Introducing the Building in Public Newsletter from 24 Letters: Sign Up to Receive a Journaling Quick Guide Today
Friends, I've been working on my first offering beyond the blog and newsletter, and I've decided to share the details of the building process via a revamp in my newsletter, now known as Building in Public.
I’ll also be giving anyone who subscribes and confirms their email address something that can help you in your journaling practice right now. More on that at the end of this post.
For now. You have questions? I've got answers. Read on.
What are you Working On?
I'm creating a guide to journaling. Now, I know this isn’t for everyone, but I'm kind of a nerd, and I think I could share some ideas that might prove helpful for you if you're starting or restarting, as the case so often is, your journaling practice.
Why?
I strongly feel that everyone could benefit from some sort of journaling practice. Whether you’re doing morning pages or an entry once a year on your birthday or something in between, there's a lot of value in writing things down to help figure it all out. I’ve written about these ideas here on the blog and on Threads, too.
I've been journaling for years, and it's helped me build confidence, feel more gratitude, and experience less anxiety. Journaling has helped me make difficult decisions and get through some tough times. A lot of people need help with that stuff, maybe even you, and journaling can be a part of that solution.
Okay, so what's the newsletter about?
I'm going to share my insights into the process of building this course and also offer updates and previews to subscribers. I'll email you roughly once a week and sometimes less frequently. We all get too much email, and I've had to talk myself into believing it's okay to offer this to people because going on this journey with me will provide some value to you.
What is the ultimate goal here?
In addition to building tools to help you in your journaling practice, I'm interested in developing something akin to a community of people interested in journaling, personal development, and the creative process. This isn't a thinly veiled sales funnel. I'm going to send you emails with fundamental ideas and authentic experiences.
Finally, as a thank you, I'll send you my quick guide Seven Thought-Provoking Prompts for Your Journaling Practice when you confirm your email.
I’ll be sending the first email out later this week. I hope you’ll join me.
Day One Introduces Shared Journals
From the Day One Blog:
“Today we’re excited to introduce Shared Journals in Day One, a new way for you to safely share life’s moments with friends and family, while upholding the privacy and security you trust.”
As a long-time user, I’m excited that Day One has added this to their app, thus continuing to set themselves apart in the digital journaling space. One of the best aspects of this service is while the creator of the shared journal needs a premium membership, anyone with a free membership can join.
Shared Journals are end-to-end encrypted, and adding or removing members is easy. Members can also comment on posts, which mimics what can be the best (and absolute worst) part of social media.
I'm going to try setting up a shared journal with my wife where we can document memorable moments with each other and our family that we want to share. This may be the opportunity I've been waiting for to get her interested in exploring a regular journaling habit, too.
Apple Launches Journal for iPhone
With the release of iOS 17.2 earlier this week, Apple launched Journal. I spent some time with the new app last night, and my initial thoughts are positive. I will share more after I’ve had a chance to kick the tires.
Today, Day One, my journaling tool of choice, announced support for Journaling Suggestions. This is a keystone feature for Apple’s Journal, so it makes sense that Day One would add it as well.
Today we’re excited to announce a new way to deepen your journaling practice: Journaling Suggestions. Journaling Suggestions in Day One provide personalized journaling recommendations inspired by your photos, locations, activities, and more, bringing a whole new level of introspection and discovery to your daily reflections.
Everything I’ve read from the folks at Day One about Apple’s entry into this space has been totally classy. Last summer, I shared Day One’s founder Paul Mayne’s thoughts on Journal when it was announced.
Rather than seeing this as competition, we embrace Apple’s entry into digital journaling as a testament to its growing importance. This evolution is not just beneficial for Day One but also for our valued users.
I believe that journaling can improve people’s lives, and having an app included on a phone that’s in about a billion and a half pockets worldwide means more people will start a practice. That’s a really good thing.
Analog vs. Digital: Results From My Journaling Format Poll
I recently conducted a poll on Threads and asked folks about their preferred journaling format. I offered three options: print, digital, and hybrid.
Print was the winner with 47%. Unsurprisingly, given the results, the comments largely favored pen and paper. One user shared that writing by hand helped them remember what they had written, and another said it was about the art and connection with the tangible nature of paper.
