How to Start a Daily Journaling Practice (Even if You’re Busy)

I’ve been journaling since I was about twelve years old, and when I tell people that, they often say: “Oh, I wish I could do that. I’ve tried a few times but I couldn’t keep it up. You must be so disciplined.”

But I’m not disciplined at all!

For me, journaling is simply my way of thinking. I need to think on paper to have clarity in my head. If my thoughts just stay in my head, they get messy. On paper, I can see what I really mean, what I want, and where I want to go with my day.

So today, I want to share how you can start a daily journaling practice. Even if you feel busy, and even if you don’t see yourself as a ‘disciplined’ person.

writing about different topics: A person writing in a notebook on a wooden table, with a small stuffed animal in the background.

Why Journaling Matters

Journaling has become such a natural part of my life that I find it hard to imagine being without it. If I skip a week, I start to feel off, like something inside me is cluttered.

Journaling doesn’t have to be neat, or long, or beautiful. It’s not about writing a perfect diary entry. For me, it’s more like a safe space to put my thoughts and my ideas so that I can see them clearly. It’s a creative outlet, a way to play on paper, to sort things out and to set my intentions.

So if you’ve ever struggled to keep up a regular journaling practice, it may be that you were focusing on the ‘how’ before really understanding your ‘why.’

Step 1 – Decide Your Why

The first step is to ask yourself: why do you want to journal?

Is it because you’d like more clarity in your life, and you want to start each day with intention, maybe with morning pages as Julia Cameron suggests in The Artist’s Way?
Or maybe it’s because you want to document your days?

Knowing your why is important, because it changes how you approach journaling. If you think of it as just another task to check off, it can feel like pressure. But if you see it as a way to get what you truly want—more peace, more clarity, more awareness—it feels a lot lighter.

So take a moment and think: what’s my reason for wanting to journal?

making it part of your daily routine: A colorful patterned journal and a pen resting on top of another notepad, placed on a wooden surface.

Step 2 – Start Small

Once you know why, the next step is to start small.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking they need to sit down for half an hour and write pages and pages. That can feel overwhelming, especially if journaling isn’t part of your habit of journaling yet.

Instead, just give yourself 5–10 minutes. Maybe even two minutes. If you are afraid of the blank page, you could write a single sentence about how you feel, or what you hope for the day.

Think of it like planting a seed. You just need a tiny start. And from there, you can build a new habit that grows naturally over time.

Step 3 – Choose a Time and Try a Short Experiment

The next step is to choose a time of day that makes sense for you.

For me, sometimes mornings are best, other times evenings feel calmer. You might write during your morning coffee, your lunch break, or right before bed at the end of the day. There’s no wrong way. It’s about what feels realistic.

And don’t tell yourself you’re going to journal every day for the rest of your life. That feels heavy. Instead, try it as a short experiment. Tell yourself, ‘I’m going to do this for seven days.’ That’s it.

Seven days is doable. At the end of the week, you can look back and see how it felt. Even if you stop after that, you’ve learned something about yourself. And often, you’ll notice you actually want to keep going.

building a journaling habit: An open journal resting on a wooden table, illuminated by soft sunlight streaming through a window.

Step 4 – Use Prompts and Timers

If you sit down and don’t know what to write, journal prompts can be a huge help.

For example, if you want to document your days, you might simply jot down: ‘What happened today?’ or ‘What was the highlight of my day?’
If you’re journaling in the evening, you could ask: ‘What’s on my mind right now?’

And if you find yourself putting it off, try setting a timer for five minutes. Tell yourself, ‘I’ll just do this until the timer rings, and then I can move on with my day.’ Most of the time, you’ll find you actually keep writing once you get started.

The main thing is to show yourself that journaling doesn’t have to take long, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s just about showing up for yourself in that moment.

To Recap

Know why you want to journal.
Start small.
Pick a time and try it for seven days.
Use simple questions, prompts, or a timer to make it easier.

Over the years, I’ve tried different kinds of journaling, everything from stream of consciousness writing to the five minute journal, and even a little bullet journaling. I’ve found that there isn’t only one best way to do it. The point of journaling is to discover what feels supportive for you.

Some seasons I lean on gratitude journaling for a little extra peace, other times I use expressive writing as a powerful tool for working through tough times.

The best part is that journaling gives you a private space away from social media and busy schedules, a chance to pause and reflect. Even busy people can fit in a little time at a coffee shop, during a lunch break, or whenever a pocket of extra time appears.

So tonight, try it. Open your physical journal or use digital journaling apps, set a timer for five minutes, and just see what comes out.