How to start journaling: 10 tips that actually help

Almost everyone has started a journal at some point. A beautiful notebook, a good intention in January, three enthusiastic entries – and then silence. That's rarely a lack of discipline. Usually we take on too much, or we don't really know what to write.

Sticking with it is worth it: many people find regular writing helps them sort their thoughts, ease stress and notice good moments more consciously. Here are ten tips that genuinely make getting started easier.

1. Start ridiculously small

The most common mistake: deciding to write a full page every evening. After a long day that becomes a hurdle you eventually stop clearing.

Instead, set a goal that feels almost too easy: two minutes or three sentences. If you want to write more, great. If not, you've still hit your goal. Habits come from repetition, not volume.

2. Attach writing to something you already do

New habits stick better when they hook onto existing ones – often called "habit stacking". Examples:

• After my first coffee in the morning, I write three sentences.
• When I plug in my phone at night, I open my journal.
• On the train home, I capture my day.

Pick a moment that happens reliably every day.

3. Use prompts to beat the blank page

"Dear diary, today…" – and then nothing. A blank page can be paralysing. Prompts get you writing straight away:

• What am I grateful for today?
• What surprised me today?
• What was the best moment today – and why?
• What's on my mind most right now?
• What would I like to do differently tomorrow?

You don't have to answer them all. One question a day is enough. Many journal apps offer daily questions so you don't have to think them up yourself.

4. Write as if nobody will read it – and make sure nobody can

Honesty is the heart of a journal. But you only write honestly when you feel safe. If part of you worries someone might read along – a partner, parents, a cloud provider – you'll hold back.

So create a protected place: a notebook you keep safe, or an app that encrypts your entries and protects them with a PIN. Only when you're sure nobody is reading will you write freely.

5. Allow imperfection

Your journal isn't an essay. Typos, half sentences, bullet points, repetition – all allowed. Some days are just "Tired. Rain. Good pasta." That's a perfectly valid entry.

Perfectionism is one of the biggest reasons people quit. The easier you are on yourself, the longer you'll keep going.

6. Add photos – they tell the story too

A photo often says more than a whole paragraph. Years later it helps you remember moods, places and people. A picture of dinner with friends, your dog in the sun, the view from a train window – add a sentence or two and the entry is done.

On days when words won't come, a photo is the easiest way in. A photo journal combines both: the visual feel of a feed with the honesty of a diary.

7. Speak instead of typing

Not everyone enjoys writing, especially on a phone. Dictation on iPhone is very good these days. Just talk about what's on your mind – on a walk, in the car (parked!) or on the sofa in the evening. You can tidy the text afterwards.

Many people find they're freer and more detailed when speaking than when typing.

8. Make room for the good

Journals often become a place for worries and frustration. That's valuable – writing can help untangle heavy thoughts. But so your journal doesn't become a place you avoid, it's worth deliberately capturing the good too.

A simple method: write down at least one thing that went well every day. Over time you train your eye for good moments – and build a collection that carries you through good days and hard ones.

9. Read back regularly

Perhaps the best part of journaling doesn't happen while writing but while reading. What were you thinking a year ago? Which worries resolved themselves? Which moments had you almost forgotten?

Once a month, take a few minutes to look back. Features like "On this day" automatically show what you wrote on the same date in previous years – often a small gift to yourself.

10. Miss days without guilt

You'll skip days. Maybe a week, maybe a month. That's normal. What matters is starting again without trying to catch up on the gap.

A helpful rule: never miss twice in a row. One missed day is a slip; two are the start of a new (non-)habit. And if it does get longer, just write "I'm back" and carry on.

Paper or app?

Both have their charm. Paper feels more deliberate; an app is always with you, searchable and can hold photos. With an app, privacy matters most: make sure your entries are encrypted and you don't have to create an account with personal data.

In the end, the best journal is the one you actually use.