Another respondent shared the challenges she faces when attempting to write in a new journal and said she preferred the ease of editing digital journals for that reason.
I wrote a post entitled Your Story Matters: Overcoming the Perfect Journal Fallacy for those facing a similar struggle around getting started in a paper journal. It's a common challenge, and given how popular analog journaling is, I wanted to share something encouraging.
For my journaling practice, I fall into both groups. I use Day One for most of my regular journaling practice. I use a Subtle Notebook, and a Field Notes Memo Book for my analog needs.
Whatever tool you're using, remember this: the most important aspect of journaling is doing it in whatever format most likely to help you succeed.
The 2023 Gift Guide
I enjoy a well-thought-out gift guide. I'm not talking about the kind that only lists costly items that no one wants. I enjoy the ones from the authors, podcasters, and creators I choose to follow and support. I trust and appreciate their perspective, opinions, and taste. Not only do I find them helpful in discovering things I may be interested in, but I also find them helpful for ideas when family asks, "What would you like for the holidays?"
It's in that spirit that I've created this guide. I'm sharing a few gift ideas for those creative, bookish tech lovers in your life who may be hard to shop for. What's that you say? You’re a creative, bookish tech lover? If you’d like, you can pull some ideas from this list and send them to your relatives and friends looking for tips.
Alright, let’s jump in.
Books
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
This book feels timeless. It features a daily quote from one of the ancient Stoic philosophers and an insight from Ryan Holiday with a modern reflection that compliments the selection.
I try to start my day with a passage from this book and am never disappointed when I do.
The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain by Annie Murphy Paul
Annie Murphy Paul has taken the idea that our brains are all-knowing and infallible and turned it on its head, arguing instead that we need to extend our thinking.
Paul uses the metaphor of the Magpie and suggests that we are at our best when we figure things out not just with our brain but also by connecting our surroundings, relationships, and physical being with the process.
I found actionable insights in this book and recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about how our surroundings impact our thinking.
Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work That Last by Ryan Holiday
The second book from Ryan Holiday on this list. Perennial Seller is for anyone trying to create enduring work and wants to learn from someone who's not only had his own success as an author but also helped others find their success through Brass Check, his advisory firm.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Steven Pressfield famously wrote for 27 years before he got his first novel, The Legend of Bagger Vance, published. He wrote The War of Art to help the rest of us learn from his mistakes.
This book has undoubtedly launched many people on their journey of doing something difficult and essential by helping them learn what the Resistance is and how to overcome it.
The Practicing Stoic: A Philosophical User's Manual by Ward Farnsworth
Starting with first principles, Ward Farnsworth extends Stoicism to other philosophers and thinkers throughout history, beyond Zeno of Citium and the Greeks and Romans. There's also an element of practicality to the writing that is helpful to better understand how applicable Stoicism can be in everyday life.
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser (SP)
Another profoundly influential book for many writers, On Writing Well, was born from a course William Zinsser taught at Yale. Initially published in 1976, this book remains valuable and current for anyone who wants to become a better writer.
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl (Audio Recommendation)
Dave Grohl is a man of integrity, who's not afraid to find the humor in many situations, who deeply loves his children, and who has endured the public loss of some very dear friends. He's also had an incredible career in the music industry that's spanned decades with bands like Scream, Nirvana and The Foo Fighters.
I rarely recommend the audio specifically, but this is one where hearing Grohl tell of the touchstone moments in his life makes The Storyteller an even better book.
Audible Gift Subscription
I received an Audible gift subscription last year and didn't realize then how much I'd enjoy it. I like listening to audiobooks while I’m at the gym or doing yard work and this feeds that need. If you have someone who wants to read more but doesn’t have the time or the focus to pick up a physical book, this is a great gift option.
Technology
AirPods Pro
I've used the regular AirPods for years and felt no solid inclination to upgrade to the Pro. I was gifted the AirPods Pro earlier this year, and there really is a difference. Sometimes, when I'm watching something on my iPad, I can't tell if the sound is coming from the AirPods because it feels like it's coming from the screen. The noise cancellation and conversational awareness are such a helpful combination. There's magic in the tech, and the audio quality is much better than the regular AirPods.
Joby GorillaPod
I use this more often than I thought. Whether it's for doing video calls with an iPhone via Continuity Camera or taking photos, it's compact, easy to travel with, and helpful.
