want to get rid of it) or at least make it more discreet and harder to suss out later if found by inconvenient eyes.

[@elizabethpecina208]

I’ve been keeping a journal for the past few years, on the first page of every new journal I always include a disclaimer to my self that I don’t have to write every day and I can write as much or as little as I want.

[@susanwright134]

Yep, no rules!

[@maxifair8735]

I do the same! Often I’ll put on the first page my goals for this new journal which a lot of it includes just positive affirmations on what I can write there. Things like “no limits” “judgement free zone” “you don’t need to write everyday” and other things like that

[@Ink2Screen]

This was a very fun video, especially the comments at the end! That comment about the coffee shop hit very close to home ahahahaha. But with that said, a simple micro journalling practice I find that's helpful is wastewater clearing - basically taking an old notebook and a cheap pen or whatever's nearby and writing for a few minutes about whatever's in my head. This helps clear or at least address the emotions I'm facing or experiencing with my tasks without it taking over my day and clouding whatever memories I want to make. Plus it keeps things separate from the main journal. I call it wastewater journalling after learning about the Creativity Faucet by Julian Shapiro.

[@kitleydefelice865]

3:06 The record information that's actually important to you was the best tip for me. I've found that I've tracked when I shower, get gas for my car, had coffee, etc., just because I can and it's something to track, not because I necessarily wanted the information. So yeah that tip is the best one! Thanks so much!

[@khaalis]

I've been journalling through medical school and recorded how all the experiences i had here shaped me. Sometimes when i read the old entries, i realise i have forgotten some of them. But the way i felt that day, is still so fresh in them. I feel journalliing is a way of interacting with yourself and that helps you understand yourself better.

[@CorinnaAtHome]

I really appreciate highlighting that Journaling can look a lot of different ways

[@PupCake1025]

One thing that helps me keep to a daily journal is to not hold myself to a set length or amount of time. My jornal sits next to my bed and each night I write in it before I go to sleep. It’s a regular lined journal, and each entry starts with a line break from the day before, so I don’t feel the need to fill the whole page. Some entries are literally two lines (a line for the day/date, and a line saying “felt tired today, didn’t get much done”). Other entries are a full page long when there’s something on my mind I want to get out. Since I’m not constricted to a certain format I can flow over multiple pages if I really need to vent about something or think something through. Whatever I need to do when I pick up my pen is totally fine, whether it’s a quick “actually I’m too tired for this” or a huge “this person really bugged me today and I need to talk about it” rant.

[@AMiniki]

I have been keeping with my journal for two years now after not journaling since 2011 due to someone breaking my trust and making me super insecure about it. The secret has been to write when I want only, I decorate a lot, I also commonplace a lot. In other words, I write about anything and everything. And I do it right before I go to bed, or early in the morning, sometimes while I’m watching KZbin or something else. It does take me some time, but the taking it easy and not caring much about looks or content has made me just LOVE to do it and it has become something I look forward to every day and is rare for me not to write; but it does happen now and then and the world doesn’t end. Some days I put a lot of pictures and one sentence, others I write five pages, sometimes I just write a dream and nothing really about the day… it doesn’t matter. It helps me empty my brain, really process my thoughts, and have a moment to really be with myself.

[@TheIdahoBeauty]

#2 is really a great tip! I have a bad habit of putting off writing in my journal until I have more time - a classic procrastination trick because more time never happens. But I often jot down notes during the day when working on the computer so why not things that come to mind that I can journal on later or just stick in the journal. Now I don't have to wait for more time.

[@leslieshaw4067]

‘Another table where you can make anew mess.’ 😂😂😂😂 Also, the blooper reel is OUTSTANDING😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@user-th8dx4wn5t]

My grandma passed away almost a year ago. Right now my family has this thing at dinner where my mom reads the journal my grandma wrote back in 1963. My grandma was in her early 20’s. It is nice to have that memory of her still with us.❤

[@jaydenn931]

I love the tip of creating a repeatable template because it can be hard to decide what you want to write and overwhelm you so much. If you create a template then you can just thing of that template and know when you are not done and done! Great tip JetPens!

[@capajensen5689]

Your handwriting is unfairly neat. I need that superpower Q_Q

[@40isfab87]

Don't feel forced to write when you are not inspired. That is the thing that will make you stop.

