The best habit I’ve built in years

Besides regularly contribution on this blog, one of the most productive exercises I’ve adopted in recent years has been a daily journal. Nearly every morning I sit down and write a few pages in a handwritten journal. There’s no strict format, but my entries typically are a log what happened of note in the previous day, decisions I’ve been wrestling with, and ideas for the future.

I find writing in that journal as soon as I wake up is a key way to set the day up for success. It’s oddly liberating to put to paper what’s been rattling around in my head. And as a side effect, it has improved my clarity of thinking. Then, when I write here, or prepare a presentation, or work on some project, the value is evident. Because I spend time being introspective and highly reflective about my own thoughts, it’s trained me to do so elsewhere in life.

There’s even value to be had in re-reading past entries – and recognizing the patterns I fall into. Austin Kleon talks about this in his latest book Keep Going:

I keep a daily diary for many reasons, but the main one is that it helps me pay attention to my life. By sitting down every morning and writing about my life, I pay attention to it, and over time, I have a record of what I’ve paid attention to. Many diarists don’t bother rereading their diaries, but I’ve found that rereading doubles the power of a diary because I’m then able to discover my own patterns, identify what I really care about, and know myself better.

If you’ve never given daily journaling a try, or had a few false start in the past, it may be worth giving it a shot with the right routine. For me, that’s first thing in the morning, but for you, it may be right before bed. It doesn’t matter, so long as you stick to that schedule.