How I start my journal entries
My friend Luke asked me about my writing process earlier this week. We were recording the very first episode of his new podcast.
“I don’t really have one,” I said.
But as I started to explain myself, I realized I was wrong. I might think of myself as a bit process averse when it comes to writing, but I actually do have a writing process—at least, I do when it comes to journaling.
So I pivoted. Explained how I start almost all my journal entries the same way:
I write the date.
I write the time.
I write the first word(s) that come to mind.
Today, I wanted to give you a few examples of what this process looks like in practice (and explain why it’s helpful for me). Maybe it’ll be helpful for you, too!
Here’s how I started yesterday’s journal entry:
7/17/26 - 7:53am. Waking up slow and, unfortunately, already poured screen time into my eyeballs.
The day before that:
7/16/26 - 9:13am. Tell me something good. My coffee is sweet and milky and warm.
And the day before that:
7/15/26 - 8:19am. Wednesday. Today I need to get my labs done.
And the day before that:
7/14/26 - 6:39am. Up early today. Tuesday.
And the day before that:
7/13/26 - 7:26am. 7:35am now. Coffee is milky and sweet. Groggy.
None of these first lines are particularly groundbreaking. They’re not meant to be. Mostly, their job is just to get me started. To take me from not writing to writing. In my experience, this process helps me do that really, really well.
Here’s what I mean, more specifically:
It tells me exactly what to write first. Instead of getting stuck in a perfectionist loop about what to write about, I just open my journal, check my watch, and write. No frustration or resistance.
It keeps my focus on the facts. I don’t have to be good. I don’t have to have a point. I don’t even really need to have an opinion. All I need to do is write down the facts of my reality in this micro moment: the date, the time, the first word(s) that come to mind. To me, that’s way easier than trying to write something impressive.
It gives me a jumping-off point. One of the hardest parts of writing is often starting; another is continuing. Writing down these three things at the start of each journal entry gets my pen moving and the words flowing, which makes continuing writing less of a struggle. I just ask myself “What else?” and write down what comes to mind. Then again. And again.
When it comes to starting my journal entries, my writing process is simple. So simple I almost didn’t recognize it as a process at all. That’s probably why it’s been so easy to follow for the last four years—and why it just might work for you, too.
Give this process a try next time you sit down to journal (or find yourself resisting journaling at all).
Or, try using it right now! Leave a comment with the date, time, and the first word(s) that come to mind.
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