This is a question I just read on the reddit journaling sub. If I quit commenting on reddit a few months ago, I still regularly read those subs I consider interesting and enriching, and I think this is an interesting question.

a view from my journal. For each day, there is a lettered and painted date + a few words regarding my mood, the weather and how well I slept

That for me, is the shortest entry possible.

As you can see, even if it’s blurred, I have written some more stuff below that. But it just happens to be the case there. Often, I won’t.

What is it all about? It’s written in French (I journal in French and in English), but that doesn’t change much:

  • I put the date and the day of the week. Why bother with the day since I know perfectly well it was written on Monday (lundi) and on Tuesday (mardi)? In a few months, or even a few weeks I will not remember what the day was. I quickly realized I missed not having that information when I was browsing through my journal. So, now, I systematically write it down.
    And what about the lettering and coloring? I don’t always do that, but it’s also a lot of fun so I try to do it as often as I can — like adding small sketches using watercolors to illustrate whatever. It only takes a minute or two.
  • I also write how I slept, which is another info I learned to value as I was getting older.
  • The weather when I first went out that day. I will do long walks at least twice a day and this quick note about the weather maybe all what’s needed to trigger a lot of other memories for that day. Be it when I read it later on, or right when writing it down.
  • My mood. I spend years trying to control my (bad) temper. So, for me it’s great to jot that down too.

Once again, I think it’s clear from what I said, those are just three things I value enough to write them down. Write your own stuff. It doesn’t matter what it is, well, it will matter to you obviously.

Imho, what should matter to all of us is to be fine with the fact that we won’t do it every single day, that will not happen believe me, and that’s fine. Like it is fine to try to note some info and then realize they’re not that important, and try with others. These attempts can also be a legit part of your journal, like crossing stuff out instead of erasing them or tearing the page out.

So, that’s how I do short entries in my journal.

How do you do yours? And if you have not started yet, how would you like doing it?