Glif from Studio Neat
I use the Glif from Studio Neat as the mount with my portable tripod. It compact, sturdy, and works really well with my tripod.
Journaling and Writing
Moleskine Medium Ruled Hardcover Notebook
I'm writing more about journaling on this site and at Threads. I have this crazy believe that everyone's life can be improved by beginning a journaling practice, and this is one of the notebooks I recommend to someone who's getting started and wants something with a bit of style. It's still simple and not terribly expensive, but also elegant. Moleskine notebooks are widely available, which is helpful too.
Field Notes Memo Books
I’ve been using the National Parks series recently, carrying it with me to take notes and supplement my task management system. It’s the perfect size for my pocket, and the artwork on all of the series they’ve created are beautiful and evocative.
The Subtle Notebook
This is my current favorite analog notebook from Cortex Brand. I appreciate the color, the quality of the paper, and the dot grid because it gives me the freedom to do whatever I want without feeling constrained by lines and yet also gives me some waypoints so I stay on the rails.
Thanks for reading. I hope this guide is helpful when shopping for your friends and family or when a family member asks for something you might like. Happy holidays!
Note: Some of these items include an affiliate link, meaning your purchase may help support this site. I've only included things in this list I actually use, like, and recommend. There are no big screen 4K TVs or air fryers here (although my wife and I are tempted by both!).
Your Story Matters: Overcoming the Perfect Journal Fallacy
Let me set the scene.
You’re at your favorite bookshop. You’ve had your coffee, done some people-watching, and have picked up a few books that will be coming home with you, and as you walk toward the counter to pay for your haul, you see a shelf with journals on it.
You are transfixed. The journals are beautiful and rife with endless creative possibilities. In a flash, you envision yourself writing your deepest thoughts, sketching ideas for that next big project, planning your novel, your adventures to Europe, writing your most important lists, and recording your secrets in this new place.
You carefully select the journal that most appeals to you, perhaps based on color or size. Happily, you pay for it and head home to use it to unleash your creativity.
You come home, set the journal on your desk, and move on with your afternoon.
The next day, you glance at the journal. You think of something you’d like to write in it but feel noncommital. It’s so beautiful and clean, I’m not sure this thought is worth it. You walk away.
A day later, you’ve finished work early and are tidying up your desk. There’s that journal again. You sit down, open it up, and reach for a pen. You think, Oh, I’m not sure this is the right pen for this journal. Is it fancy enough? You put the journal down and go to grab dinner.
Weeks pass, and the journal is now under a pile of work papers or perhaps has taken a spot on your bookshelf. It may even sit next to another forgotten and unused journal you received as a gift during last year’s holiday!
If this has happened to you, don’t worry; you aren’t alone.
Most everyone with a journaling practice has experienced something similar. It’s what I call the perfect journal fallacy, where we convince ourselves that using the journal for its very purpose, recording our ideas and thoughts, is somehow a bad thing to do.
So, how do you overcome this?
Open the journal and write something.
Anything.
Even just a sentence or two is a good start.
Don’t worry about the pen you use, the time of day, the music, or the mood. While all of those aspects can be a part of an established journaling practice, the most essential role of someone who journals is to write down what’s on their mind.
If you’re still struggling with getting started, remember this: Someone created that journal for you, and you can use it however you wish. Your thoughts and ideas are worthy of being recorded within its pages, as are your most mundane notes, todos, and doodles.
The journal on the bookshelf collecting dust is yours; you can do what you want with it. Use it as the tool it’s intended to be, and allow it to help you unlock the benefits of writing down your thoughts. Your story matters. Start writing it down today.
Weekly Quote: Seneca on Reviewing the Day
I've been banging the drum especially loud about journaling lately, and this week's quote from Seneca is another reason why. Journaling is a tool that can help you authentically review your life.
The idea of the daily review and its value has mostly stayed the same since Seneca walked the streets of Rome a few thousand years ago. Sure, your journal entry might seem different initially, but the concerns that occupy your mind are similar to what an ancient person worried about so long ago.
Journaling works best when you commit to honesty and are most willing to keep a "constant watch" over yourself. That may be made easier when there is no intention to share what you write with anyone. You do so much for the benefit of others. Journal for yourself.
