Journaling is getting more popular each year, if you fancy creating your own for 2020 this guide will help you get started.
A journal isn’t just a planner, it can be a way of getting organised and so much more! You can record memories; track your health and fitness; manage your finances; it can also be a place to get creative with sketching, doodles and lettering; the list goes on and on.
It is really easy to set one up; all you need is a journal and a selection of pens. We used Derwent Graphik Line Makers for this journal, due to their vibrant colour and fantastic flow. (Derwent Graphik Line Makers have been discontinued as they have been replaced by Derwent Line Makers. Buy Derwent Line Makers here.)
Before you get started number all the pages in the journal, write them quite small in either in the top or bottom corners of each page. Then you can make your cover page/s. On this you can add your name and contact details plus the year you are recording and anything else you like.
Next is the Index – this will be where you write the page numbers for each section of your journal so you can find things easily. There are three main sections in a journal, these are the Future Log, the Monthly Log and the Daily Log. These sections are basic components of the journal; you can also add things like lists, reminders, notes, memories etc. You can really personalise it however you like!
You will also need a Key to remind what the symbols mean in the log sections of the journal.
Your Future Log is an overview of the next six months. You can to split your two page spread into six equal size boxes and list the first six months of the year. You can use these pages to plan ahead, add any birthdays, reminders and events to the corresponding months and this will give you an idea of what you will have going on.
Appointments are marked with a triangle, events a circle, tasks a square, urgent with an exclamation mark, due date with a clock and notes with a dot. Anything that is moved to a later date can be denoted with an arrow pointing to the right, this is called migration and anything cancelled is marked with a left pointing arrow.
The Monthly Log is your month at a glance. On the first page write down the days of the month and then make a note of anything you need to do or remember. Some of these things will already be on your Future Log so you can just transfer them across at the start of the month. With the space you have on the second page you can add anything else you think will be useful. We’ve got a list of goals and tasks that need to be completed over the course of the month. You can change how you use this space each month until you find what works best for you.
Any blank space on the page can be decorated with doodles or quotes if you like and mixing up the fonts you use makes for a more interesting and fun look!
The third section of your journal is your Daily Log. This is usually a two page spread set up to plan and record your day. On the left hand side is a timeline – start it from when you wake up until when you go to bed in the evening. This helps you to visualise your day. Split the line into hours and add what you have to do and where you need to be during the day.
There will be space left over to use how you wish; you can add reminders and notes, record things like the weather each day and how long you slept for, you can make memories by writing down things that made you happy and tracking your mood and exercise or anything else you can think of.
Other ideas for your daily log could be:
- A doodle a day
- Meditation
- Relaxation
- Reading log
- Food log
- Quote of the day
- Daily goals
After you have set up the main three sections of your journal you can create other sections that appeal to you – there are hundreds of ideas online to choose from!
Spending time writing in your journal and creating new pages and spreads each day is a great way to unwind and disconnect from the digital world. Not only will it help you get organised, it can also help you feel more relaxed and centred too!
What sections would you find useful in a journal?
Blog provided by Amanda Carter, blogger and journaller.
You can purchase your own Derwent Dotted Journal Set here and start your 2020 right!
If you are looking to start a journal but would rather have plain paper, there is also the Derwent Sketching Journal Set here.
Both the Derwent Journal Sets include 4 Derwent Line Maker pens, but if you would like to add different colours to your collection, you can buy Line Maker pens here.