8 Types of Journaling You Should Try
By Ellie Duncan
With the ever-evolving ways that you can journal, there is no single definition of what journaling is or one way that journaling should be done. How an individual chooses to journal is largely dependent on what they hope to get of it as well as their own personal styles. For some, this might take a more creative form such as visual journals, whilst for others it might consist of simply putting pen to paper. Ultimately, there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to journaling. So, what are some of the types of journaling that you could try?
1) Bullet journaling: A popular method of journaling initially based around the use of bullet points and to-do lists but has grown to include a variety of styles with many using colourful pens, tape, and stickers.
2) Visual/artistic journaling: Allows for creativity and is useful when there aren’t quite the right words to describe your thoughts and feelings. This can consist of illustrations, doodles, and art.
3) Transfer journaling: A perfect space to record new information but with a focus on how this can be transferred into the future or in a more practical setting. This concept could be applied to academia, hobbies, or work.
4) 5 W’s journaling: Involves the use of the 5 ‘W’ questions (who, what, when, where, why) to prompt journal entries.
5) Gratitude journaling: Focused on writing about what you are grateful for. For example, being grateful for having a roof over your head, for a particular person, or a particular opportunity.
6) Question journaling: Uses questions as prompts for journal entries. For example, reflective questions, questions around future goals, or present feelings and thoughts.
7) Reading journaling: The ideal type for bookworms. It acts as a space to record notable quotes or ideas from something that you’ve read. These may be powerful quotes, aspects that inspire further research, or just simply something that resonates with you.
8) Idea journaling: Also referred to as ‘brain dump’ journaling in which a space is provided for the recording of new ideas and thoughts that can be referred to at a later date.
It is important to remember that journaling does not require a large time commitment or financial investment to get started. Simply taking a notepad and paper and setting aside 5-10 minutes every few days can have profound benefits, which you can read about here. The most important part of journaling is to make it your own as you are the one aiming to benefit from it, and only you know what you need. So, if there is one type that particularly piques your interest, why not give it a try?