Four Steps To Quickly Start Your Journaling Practice Today
When it comes to journaling, everyone has different needs and abilities. In that spirit, I've created this simple guide to get you started.
My north star for making this guide is the first principle of journaling, starting now. Here are the four steps to start your journaling practice right now:
Find something you can write ON and something you can write WITH.
Find FIVE quiet minutes during your day.
Write ONE thought down.
REPEAT this process daily, weekly, or whenever you want.
This guide is simple, and that's intentional. I wanted there to be the least amount of friction as you get started. There's no ask for you to buy a particular notebook or journal, nor does it suggest a specific time of day or even frequency with which you write.
These are all fun parts of building your habit, but if you get held up with a decision, particularly before you even start, you may perseverate instead of writing down what's in your head. That's the opposite of why you're beginning to journal.
Start simply. You can dial in things like format and frequency later and enjoy it more because you'll be making those decisions through the lens of an active journaler, not someone planning to start once all of the pieces are just right.
Waiting for just right often means you'll never start. Begin journaling today with this simple guide and what you have in front of you. Build the habit, and then find your tools.
You can read more from me on journaling here and on Threads, where I write several short pieces each week designed to help you build the journaling practice you most desire.
The First Principle of Starting a Journaling Practice
Here it is, the first principle of journaling. You ready?
Start today.
The medium doesn’t matter. Use whatever format you are most comfortable with. If it’s the Notes app on your iPhone, use it. If you want to use something like Day One, go for it. Check that drawer in the kitchen overflowing with random stuff. There’s probably a notebook or some scrap paper in there. Don’t feel like writing or typing? That’s okay because you can dictate your thoughts or record your voice as a memo.
The most important part of writing in a journal is getting started. Write as often as you’d like. If you don’t journal for weeks and decide it’s time for another entry, that’s okay. Set no expectations. Just start.
Like many things, the other pieces come together with time and experience. You can experiment with analog or digital and decide which you like better. You’ll figure out how often you want to write and decide what time of day works best for your rhythm.
Journaling needn’t be precious. It’s an act of reflection and a way to better understand who you were, who you are, and who you want to become. It’s a part of your journey, and you can do it. Just start now.
The Journaling Guide on Threads
I’ve been on Threads since it launched. My focus has been on sharing prompts, tools, and tips to help people with something I’m really passionate about, starting and growing a journaling practice. I know some of you like to journal. If that’s you, please give me a follow and say hi!
Don’t worry, I’m not abandoning this site to spend all of my time on social. Threads is (thus far) a positive community that I enjoy. It’s also a place where I can workshop new ideas and connect with readers of this site and other creators.
Benjamin Franklin Was Time Blocking Before it Was Cool
Source: Wikimedia/The Atlantic
Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule in all of its nerdy splendor. It’s useful for those of us trying to get stuff done to see that people have been trying to do time-blocking for a long time.
The morning and evening journaling prompts may be my favorite piece of this. These could be as helpful today as they were a couple hundred years ago. I’ll keep banging the drum for journaling; it helps people figure stuff out.
My role as a stay-at-home dad doesn’t allow for as much time blocking, although I’ve done it at work. At my last job, I had a lot of meetings that I was invited to (and required to attend), but I made an effort to keep Monday and Friday as free of them as possible so I could start and end the week by moving the departmental needle. Wednesday was the day that I set meetings and one-on-ones. Every day I had an hour in the morning to work on reviews and team member feedback and an hour in the afternoon dedicated to hiring and reviewing job applications. On my most successful days, I went through a shutdown routine where I cleaned up email, tidied up my task list, and reviewed the next day’s calendar and tasks.
There’s value in this kind of planning, although I’ve learned that the plan doesn’t always work out. Sometimes, life has a plan or, perhaps more appropriately, doesn’t, and you just have to ride it out. Be your best friend about this, don’t beat yourself up. So much is beyond your control; remember that.
Weekly Quote: Embracing Perspective for Personal Growth with The Practicing Stoic
This quote from The Practicing Stoic reminds us that taking a broader view offers perspective, something of value that we all need more of.
Good or bad, whatever is happening right now won’t last forever. In fact, It probably will be over sooner than you expect. Time is indifferent to our joy and sorrow. It just moves ahead. Our best bet is to understand how we fit into the bigger picture.