[@asteridshydrangea-jt2hf]

Yeah...I want to get better daily habits, but I'm trying to evolve that into 'sit down and maybe doodle, or maybe just write something no pressure about breakfast or weather - or just sit and breathe and clear my mind' rather than panic myself. I feel like establishing the habit will help me but I'm still definitely in the stage of putting on too much pressure - i.e. the stage of acknowledging that your words are true, but still having a big chunk of my brain trying to scold me through the doorjamb of that truth's barrier lol :')

[@cferracini]

Glorious bloopers. Just glorious! Well done, Stheph!

[@hed-empti2336]

2:20 "..and then your fifte- _hh_ , *FIFTEEN MINUTES????* "

[@phenager]

Multi-year journals have added insights because I see what was happening in past years at that time. I've realized that I have emotional ebbs and flows that are connected to the time of year, and that there are certain times of year I usually catch a cold. Insights like these have helped me deal better with these situations, and take them more in stride. And of course it's always good to remember important events and good memories.

[@CholTaaim]

OMG, the bloopers. Thank you!

[@jonikellyl.m.t.2508]

I loved the outtakes. I’ve been frustrated that I didn’t bring anything to write on or doodle with since I’ve been in the hospital. This little video helped me have a good laugh about that and also gave me ideas to sub for the pre-written prompts that leave me flustered.

I love in the end that you guys just give up to show different kinds of inputs on jornals and JUST DO IT!!!

[@joanwright9404]

You are seriously funny. Best out-takes EVER!!!! Loved all the tips and the narrative. Super.

[@kurisquare]

These are some of my favorite bloopers at the end, the coffee shop comment… 😂😂😂 thank you SO MUCH for these videos!!

[@WiseFamin]

These were the BEST outtakes!

[@nerd-jock]

my solution to the cluttered desk problem is... using a smaller journal so i have to clear less space to write in it 😅 plus, smaller blank pages intimidate me less than larger blank pages. journalling in an A6 book and jotting notes about my day in the back pages of my hobonichi weeks mega really works well for me.

[@princessjello]

I forgot to journal yesterday so this came at the right time haha

[@blxeberry0]

Thank You so much for this video! I really enjoyed it and was hoping for something like this for a long time!

[@Bones97000]

My god- I love JetPens marketing structure. I feel like the staff have so much fun with these videos and I find myself watching just for fun sometimes XD 😊

[@rachellysakowski4727]

The bloopers at the end of this one had me nearly crying!! Love it!

[@kathyfannon7563]

For a while I kept a pocket Moleskine journal and just wrote down one word to describe things that happened during the day. Like one entry list could be: Rainy, Happy, Coffee, Busy, Meeting, Pizza, KZbin. Looking back, even without details of the day I have a good idea what the day was like.

[@geminigrrl66]

What a fun and helpful video. Stephanie cracks me up 😂! And if Santa is peeking in my journal, I'm going to be on the naughty list for the rest of my life 😉😆😆😆😆😆! I need those sticky notes though, lol.

[@pointblank2890]

Definitely one of the more chill, laid back, and absolutely hilarious videos on this channel. Plus the bloopers section was golden I'm definitely saving this to my Favorites playlist

[@tinytarakeet]

omg more unhinged Stephanie plsss i beg of theeee

[@Vovvilina]

Where there are blank areas or days in my planner, I return later to write there but do so with the notebook turned either 90° or 180° so I know it's not for that time (can add date if significant or just note things worth remembering). This way I'm not wasting paper and also adding to my memory bank -- definitely notice that writing helps me recall things vs data entry on an app.

[@annakrull7072]

thank you so much for the bloopers, those were delightful

[@thewildlapiz703]

Two thumbs up for the humor! Thanks for making my day! :D

[@emelgee17]

Stephanie is a national treasure

[@amberharris4504]

Love love love the sense of humor in the outtakes!!!!

[@jennifera7402]

I love how this video validates all the struggles I experience throughout my journaling journey! Lots of really helpful tips, too! ❤

[@anjelahj1347]

I LOVED this video! It was fun and silly, especially at the end! I think this was the most enjoyable one Ive watched 😊

[@spoothed]

The humor on this one was 👩‍🍳 🤌

[@bhatki_gaayika]

Oh dear!!!! I used to journal so much when i was a kid.. Especially grade 11 and 12. It used to be so stress relieving. These days somehow its difficult. But its romantic to just go to a cafe and sir down and write while drinking tea... The tips are niiice... Microjournaling mught just work out for me.. Let's see

[@monikar9846]

Great tips and ideas. Thanks! And you had me laughing at the great bloopers. Santa…Santa knows everything!

