Using a planner for journaling is a great way to reduce your journaling time. One of the biggest reasons people do not journal is the lack of time. We are running here to there with a few minutes in between to catch our breath. We have busy lives, to-do lists are long and family demands keep coming. Some of us use a planner to help keep things from getting forgotten or from slipping between the cracks. Our planners become an important part of our lives. Scheduling events and appointments become really chaotic without one. Even if you only use a small calendar in your purse, it is still a planner and a perfect place to add a piece of journaling to your day. Here are three ways journaling in your planner can help you with this common hiccup in building your journaling practice.

1) Set-Up Your Journal Entry

How do you start out your typical journal entry? Most start with the date and I do too but I also add a few more things to my heading. I start with the date and the day of the week. I also include the time of day and my location, ei kitchen table, in car, at the park, etc. Using a planner as a tool can take the place of creating a heading for your entry. The date and day are already there. Every few seconds saved counts.

2) Simple Journaling Space

Do you get overwhelmed by the blank page thinking – what am I going to write about to fill in this journal? Good thing is with a planner there is a limited amount of space to get the thoughts out or capture a memory. Most planners have a monthly and/or weekly side bar. These are perfect places to write some reflections and set some intentions. Some daily sections can be used for a one line or one word journaling approach. If you find yourself running out of space you could tip-in a note card or add a sticky note to continue your entry.

3) Journaling Strategy of Convenience

You are already looking at your planner daily, possibly multiple times a day. A big time saver is convenience. Find a way to make journaling fit into what you are already doing. Use your planner as a tool for more than scheduling. If you look at your planner in the morning – create space for a bit of gratitude. At night maybe list a few things that went well during the day or maybe a ta-da list (those things you did that were unplanned).

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to journal a few pages each day and sometimes I do, but let’s face it, the time is just not there for the majority of us, unless you find ways to simplify your journaling experience. Release the multiple pages a day expectation. Flip that mindset and use your planner as a simple tool for journaling. Use what is in front of you. Your planner is a tool that can really decrease the time it takes to create a journaling practice that fits into your season of life.

If you enjoyed these tips please like the Restore Your Sparkle community on Facebook and Instagram for more easy ways to add journaling into your self-care practice. You can also fine more ways to work with me on my website.