Take some time today to pull back the camera for a wider view. Write in your journal and reflect on all of this, then use what you learn to become a better human.
I send a monthly newsletter about the power of reading and journaling, the benefits of finding focus and productivity through intentionality, and how tech can help you grow in the ways you want. I also share a recommendation of something I'm enjoying or finding helpful. You can read past issues and subscribe here.
Weekly Quote: Finding Clarity in Motion with Thomas Mann
On a beautiful day last week, I loaded my son into the stroller and walked through a nearby park. We do this regularly, although this time, my primary focus was to find clarity around a difficult decision.
About twenty minutes into the walk, my conscious thinking had gently drifted into unrelated topics. I was considering the birds and beautiful sunshine, thinking about what to make for dinner, and recalling how much my children have changed in the last year. I was becoming more relaxed, but my subconscious was working.
We wandered quietly for another fifteen minutes. Then I took my iPhone from the cupholder of the stroller, opened my Personal Reflection journal in Day One, and began using voice-to-text to dictate my stream-of-consciousness thoughts on the situation.
We arrived home shortly after, me feeling relieved and my son ready to play. The day moved on. It wasn't until that evening that I had a chance to review what I had dictated. I was surprised by what I read. I was able to come to new conclusions and organized a jumbled mess of thoughts into something actionable.
The walk with my son isn't the first time I've had this experience. I've learned that movement is a force multiplier for separating meaningful thoughts from distractions. Dictation is a helpful tool, a bridge to push those thoughts to where real work can begin. The result of combining these two actions can be clarity.
Our ancestors and their distant relatives knew this too. While their lives were different in so many ways from our modern existence strewn with convenience and comfort, the human concerns that they struggled with were very similar to what we deal with today. They knew the power of movement. We need to relearn it. It can be the difference between feeling stuck in the mud and finding the path forward.
I send a monthly newsletter about the power of reading and journaling, the benefits of finding focus and productivity through intentionality, and how tech can help you grow in the ways you want. I also share a recommendation of something I'm enjoying or finding helpful. You can read past issues and subscribe here.
Paul Mayne, Creator of Day One, on Apple’s Journal App
Day One Creator Paul Mayne shared his thoughts on Journal, Apple’s new iOS app coming later this year.
From the Day One blog:
Rather than seeing this as competition, we embrace Apple’s entry into digital journaling as a testament to its growing importance. This evolution is not just beneficial for Day One, but also for our valued users.
I’m thankful that Day One and other apps will be able to access the Suggestions API. I remain curious what exactly that will look like, but it’s always fun to see how app developers take these API’s and run with them in ways that best suit their users.
You can read Paul's whole post and what I wrote about Journal earlier this week. Apple releasing this app will get more people into journaling, and that's a win. Most people I've encountered who journal are better for it, and those who don't could find so much value in starting a practice.
Apple Unveils Journal at WWDC 2023, Coming to iPhone Later this Year
During Monday's WWDC conference, Apple announced Journal, a new app coming to iPhone later this year.
From the iOS 17 feature page at Apple.com:
Using on-device machine learning, your iPhone creates personalized suggestions of moments for you to remember and write about based on your photos, music, workouts, and more.
Other highlights include:
Reflection and writing prompts
The ability to mark important or meaningful entries for review later
Scheduled notifications at the beginning and end of the day as well as reminders to record your thoughts about important events
Apple's typical and appreciated approach to security, including end-to-end encryption, on-device processing, and locked journals
On Upgrade, co-host Jason Snell mentioned that other developers should be able to use the Suggestions API, giving tools like my favorite journaling app, Day One, an opportunity to integrate these features.
I’ll share more as Apple continues to release details.
David Sparks on Journaling as a Maker, a Manager, and a Consumer
Last week I wrote a piece for the Finding Focus series about the benefits of waking up early and quoted podcast host and MacSparky Labs founder David Sparks' idea that, as creators, we should make before we manage.
