Well the most obvious statement to make about this post, is that it isn’t really a list, but I have a bit of a list later in the post, so stick with me. My whole idea on ‘Life Lists’ was to post really useful lists that people might find useful. I love a good list. There is something about brief pieces of advice or signposting that is so activating. But what I wanted to post about was something that I have found so very useful and it is my Journal practice.

Now I kow that journalling isn’t exactly revolutionary but I have been journalling consistently since the start of 2025 and I have found it so beneficial. Now previously I had tried the ‘Morning Pages’ from The Artists’s Way, but I found it too prescriptive to write 3 pages every day. I felt that I was just filling space to make sure I came in on the target of three pages. What I have found more beneficial is that at the start of the day, opening up my journal and just writing. As much or as little as I feel compelled to write. I write about what makes me gratfeul. What my anxieities are. What might be happening today or what happened yesterday. It doesn’t really matter too much what I write, so long as I do write.

It’s helped me formulate what I’m thinking about, it’s helped me get out of my own head (a mamouth undertaking any day of the week), and it has generally set the productive tone of the day.

Some people like to use prompts to kick start their daily journal. I am not adverse to that, but again, I’m not a fan of being too prescriptive with such a practice, but it does work for some people. If I’m going to use a prompt, I try to use ones that focus around being productive as my journal is more of productive tool rather than just a record of what is happening in my life. Here are the type of prompts I have been utilising:

“What are the top 3 tasks I must complete today to feel accomplished?”
“What’s one distraction I will avoid today, and how?”
“How can I structure my day to maximize energy and focus?”
“What’s a quick win I can achieve in the first hour of my day?”
“What mindset shift do I need today to stay productive?”
“Am I on track with my goals for today? If not, what needs to change?”
“What’s one thing I’ve done well so far, and how can I keep the momentum?”
“Is there a task I’m procrastinating on? What’s the next small step?”
“How can I make the next hour ultra-focused?” (e.g., Pomodoro, no phone)
“What’s draining my energy right now, and how can I fix it?”
“What were my biggest productivity wins today?”
“What could I have done better, and how will I improve tomorrow?”
“Did I spend time on what truly matters, or just what felt urgent?”
“What’s one habit I can build to make tomorrow more efficient?”
“What’s my #1 priority for tomorrow, and why?”
“What’s one system or tool I can optimize to save time this week?””What repetitive task can I automate or delegate?”
“What’s holding me back from peak productivity, and how do I remove it?”
“If I could only focus on three big goals this month, what would they be?”
“What’s the smallest change I can make that would have the biggest impact on my productivity?”
“When do I do my best thinking? How can I protect that time?”
“What’s my ‘why’ behind today’s work?”

I think the danger is being too prescriptive when journalling. It still has to be enjoyable, it still has to be flexible enough as we’re not machines. We’re meant to be leaving the Cult of Productivity. It needs to be a quick practice that enahnces our performance or our day rather than just another task that becomes perfomative rather than offering any real value. So why not give it a try? I’d love to hear how you’re getting on with it once you’ve started it.

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