I began a journaling habit in the mid 90's - my mid 40's as part of my recovery from MDD. It's as natural as brushing my teeth now, after thirty years.

What works for one, doesn't work for another. Stationery here is very expensive and my workspace is tiny, with no drawers or credenza to store files and notebooks. I use a simple process that doesn't require much effort.

I journal first thing in the morning when my mind is fresh - recap on the previous day's feeling and emotions. I use it to monitor my mental and spiritual wellness. I use an A4 college exercise book. I don't go to bed with thoughts whirling in my head - I save them for my morning "brain dump".

I use an A6 spiral notebook for my daily to-do list - each page a new day.. It includes personal, domestic and work activities, even my weekly grocery list. I tick off items as they're completed - like a mental pat on the back for making progress.

I use an A5 spiral notebook for writing ideas. I dog-ear the pages on those that haven't been converted to drafts in Word. a crude yet time-saving way to refer back to them when I'm ready to write.

To view the calendar month at a glance, I print an A4 calendar with the days and dates of the month. It has a notes section at the bottom for me to record important issues I must attend to that month and space in each day to say, record a birthday.

These four items keep it simple for me as my brain cannot handle too much detail.

Thanks for sharing your method.