[@nintendonarutofan]

Haha great video. Entertaining, and useful. I structure my journal around my meals. First, lunch. Then, did anything interesting happen between lunch and dinner? Then dinner, and lastly add in whatever I did after dinner. Boom.

[@TheSeatedView]

Great tips and the voice over was fantastic! Thank you, Stephanie

[@joyfulsongstress3238]

I love listening to Stephanie! She always makes me smile! Now, if only I could actually do this journaling thing! I have the book (actually a binder) and pens galore, but I think I'm afraid to start. Every time I've tried, I stop long before it comes even close to being a habit! 😔

[@EnabiSeira]

At first I was gonna say that I loved the uplifting and friendly vibes of the video, the good editing and script, until I reached the hot takes... Now I love it even more! xD

[@amvs7380]

I’ve just started journaling properly and it’s been 11 days. I prefer writing one whole page per day of what happened word to word. I write a whole page as I like to write my problems happiness in paragraphs. It really helps a lot! Previously before started my current journal/blog I used to do scrap journaling at the very start for a few days n then I gave up I just thought it was a waste of my paper but everyone has their own opinions but this was mine! I tried bullet journaling but that seemed very excessive to me as I had to do a lot of work n I didn’t have the time to fill out everything everyday, so once I just stopped journaling for months. I started watching your videos of journaling tips n it encouraged me to journal but in a minimalist way n I tell you your videos have encouraged me so much that now my mom keeps telling my relatives that I spend some time of my day writing in my blog n everyone is proud! It’s like meditation but with a book n a pen. By the way your voice is very calming like heaven! ✨Love your videos!✨

[@DuluthTW]

Great video. I like the suggestion of micro journaling. That might work for me. Thanks for the great ideas and the laughs!

[@RosyRosie42]

“Trying out every coffee shop in town? …How much money do you have?” 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Really tho! 😆

[@featherslettersandseeds414]

Liked this video...because of the bloopers. Thank you for sharing those. I needed the laugh. 😊

[@tammygant4216]

Thanks for the safe space "Aunty Stephanie" 😄 What a fun video with genuinely helpful tips. I'm gonna go do a bit of journaling right now (for real....Santa will tell you I'm not lying 😃

[@TWTourist]

I do a morning page when I first wake up and a night page before going to bed. During the day, I use mostly my phone or IPad but will also put pen to paper.

[@angelafasold962]

Fantastic tips! The micro journaling and prompts are the most helpful, and I adore the alternative topics idea!

[@rebeccaanderson4728]

This video was awesome. The end was funny.

[@Gracekitty21]

The little daily prompt list is a great idea. 📝

[@Nikkimattei]

The blooper reel was hilarious and I felt the frustration in her voice about adult life in voice at 6:00-6:30. I am right there with you. But these tips are great. I will have to use a couple to see if that helps with my journal practice.

[@Floofy_3421]

I had a e-journal that I typed to every day,until I got busy,but I wanted to start again on paper this really helped!

[@critter18]

I've come to realize my favorite way of journaling is mostly self-reflective and sometimes reactions or thoughts on specific topic/thing. Whenever I realized I'm about to go off on some internal monologue, if i can, I just grab my journal and a pen and go for it. (because, let's be real, if i have time for an internal monologue, i can journal) My tip is, when you have an idea of something to journal but don't have time, turn that into a short but specific enough prompt and write it in your phone or journal if you have it, and come back to it when you can.

[@jefflawrence4545]

This year I transition from a Rhodia to a Hobonichi A6 planner. I say transitioning: I’m using both. Even though the Hobonichi A6 is very small it actually gives me more daily space to write down, then on the blank opposite page of the Rhodia. I focus, mainly on what I wanted to accomplish, and then compared to what I actually accomplished. I also write down various issues such as the weather, work arrival and departure times, and I comment on the quotes at the bottom of the page too. Nothing exciting, but it keeps me writing. And “Auntie Stephanie” my desk is an absolute mess and my problem is not finding my favorite pen; my problem is selecting which one of my favorite pens, and which of my “too many bottles of ink“ I will use (I know you too are an ink junkie)!

[@texasal]

The "Hot Takes" put a big smile on my face!

