The 4 Best Wellness Journals in 2024 to Get Consistent With Your Journal Practice
It’s not often something so well priced comes with so many benefits. Or such little time commitment for that matter. Granted, like most things, consistency is key when it comes to 10 minutes a day with your journal. But believe me, investing in a wellness journal is a game-changer. Especially you’ve got a lot going on, you’re going through some pretty big life changes (aka your 20s!) & are trying to stay sane in the process.
As well as feeling like you’ve got your sh*t together, daily journalling can help with better mental health, all-round productivity and lets not forget, feeling more gratitude for where you are on your journey. Sure, it’s not therapy, but it’s pretty close to it. It’s become one of my favourite forms of self care.
Still in doubt? I challenge you to give it a try for just a month, and I promise the changes you’ll notice will blow your mind (positively & productively, of course).
If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve curated a list of the top wellness journals I’ve personally tested & I’ll give you my unfiltered Daily Rituals DL.
What Is A Wellness Journal?
It’s your private space, usually in the form of a note pad, to help you keep tabs on anything from your greatest life goals to your plans for the day. The best journals encourage reflection too. So whilst there’s typically space for a gratitude list, a daily to-do-list and a habit tracker, the most important part of your journal will be space to just let it all out.
Okay, I hear you, why not just buy a regular notebook? Well, for one, they’re never as cute (and the few cute ones are the same price anyway), and most importantly, good wellness journals come with prompts that inspire personal growth, get you thinking about what you really want to achieve in life & then mindset you need to get you there.
Are Wellness Journals Worth It?
Don’t just take my word for it. Studies show that we’re more motivated & our brain activity is stronger when we write down our thoughts in a wellness journal. It makes sense – we’re busy, there’s a lot going on day to day. Taking a moment to pour it all out can work wonders. I’m sure you’ve been there before, when your brain decides it’s go time just as you want to get to sleep. Journalling not only helps you get this out of your head but there’s also something quite symbolic about finishing your notes & closing your journal for the day. I’m convinced it helps to tell your brain to chill out (at least until tomorrow!).
For me, it’s made me realise that I’m actually quite a worrier. I’m pretty good (great, even) at always going to the worst case scenario in my head. Writing out my thoughts & worries helps me to rationalise that this made-up-scenario I’m playing out in my heard often has either a really simple solution or isn’t going to happen anyway. For you, and your wellness journey, you might find the benefits are different. But one thing thats for sure is that once it becomes part of your daily practice, it’s almost meditative. And just like when you skip your morning meditation, you’ll notice the difference on the days you skip that precious 10 minutes.
Why Should You Try One?
It Can Help With Anxiety and Depression
It’s a fact that most of us at some point in our lives will experience anxiety or depression. If you’ve not experienced it before, I’d bet that you know someone who has. It’s incredibly common, and with so much in flux in our lives, it’s understandable how we can be caught off guard by periods of it.
A journal practice has the potential to do so much good. First up, committing 10 minutes to yourself daily (and sticking to it) honours yourself & the journey you’re on. It reminds you each morning that you are committed to becoming the best version of you. Plus, with the help of some journal prompts, you’ll likely start to notice you find clarity around the problems or feelings your experiencing right now. What’s the saying again? A problem shared is a problem halved. That applies here too. Whether it’s sharing with a friend, or simply getting it all out in your journal.
It Will Turbo Charge Your Productivity
Have you ever wondered why you keep procrastinating? You & me both. It’s easy to procrastinate when you don’t know where you’re headed, or why you’re even heading there. Journalling can help you understand what motivates you & also what gets in the way of your productivity. Having this front of mind from the start of your day helps you avoid repeating the same old mistakes. Instead, you can take a step towards the person you want to become.
For me, I procrastinate when I don’t have a weekly plan that becomes a daily plan. Before I started to write my plan (side note, I don’t use my journal for this, since it’s pretty long!) it felt like I had so many things I needed to do but no idea which to tackle first. I only realised this through journalling though – noticing that I’d often repeat in my notes that I “had so much to do” or “felt like I wasn’t making progress“. A simple solution to both is to start to create realistic weekly plans, and I’ve never looked back!
Wellness Journal as a Wellbeing Tracker
If your a Type A girly, you’re going to love tracking everything in your wellness journal. Whether it’s a new habit you’re hoping to build, your water intake, your meal planning for the week or even your workouts. You name it, you can probably track it in your journal. I’ll be honest – I often start off well with the trackers & I find they lose novelty eventually. But, they might be more your thing so it’s worth a try.
The Best Wellness Journals For Mindfulness, Positivity and Gratitude
The best journal for you will always be the one you can be most consistent with. Here are my top 4 to try out. Find your favourite, give it a go for a month or so and see if you click.
The App – Day One Journal
If it’s going to be easier for you to journal on-the-go, say on your commute or subtly during your work break, this digital self-care journal from Day One has over 150,000 5-star reviews, and for good reason. It’s a daily planner that helps you get your thoughts out of your head with ease in a few minutes. With new daily prompts & templates to use for free, it’s got everything you need to get into a regular practice. & since it’s on your phone, there’s pretty much no excuse to not use it whilst you’re waiting in line at the shops or before you start scrolling on socials.
What You’ll Love About Day One
If you download it and it doesn’t feel like a perfect fit, my back up suggestion would be the Clearful app. It has very similar functionality but a paired-back home screen, which might be more your thing for your daily self reflection journal.
The One To Use With An iPad – Mara Digital Daily Journal
If note-taking on your iPad is more your thing, this Etsy bestseller is for you. It’s a simple but effective digital wellness diary that covers all the bases for your daily 10 minute journal practice. It focuses your attention on your daily affirmation, followed up by your main goal for the day. This way, you can be sure to get a daily buzz from ticking one key task off, knowing you’ve moved one step closer to your goal, or simply done that thing you’d been putting off forever.
The Hardbacks
The Positive Wellness Journal by The Positive Planner
If you enjoy the tactile writing experience, a wellness planner like The Positive Wellness Journal is one of the best out there. Adored on Pinterest for it’s hot orange cover, each page inside is as equally aesthetic. There’s plenty of variety too – the main pages are akin to a typical wellbeing journal and are designed to be used to check in first thing in the morning and last thing at night. For those moments when you want to go a bit deeper, theres a range of exercises and prompts focused on nurturing your mind, body & soul.
What You’ll Love About The Positive Wellness Journal:
The 3Q Journal by Dr Rangan Chatterjee x Intelligent Change
After spending two decades as a Doctor, Dr Rangan Chatterjee knows his stuff. Created in collaboration with The Intelligent Change, The 3Q Journal by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is the one gratitude journal that keeps selling out. Like the Positive Planner, it’s designed to be used morning and night, but it differs with it’s focus on just 3 questions (as you might have guessed) to encourage intention and reflection. It’s the simplicity of this daily wellness journal that helps it become a consistent practice in your routine. Available in three textured covers, the sophisticated deep emerald green is my favourite.
What You’ll Love About The 3Q Journal:
The DR Verdict: The Best Wellness Journal in 2024
If you ask us what the best wellness journal is, we’d say it’s relative. It depends on what you enjoy most and what keeps you on your toes when journaling. Whether it’s an app, a digital download, or a physical planner, the most important thing is that you feel motivated and empowered to use it consistently.
