You Don’t Need Fancy Templates to Journal

I’ve seen a lot of wild Notion templates—and a lot of people spending more time making things look good than actually using them. As usual, simple works better—especially when you’re just getting started.

If you’ve been stuck on where to begin with keeping a journal of any type and using Notion, this might help you finally get going.

Why Simplicity Wins

Notion is full of templates with filters, tags, and automation. They can be useful—but they can also feel like too much when you’re just trying to start journaling.

That’s why I wanted to share a simpler way. You don’t need a perfect setup. The most important part is building the habit, not building the system.

This Week’s Favorite

A Simple Start

Here’s a simple way to try journaling in Notion without getting lost in the details. Just create one page. Call it whatever you like—something like “My Daily Journal” works just fine.

Then add a basic table to keep your entries in one place. Use one column for the date, and one for your writing. That’s enough to start.

You can also set up a template with a few prompts so you don’t have to think about what to write. Things like:

• What went well today?

• What am I grateful for?

• Free write for 3 minutes

That’s it. You’re ready to go. And you can always tweak or improve it later—after the habit is in place.

Extra Extra

• The Science Behind Journaling – Short article explaining why journaling helps with mental clarity and focus.

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