[@emmaway7]

Auntie Stephanie is my favorite Aunt. And my desk is a disaster…every desk is a disaster

[@LaLa_ArtGal]

I love when one of your videos uses a stationery supply I have. 😍 That Ballograf pen is in my purse (along with the Khaki one, which cracked right after I got it ... and it was not even loose in my purse, but was tucked into a dedicated pen slot! 😭). If those Ballograf pens ever come out in a metal barrel, I'll be dancing in the streets! (Okay, I'll be dancing in the streets AFTER I place my JetPens order. 😉)

[@ahopegraham]

Off topic: I love "The importance of being Earnest". I have to set a timer or I will journal for an hour when I don't have time. Also just write what you're thinking to get started.

[@meiscatastrophe]

the list on a sticky note is so cute! a little piece of your past self 🩵

[@leahkooistra5886]

i have a little notebook and a pen! i keep it in my pocket or my bag and i just write wherever whenever, like in the train. its a good way to use my pens and small notebooks!

[@PatriciaManasan]

Loved this video (since I have this difficulty currently!). But more than that, I enjoyed the Harlan Ellison reference! Kudos Stephanie!

[@tsunfish9443]

I'm gonna be real, this video is just a callout post for ADHD stationery nerds also this is probably one of the funniest vids from you guys, great job!

[@Otto-rn4bj]

I have been journaling for 3 months straight in my Leuchtturm notebook! (And I shall continue doing so) I got a pen loop for it, and I have a Kaweco fountain pen I dedicated to it, and I write one page a day, no matter what. I think it's so nice to have something to look back to!

[@algilmer3608]

Omg these bloopers were so unhinged 😂 What a wild ride! I’m here for it

[@sunshinegirl20064]

I don't want to waste the paper, so I write down first and fill the gaps with stickers, paper and stuff like that. After all, it is the text I'm going to read most, not the decorations in my case. However, sometimes, when I want to fill my journal with pretty things, I take my time and decorate it without sparing the materials and do it in an art journal instead of my "go-to" journal.

[@phasmine_]

I find the “Q&A a Day” books to be very helpful as well! You can also do them over 5 years

[@tarareads23]

Great tips! And so funny with the bloopers. 🤣

[@freebeerishere]

I have a very different approach to microjournalling. It’s more like a check in/mindfulness system. I use the default notes app on my phone and open a new note and write the date as the title. The I write the time. Then I write whatever i like! I find it useful when I’m on public transport and can’t really get my whole journal out. Or if it’s just before bed and I want to write a few things for the next morning. Or even for pasting links or files! I also keep all of them in a “microjournal” folder so I can easily go back to previous days and see what I wrote. It doesn’t sound very micro, but the micro essence comes from the fact I can just make an entry when I feel like it and write as much or as little as I want. Also the fact it’s just in a little app on my phone!

[@mariafgarcia8165]

Uhh my desk is definitely spotless. -stares as cluttered desk with candy wrappers, prescription meds, Ziploc of candy, and so much more- Yup, definitely a clean clean space for journaling.

[@JosephDickson]

5:08 Hot Takes! 🔥😂

[@gwennyvir]

I needed this😭🫶

[@jesusc6215]

Great tips ❤

[@erin-mon]

I found this video to be exceedingly helpful. Thank you once again, JetPens!

[@reneebrill8322]

living for the hot takes!

[@Fromaplaceoflove1971]

I work in the school systems so when I am on my planning or during lunch I will journal then.

[@ladymackisha]

i like it!!! I laughed at your encore

[@TheDesius]

Thank you so much. I love trying out new coffees but after like a year i totally forget what all of them tasted like and i just remember that i either liked them or not. Never thought of writing a review in my journal so I can look it up again.

[@lifepawsandhoofbeats4080]

The end just had me cracking up. too funny Stephanie and thanks for the helpful vid

[@virginiasparks5104]

I really enjoyed this video. Informative and funny. She seemed to be in a really good mood and it all came together very well. Thanks.

[@Searq66]

I write in a weekly vertical calendar all the things that happened during the week. Thoughts, activities apts etc

[@datu]

Definitely, carrying all my journal essentials to another table to make a mess

[@julieb3996]

I keep a small notebook at my office where I jot down phone messages, but when no one is looking sometimes I write a whole journal entry. I must always remember to bring home my "notes" at the end of the day, so no one can see my rants! At the end of the week I paste the notes into my big artistic journal.

[@capgemlib]

Love the "blooper reel"!!!!

[@vxalentine]

yay would definitely try it out! i miss writing, i had so much time in highschool but uni is too busy 😅

[@dwayladallas3375]

Super cute out takes!

[@hilarylopez7957]

One of my favorite videos by far😄