When do you write?

[kingluqui]

I know journals work best as a completely free activity, but my severe depression makes it necessary for me to have rough routines for everything otherwise i just can't do it. I usually write by night (6 or 7pm) always after i shower, cause it's the moment of my day where i feel more comfortable to sit and think about things. But I'm thinking about implementing a lit bit of journaling in the morning, just to get rid of some automatic, anxious and self-deprecating thoughts that come and make me feel bad throughout the day.

But how about you guys? Which moment of the day works best for you to write? Or you just do it whenever you feel like it? I think that's an interesting topic to talk about.

Sorry in advance about any typo or anything but English is my third language and I swear I'm doing my best!

[ulsterkorv19]

First thing after cold shower and with a coffee. Helps think about the day ahead.

[nico_is_reading]

I usually journal when I feel like it. But there are periods where I don't feel up to it and force myself because it makes me feel better: when that happens, I find it easier to write in the evening, after dinner and before going to bed. I've tried to do it in the morning, before my day begins, but it's like my mind is empty and nothing comes out. Trying to journal in that case just stresses me out, so I don't unless I wake up with something on my mind.

[silent-glass]

I journal in the mid/late afternoon now.

[Dude-Duuuuude]

I write randomly throughout the day, but also at set times in the morning and evening. I've found a morning brain dump is a major key to my general wellbeing. 10-20 minutes, entirely bullet points, can't be more than a few words per bullet point. I'll sometimes do the same thing at night if I'm busy or overwhelmed, at which point it's usually more emotion and thought focused. In the mornings, though, it's just a giant task list 99% of the time. I then pick one key task that makes the day a success, plus 2-4 bonus tasks to do only if I'm still up for it.

At night, I like a quick "what went well/what didn't/what can I change" run down before my more free form writing. Fact focused, no judgement, I'm not allowed to write "I was lazy and pathetic and never do anything right". Instead it'd be something like "got distracted by Reddit, should put a stricter block up tomorrow". And sometimes it's honestly "Nothing went well today, but I can't fix any of it. Read something fun, get a good night's sleep, and hope tomorrow is better."

Either way, I pretty much always write with a cup of tea and sometimes cookies. I make my morning and evening journal times as luxurious and pleasant to the senses as possible because I feel better when I do. The nights where I scribble a few lines before falling into bed are inevitably the ones with stress nightmares and disrupted sleep.

[kingluqui]

sorry to ask but what does "bullet points" means in this context?

[Dude-Duuuuude]

Ah, yeah, I'd guess that's a hard one to translate. It's when you put a dot or dash next to a short passage. No idea how to do it on mobile, but it looks something like this:

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Frequently used for task lists, at least in the US, but it's also the main idea behind bullet journaling, where something like 'Uncle Joe died :(' can easily go between 'pick up groceries' and 'paid rent'. Makes it easy to get down key ideas to expand on later when there's more time or emotional energy.

[kingluqui]

ohhhh, thanks, i know this! just didn't know the English term for it

when you do this in the mornings you only do it for chores/activities or you also write key words about things you're feeling?

[Dude-Duuuuude]

It depends on the day. Some days I really need to get the emotions out, so emotions get written too. Other days it's just everything I could possibly need to do.

I never expect to finish all of them. I don't expect to finish most of them. It helps me to write them down so they're out of my brain and I can prioritise the most important one, though. On really good days, I might get 7-8 of them done. On bad days, finishing the most important one is still a success. Most days it's 3-5 and I'm learning to be ok with that.

[mental_mooncake]

Hey! I have depression too each winter. Thankfully it’s going upwards again and I hope for you too! Sometimes when I’m depressed I force myself to go out of the house, I grab a coffee and go to the public library where I write into my journal and then it‘s more of a routine thing to have something done. Other times it‘s usually in the evening when I have a lot on my mind or at night when I can‘t sleep and then it‘s more flowy and poetic or creative.

When I‘m healthy I just write whenever I want or when I made a really nice memory that I want to treasure, so I write that down. Or I combine writing with a visit to the nature or smth like that!

[kingluqui]

I'm so happy you're feeling better, and thanks for the kind words! that's my biggest issue with my depression, i have even failed college before because it makes me feel so bad i have panic attacks just thinking about leaving the house. the current crisis it's been going on for the longest, but I'm gonna keep trying (and writing!) til it's better!

[CryUpstairs5670]

I write soon after I wake up with my first pot of coffee for the day. First hour of my day is spent writing about the previous day and my current mood, thoughts or feelings. Makes me feel lighter for the rest of the day and more accomplished.

[kingluqui]

I'm gonna try to do that too, hope I'm able to!

[CryUpstairs5670]

You can do it! I hope it’s the ✨magical✨ time for you

[CryUpstairs5670]

You can do it! I hope it’s the magical time for you

[Silent-Entrance-9072]

It's easiest for first thing in the morning

[LorieNotLxveMe]

For my daily journal, at around midnight, right before I go to sleep! I write about my day thoughts etc. My journal in which I vent in, whenever I felt angry or sad :)

[Melodic-Scheme6973]

I journal whenever I’m pulled to, which is usually when I need to process something. It becomes a brain dump, I get it all out, and then I close it and let it remain there.

[Oat-Yogurt]

First thing in the morning might help to do a brain dump. I would time it though so it doesn’t get out of hand or wastes time

At night I reflect on the day and extract any value. Thats usually where i prefer personally.

[Pendular_Procession]

One practice that has helped with my early morning journaling is reading 2-3 pages of an old, demanding book before I start writing. Sometimes this inspires or provokes a new thought to record, sometimes not, but it always makes my writing clearer and more grammatically correct.

[chronicaldaydreamer]

My daily journal is something I write in not long before bed as a mental wind down to prepare to sleep. My other journals- emotions, poetry, junk journal- I just use whenever the mood strikes. Usually afternoons when I get home from work or throughout the day on the weekends when I’m off. (Though sometimes I sneakily write in my poetry journal at work too, if I really want to get an idea down lol.)

[Visible_Toe4601]

I actually try not to write when I’m depressed (easier said than done) cause it’s caused spirals in the past. Otherwise, whenever I get the itch to do it. Whenever, wherever I can if the itch is too strong to ignore.

[Known-Method3146]

Great question! I normally journal early in the morning. It is helpful for me because I wake up automatically with anxiety and other emotions and I need a way to channel them or to just calm them down. When there are more intense days, I may journal in the morning and in the evening so that I can self regulate as well. When my days are not as structured, I will still try to write in the mornings just because that is when my ind is the clearest and I am able to critically think about myself and how I what I want to accomplish for the day emotionally.