This Is the Journaling Template for People Who Don’t Have Time to Journal
With ‘Four Corners Journaling,’ there’s no fancy lingo, no obscure writing prompts, no fluff
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I’ve heard that journaling is rocket fuel for self-improvement, which is why I tried to start the habit while I was unemployed during the pandemic. One night, I brought out a small notebook and jotted down my thoughts. I will never forget what happened the next morning: I woke up in an extraordinarily good mood!
It was easy for me to journal religiously — until I started my new job. My days quickly filled up with work, chores, exercise, and writing. With less time and energy, it became difficult for me to take the time to sit and reflect. Days, sometimes even weeks, would pass between entries.
Maybe you’re like me and are having trouble fitting the task into your daily schedule. Or maybe you want to journal but don’t know where the start. (Anyone else overwhelmed by the multitude of writing prompts out there? What are you grateful for? Did you learn something new about yourself? What does your future self look like?) Recently, I came up with a method to make the habit more manageable. It’s called Four Corner Journaling.
The one-page template consists of — you guessed it — four corners: gratitude, goal commitment, and a daily review (what went well and what didn’t). Here’s what it looks like for me:
Gratitude corner
The upper left corner is where you apply The Three Good Things — a count-your-blessing practice that can improve psychological wellbeing. Simply start with “I’m thankful for…” and then list at least three things you’re grateful for that day.
“Future you” corner
The upper right corner is where you remind yourself of who you want to become or what you want to achieve. Research shows that the more you clarify and feel connected with your future self, the more you’re “willing to make choices today that may benefit [you] at some point in the years to come.” In this section…