David wrote more on this idea a few years ago and shared his thoughts about how being a maker, a manager, and a consumer impacts the purpose of his journaling process. He writes about the evolution of his journaling:
My purpose in journaling is tracking how I'm spending my time in these roles. I don't view any of them as inherently good or bad. The magic is in the balance. While making is most important to me, both managing and consuming enable making. I want to spend more time making than consuming. I need to spend time managing, but not go down the management/productivity rabbit hole so far that I don't make anything.
So with this in mind, I've been focusing my journaling lately not so much on what I had for lunch, but what I make, manage, and consume. Using tags, I can then see it on a daily, weekly, and even monthly basis. If I look at my week and realize I spent most of my time sharpening pencils and sorting tasks (manager) and not enough time producing content (maker), I know I need to make changes. You can get similar information by tracking your time, but I think there is something more concrete looking at a list of things you've made, managed, and consumed over a period of time.
David suggests using Day One and assigning a tag to each role as an effective way to aid in planning and review. More good advice from someone who, to quote another often used Sparks phrase, pays for his shoes as a self-employed creator.
A journaling practice is a powerful way to see where and what you've been doing. Of course, your journal cannot predict the future, but you can certainly use it to forecast where you might end up.
I’ll be doing more writing about journaling here and in the monthly newsletter. The April issue focused on the topic and offered some ideas on how to get started or stick with your own practice. You can subscribe here if you’re interested. Just be sure to check your email (and spam folder) for the opt-in confirmation that’ll get sent. If you're interested in the April issue, let me know and I’ll get it to you.
Pen and Paper, Digitally: New iOS Journaling App Rumored for Launch with iOS 17
There was an interesting report from 9to5 Mac last week where they shared a story from The Wall Street Journal that says Apple will be releasing a native journaling app for the iPhone in the next release of iOS. The rumors include on-device integration with location information, physical activity, and other pertinent data to prompt the user to create relevant entries. In addition, there's talk of this potentially Sherlocking* the popular journaling app Day One.
When Apple creates apps that offer an alternative to what third-party developers are doing, they typically don't go as deep in terms of the specific feature set as the app developers do. An example is the Reminders app, which works for some people and has gotten even more functionality with recent updates. Despite that, there's still a set of users who need something like Todoist or OmniFocus. However, Apple does have the advantage of building the OS and can more easily benefit from deeper integration into system settings, so they can usually do some cool stuff that some third-party app developers may struggle with.
I've been subscribing to Day One for years and like the app. Of course, I'll check out what Apple does, but it's not an instant switch for me. I like the features and security that Day One offers right now.
I think journaling is something everyone should do, and I'd be happy if the rumors turned out to be accurate and Apple added this tool as a native app on the iPhone. I hope that Day One will co-exist successfully with whatever Apple creates, and I suspect they will. Many app developers, especially developers who have been working on their apps for years, have added many features people want, and that helps them differentiate themselves from what Apple does. I hope Day One sticks around and continues building a great feature-rich journaling app. The optimist in me thinks they may even see an increase in users if Apple popularizes journaling and more people explore other apps in the category. We'll have to wait until WWDC in June to know what's happening.
In the meantime, if you are interested in beginning a journaling practice, don't wait. Instead, start today, and use whatever format is most comfortable. Whether it's analog or digital, just get started. I'll write more about journaling in the newsletter this month, and you can click here to join and take a look at a few recent issues as well.
* Sherlocking is the term used when Apple creates an app that functions in the same way as a third-party app.
The Daily Gratitude Shortcut: A Simple Solution for Efficient Journaling
I began using Shortcuts regularly on my Apple devices about a year and a half ago. I’ve found that they’re helpful and quite fun to use and create, especially when I can trigger them from a physical button on my Stream Deck while working on the Mac.
One of my favorite daily use shortcuts launches the Daily Gratitude Journal I keep in Day One. I like this shortcut because it brings me into the writing space quickly, and Day One is configured to create a new entry from a template with the prompt, “Today I’m Grateful For,” ready to go.
To further my intentionality around journaling, I’ve also connected a Focus mode that triggers automatically when Day One opens and turns off when I close the app. All I need to do is hit the shortcut and I’m able to write without distraction.
Shortcuts can get very complicated with multi-step actions, although the ones I create mostly just use one or two steps at most. Yet, despite their simplicity, they are delightful and can help build habits for the better. This shortcut was easy to make, thanks partly to Day One’s support of Automation and Shortcuts. You can download the shortcut here if you’d like to use it. Remember to change the name to match your own Day One journal names.
