Recently a reader (thanks Havier!) had three great questions for me that you may find relevant as well:

1. How do you know which journaling method is right for you?
2. How do you avoid making journaling a chore?
3. How do you practically use journaling as an alternative to screen time?

The first two questions point to the ancient philosophical distinction of means and ends. The third question is easier to answer once this difference is understood.

My introduction to journaling was completely goal-driven. I bought a notebook to bring with me on my honeymoon so I could record my experiences while avoiding the distraction traps of my smartphone. When I returned home I continued the practice because I found that it acted as an effective warm up for my writing sessions.

Eventually, I started using notebooks for everything I could think of:

• Pocket notebooks to record quotes, ideas, and terms while on the go.
• Planners & Bullet Journals to organize my time and tasks.
• Training logs to record my workouts.
• Skill journals to set goals and track progress for my crafts.
• Commonplace books to saved extracted quotes from books catorgized by theme.
• Waste books for messy first drafts.
• Sketch books for doodling.

And the list goes on.

Each one of my notebooks is a dedicated tool for a specific goal; they're all means to an end.

But at some point there was a fundamental shift in my appreciation for writing in a notebook. Once I had developed a consistent daily practice of journaling I started to experience some version of what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls flow. I became fully engaged and absorbed in the experience, my arm moving with measured strokes to transmute ideas into ink.

This experience was so enjoyable that I started to crave journaling for the sheer joy of it, not always as a means to an end.

Most people are introduced to the concept of journaling as a means to achieve some end.

Journaling is a tool that allows the journaler, to do something or attain some benefit.

But sometimes it's enjoyable to write in your notebook just to experience the process of thinking on paper.

Most people don't realize how pleasurable writing can be because they've never experienced it outside of the context of work or school where their writing is scrutinized and judged. But once you get comfortable with the privacy of the page, writing can be surprisingly fun.

There's no reason journaling can't be both a means to an end as well as an end in itself.

It's similar to why I play music. Yes, I write songs to be listened to and performed in front of audiences but, I also write songs becaused it's fun to explore the infinite combinations of tone, melody, and rhythm.

You might start out journaling because you heard that it's good for your mental well-being and can prevent cognitive decline but, eventually you may find yourself writing in your notebook just because you enjoy it.

Or, maybe you won't. It may be that you really dislike the experience finding it dull and boring. But you won't know until you give it an honest shot.

Question 1: How do you know what which journaling method is right for you?

You start by determing what end you're trying to reach. Writing out your goals and why you want to achieve them is a fantastic journaling exercise to gain clarity. Once you know what end you're trying to reach you can choose a journaling method that is right for that goal.

I made a video covering 10 different journaling methods in 10 minutes last year that is a good place to get some ideas that you can watch here.

Some quick suggestions:

• For reseach and learning goals: a commonplace book or short personal essays.
• For Time-management: planners and The Bullet Journal Method
• For skill development: a skill journal where you track progress and write about what you're learning
• For documenting your life: a simple diary
• For exploring your values and ideas: guided journaling prompts
• For idea capture and reflection: keep a pocket notebook on you

Question 2: How do you avoid making journaling a chore?

The truth is journaling might always feel like a chore as long as it remains a means to an end.

I need clean floors in my home and so I use a broom to sweep them. Sweeping still feels like a chore because the broom is, and will likely always be, nothing more than a tool to achieve a goal.

And you know what? That's ok. I will still use the tool because it helps me achieve my goals of a clean household.

But I bet you there is someone out there who loves sweeping not only because they can walk barefoot in peace, but because it's an enjoyable experience. They probably find it meditative or maybe even fun, but not everyone does and we shouldn't expect everyone to.

That's why I highly recommend committing yourself to a challenge or an experiment of at least two weeks, preferably a full 30-days, to see if journaling is a practice you truly want to add into your life.

It may never stop feeling like a chore, but you might find that it's highly effective at helping you achieve your goals.

If it's the best tool for the job then you will likely still journal even if it feels like a chore.

And maybe, just maybe, you'll end up loving it.

Question 3: How do you practically use journaling as an alternative to screen time?

I know what it's like to be extremely online and attached to a screen.

I used to spend 4.5 hours a day on my phone sometimes scrolling Instagram for an hour before I even got out of bed.

I played a MOBA game called Dota 2 for 1000's of hours in my 20's, time I wish I could have back.

I even made a living playing online poker for 12+ hours a day, 7 days a week for a period of time.

None of these digital activities made me happy. In fact, I was mostly anxious and stressed all of the time and yet continued to do them.

Addiction is an apt term for this.

All of these experiences left me feeling empty and like life was devoid of meaning.

Admitting this was the first step. The second step was making the switch to prioritize life offline–you know, life in the real world.

I've spent the last few years creating an offline life that is more compelling than anything the digital realm can offer me.

It's not that I have a super interesting life, but rather I enjoy everything I do in the analog world substantially more than anything I experience through a screen.

Through journaling I've been able to achieve goals, explore ideas that I share with you here, and make YouTube videos that I'm proud of.

By reading books and extracting tons of notes from them, I've learned how demonstrably predatory tech companies are and how they use cheap tactics to hijack our time and attention. This has allowed me to see through the thin veil of bullshit they pedal to keep people sucked into their algorithms.

Knowledge is power. Reading books and writing in your journal is an act of rebellion these days.

I've also gone to extreme lengths to make my screens seem as lifeless as they truly are:

• No colors or notifications on my smartphone.
• I've deleted social media, internet browsers, and email from my phone.
• I leave my phone on a charger away from me at all times.
• When I leave the house my phone stays in a bag, not my pocket.
• I have clear rules and guidelines for when I watch videos or listen to podcasts.

On top of that, I have compelling alternatives to turn toward:

• I always carry a journal to write in and a book to read in my messenger bag.
• I have a pocket notebook that I check instead of a phone in my pocket.
• I have an absurd amount of hobbies and leisure activites that I love to occupy my free time.
• I try my best to use digital tools as a means to facilitate in-person conversation rather as a replacement for them.

But I didn't start here. I got here after years of reading, writing, and creating things that led me to this point.

So don't be discouraged if that all sounds unreachable.

It all started by writing in my diary for a few minutes a day, reading books in the morning, and making the conscious effort to carry a pocket notebook on me at all times.

Start small and see what happens.

Prompt:

Why do you journal and how does it support your values?