Stack your way to journaling success (my lazy morning method)

I've been working on ways to make journaling happen on a daily basis so that I can start the day out effectively and without a ton of random thoughts bouncing around. Most people think journaling has to be complicated, time-consuming, or “cutesy”, but I've broken it down into three steps that fit into the day easily. When I started using these steps myself, I was surprised by how easily journaling became part of my daily routine, and I think you'll find the same to be true.

Why Journaling Matters

Getting thoughts out of our heads and onto paper (or screen) is one of the most powerful tools we have for personal growth.

But here's important to remember: journaling isn't just about writing down what happened in your day. It's a way to spot patterns in your life and notice what's working well and what isn't.

The challenge most people face isn't understanding why journaling helps - it's actually making it happen consistently.

Many of us try to start journaling with the best intentions, but then life gets busy and the habit slips away.

That's exactly why I developed a different approach - to help build in that consistency which gets us the results we want.

This Week’s Favorite

Three Steps to Success

Let me walk you through the three steps that have helped me. They're simple, but that's exactly why they work.

First, I use something called habit stacking (Atomic Habits, anyone?). Instead of trying to create a completely new routine, I attached my journaling to something I already do every day. For me, it's right after I sit down with my morning coffee. The coffee signals that it's time to write and I’m going to be sitting down and otherwise “ready” to do something.

The second step might seem obvious, but it makes a huge difference. 

I do my journaling early in the day.

Our minds are fresher in the morning, and there aren't yet any meetings, calls, or unexpected tasks competing for our attention.

The final step was the thing that kept the habit going when things were tough.

I started incredibly small. No pressure to write beautiful prose or fill pages. Sometimes I just write for 5 minutes. Other times I aim for 100 words. The key is making it so easy that it feels almost impossible to fail. You could even set the goal of just a single sentence if you’re not feeling it.

Remember, you don't need fancy notebooks or special pens.

You don't even need to write about anything important.

The goal is simply to show up and write something - anything - consistently.

Extra Extra

• Check out Reflection Centered if you’re looking for new (or starter) journaling prompts.

• Harvard Business Review article "A Simple Way to Make Better Decisions" that discusses how morning writing can improve decision-making skills.

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