Table of contents
I’ve been journalling with Daily Notes, but I recently changed my Daily Notes template and I’m enjoying journalling way more!
The key was Ryder Carroll’s rapid logging method. I’ve found that writing in bullet points and focusing on events, tasks, and notes makes journaling more enjoyable for me. It removes the friction I often feel when I think about writing paragraphs or lengthy reflections. Rapid logging allows me to record simple observations of what happened during the day.
In addition to this, I also include interesting facts and reflections from my social media posts. I realized that I had so many thoughts, reflections, and records on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The recent Twitter meltdown made me realise that I really needed to keep a record of my posts on a space that I controlled, that won’t go poof on a billionaire’s whim.
I don’t keep all of them, just the ones that matter to me.
I also jot down notes about various topics. For instance, I wrote about my thoughts on the movie Guardians of the Galaxy. Sadly, despite enjoying a nice meal, I had some digestive issues that night. It might be too much information, but it sure adds colour to “today I had a nice meal with Evelyn”!
As a result, of all this, my daily notes has been more fun to create and is a richer record of my life.
Obsidian plug-ins used
- Tasks
- Calendar
- Periodic Notes
- Template
- Daily Note
The Daily Notes Template
Here are sections in my Daily Notes template:
Focus for the day
One of my favorite sections is the “Focus for the Day” box. It helps me prioritize my tasks and avoid overwhelming myself with an extensive to-do list. By setting my focus at the start of the day, I remind myself to limit my tasks to three and consider anything else as a bonus. On days filled with meetings, like the one I’m sharing, I remind myself not to be too hard on myself if my productivity isn’t as high as usual.
Daily Tasks
I have a daily task section where I check various aspects to ensure I start my working day right. This routine includes reviewing my kanban board, work tickets, work calendar, and email. Additionally, I allocate time to engage with social media comments, as this is an area I tend to neglect. By incorporating it into my daily tasks, I’m breaking the habit of ignoring social media messages for days on end.
Tasks
Next, I use a task plugin to create a section where I list all the tasks for the day. These tasks are arranged by deadline and pulled from project notes in my vaults. Each project has a dedicated document where I list everything related to that project, including meeting notes, observations, learnings, and, of course, tasks. This approach ensures I have a centralized source of information to evaluate projects in the future. The “Overdue Tasks” section reminds me of any unfinished tasks, which often includes personal tasks that I tend to procrastinate on!
Events
This section is pretty self-explanatory. It’s funny how I never bothered to record the daily happenings in my life before!
Notes
The “Notes” section is another favorite. I jot down thoughts, observations, and interesting facts that catch my attention. If they aren’t directly related to a research project, I give them a home here.
Daily Reflection
At the end of the day, I have a section dedicated to reviewing my day. This ritual gives me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. There are journal prompts in this section, and I don’t answer every daily reflection question, but I find it valuable to capture my thoughts on certain topics. Some of the prompts include:
- Today I achieved this victory
- I’m grateful for …
- What well-being activity did you do today? How do you feel?
- What was better than expected?
- Did you have to adjust your expectations for your goals today?
- What do you hope to do tomorrow?
My daily notes on weekends
On weekends, I have started to create a special note that I really enjoy working on. I love this system so much that I’m now even writing daily note entries on weekends, something I never used to do. Unlike my regular daily notes, this weekend note doesn’t have tasks, though I still include “some direction in the “focus of the day” section.
You see, my weekends often lacked direction; I could spend the whole day watching TV if I feel like it! So, in my weekend note, I make sure to set my intentions for the day. For example, one weekend, my goal was to spend quality time with a friend and watch a movie together. I accomplished that goal and it felt great.
If you also keep daily notes, I would love to hear how you do it and if you incorporate journalling. Feel free to leave your comments below. I’m excited to learn from your experiences and insights.
Elizabeth Tai 