As with the formation of any habit, it’s unlikely that we just jump straight in and never look back. Instead, it’s important to start small and build up gradually. In the case of journaling, it’s no different.

Before getting a physical book to write in, I started simply by creating a new Google Doc with the intention of jotting down any thoughts I considered worth remembering, throughout the day. This was beneficial for two main reasons: (1) the document was accessible on my phone and (2) it provided the framework for a later, more focused practice.

• By having the document on my phone, it meant I could add to it almost instantly, almost anywhere. If, for example, I was sat on the train and remembered an invoice I needed to send off on the upcoming Sunday, I could quickly jot it down. Similarly, if I was listening to a podcast and heard a powerful quote, I could easily make a note of it in the document.
• In creating this relaxed, list-like file, I was essentially just getting into the habit of recording my thoughts – something I hadn’t previously done. At the time, I didn’t look at it as though I was journaling but, in retrospect, it was the habit I was gradually forming.

Eventually (over the course of a year), I found that writing down different thoughts and tasks in this way became instinctual and there were fewer and fewer days between each new entry.

With this as a foundation, the transition to a notebook was relatively seamless. I was already in the habit of taking some time to reflect and write.