PKM Toolkit: The Daily Review Journal in Day One
PKM Toolkit is a series featuring ideas, tools, and apps that help collect, organize, review, and share knowledge. You can learn more about personal knowledge management by reading the first entry of the series.
The latest addition to my journalingl practice is the daily review. If you read my post about returning to journaling, you’ll note that I was doing something like this at the beginning of this year, and things went a little sideways which made writing by hand challenging. I’m resurrecting the general idea but changing from paper to digital for the format and tweaking the prompts. I’ve been doing this for several weeks now, and here are a few details on how I’m doing it:
End of Day Routine
I start my day with a brief daily gratitude entry in the morning and try to end my day by doing the daily review and some reading. My total time on this routine is rarely more than thirty to forty-five minutes because there isn’t much day left once the kids are asleep and everything is finished.
Occasionally, I end up doing the review the next morning. I don’t mind adjusting the date for the intended day. I’m not gaming the streaks system. I just want an accounting for that specific day.
My Prompts
These continue to evolve, and I’ve changed them several times already. Right now, every entry has the following questions:
What happened today that went well?
It’s helpful to celebrate and consider the positive moments.
What happened today that could have gone better?
Conversely, the less-than-optimal deserve a quick review too. This is not an opportunity to blame or dwell but instead is a chance to just write it down and have an opportunity to learn from it.
How did I make a positive impact on those around me?
Both David Sparks and Jim Eagar, two of my favorite writers on this subject, have similar prompt in their journaling and review process. This is the most important question I ask. I want to help people, and I think a lot about how I can do that.
Is there anything unfinished that needs to be written down for tomorrow?
This helps to clear my mind. Then, as needed, I take a minute or two of action to create a reminder or maybe put something into Craft or a shared note.
This is not a sacred text
I write a sentence or three for each prompt and rarely more than that. I also try to write what comes to mind without much mental processing or editing. I want the purest consideration I can get, regardless of tone. The intention is not for anyone else to read this. It’s for me to put what’s in my head somewhere else.
Once I’m done, I review what I’ve written down. It helps to process the day and feel gratitude for the better parts or a sense of understanding about what went wrong.
Ignore the Streaks
I love streaks until I break them. Then, my brain starts saying some not-so-nice things. Streaks have their place, but I avoid focusing on them here. I want journaling to become a desirable habit, something I want to do every night, fully aware that I probably won’t always be able to do that.
My Tools
I use Day One for all of my journals. I like having prompts automatically populate when I start a new entry and being able to journal on my iPad, iPhone, or Mac. The backup features are helpful too.
I began the year using a print journal to do a version of this daily review, but it didn’t stick for me (mostly because of that pesky broken wrist). Ultimately, the specific tool of choice matters far less than finding the right tool that accomplishes the journaling practice.
Practice Makes Progress
The more I get back into journaling, the easier it is to have it as part of my daily routine. The Daily Review helps me put my day to bed, so I can sleep too. I have a chance to defer and organize lingering things, and if something went well or was not so great, I have a structured opportunity to think it all through.
As you can see by my recent changes, journaling is quite adaptive. You can try something out and change it if it doesn’t work. How you write your thoughts down doesn’t matter as long as you do it. It’s a helpful process in many aspects of my life and one that I recommend to everyone.
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PKM Toolkit: Using Day One for Higher-Level Personal Reflection
I keep several journals in Day One. I’ve had a general catch-all since I started using the app regularly in 2016, and I have a gratitude journal that I wrote about here. The newest one I’ve created is for higher-level personal reflection. It’s where I ponder big ideas.
The most recent entry is about focusing on the present and being in the moment, which I struggle with sometimes. Another topic I’m writing about is humility, looking at this concept through the lens of my relationship with various elements of my family, friends, and professional groups. I don’t write in this journal daily, although I have a reminder to look at it weekly and glance at the topics under review, sometimes contributing and writing further.
Journaling, in whatever form works for you, is worth doing for many reasons. It doesn’t have to be complicated or fancy, and while a prompt or theme can be helpful, it’s unnecessary. Just start writing your thoughts. It helps figure challenges out and better understand yourself and those that are closest and most important to you.