Blog · Analog Journaling

How to Journal Consistently: My Analog Journaling System

If you're like me, you've started one, two, three, four, five journals and never finished them.

Luis Duque, PE · September 26, 2026 · 5 min read

That is not because you're inconsistent. It's because those systems were not really created for you.

I design bridges, and I do a lot of thinking on paper at work. Beyond that, I use notebooks for my mental practices: staying mentally healthy and processing my feelings.

Paper has done that far better for me than typing on a computer or recording my thoughts and feelings on my phone. It really does something unique.

Watch the full video for everything shown on camera.

Stop trying to journal every day

When we try to build a journaling habit, we often assume it needs to happen every day, that we need to be super consistent, and that we need to set a time and a schedule.

That is great advice, but sometimes when I sit down at the scheduled time, I don't feel like journaling. The right time might be different that day, sometimes in the evening, sometimes in the morning.

What has worked for me is the flexibility to bring my notebook out whenever I feel compelled, whenever I feel like I need to get something out. Sometimes that means I don't touch my notebook for four, five or six days, and that's totally okay.

Keep the notebook simple

It also helps to keep the notebook simple. Way back in the day, I used a Moleskine for a few years. These days I use a Traveler's Company notebook with Tomoe River paper, which is very nice to write on and works really well with fountain pens.

Fancy systems and processes can be a good thing, but I've found that simpler works better for me. My current journal is a very thin notebook with nothing fancy in it. It's just a notebook and a pen or two.

You don't need to fill a page

Don't think you need to fill a whole page, either. Sometimes a couple of lines or a couple of sentences is enough.

That's where I go back to the basic bullet journal technique of rapid logging, where I don't write full sentences. An entry might be a couple of notes, a couple of feelings or a couple of tasks, just enough to get them out of my system and onto paper.

Four techniques I use on a blank page

Brain dump. I get everything in my head out onto paper, and sometimes even a notepad does the job. Depending on what I wrote, I sometimes shred the page or burn it afterward, because it is that personal.

Top priorities. I picked up this technique from the Monk Manual, which I cover below: I lay out my top priorities for the day. It's a functional way to get my hand on paper, get my brain going in the morning, and get organized.

Sketching. I use paper to sketch engineering drawings, or to draw whatever I'm looking at when I need time to reflect or to get my mind off something that is bothering or stressing me. That technique has been so valuable to me that I use it frequently in my notebooks. For me, it's the practice of getting my hand moving and building that mind-to-hand-to-paper connection.

Weekly reflection. I do a reflection at the end of each week. It could take five minutes or half an hour. It helps me process what happened in the previous week and get set up better for the next one.

Two structured journals I've tried

### Intentional Day Journal

The first is the Intentional Day Journal by my friend Jeff Perry, who also wrote an incredible book, Intentional Engineer. It's a 90-day journal, so each one lasts about 90 days.

Each morning, you start by being grateful before life gets crazy and before the kids wake up, and you set an intention for the day. In the evening, you come back and reflect.

One benefit is getting all the gunk out of your head and onto paper, which helps you sleep better and feel more prepared the next morning. A weekly reflection closes out each week.

I've used some of its prompts in my own journal rather than in the book itself. I prefer the flexibility in case a reflection runs a little longer, and I don't want to be restricted by the space. But I love the prompts, so I copied them onto a note card that I keep with me when I journal.

### Monk Manual

The second prompted journal is the Monk Manual, which I've started a few times in the past. Its pages are nice and thick, so ink doesn't bleed through.

For me, the monthly pages were almost unusable because the boxes are very small, though they could work for habit tracking. It comes with three ribbons: one each for the monthly and weekly pages and, I believe, one for a quarterly section.

The Monk Manual was a little too structured for me. It focuses a lot on scheduling and felt too rigid, and I didn't always have the space to write everything. Still, it's worth considering if you're looking to buy a structured journal.

Best for: borrowing prompts. Skip it if you want your journaling to fit your own schedule. Copy the prompts into a plain notebook instead.

What makes it stick

Journaling sticks for me when I use it intentionally: in the ways that work for me, and at the times I feel most stressed out and need to get something out of me and onto paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I journal consistently if I keep quitting?

What has worked for me is dropping the daily schedule and bringing my notebook out whenever I feel compelled or need to get something out. A simple notebook and short entries make that easier.

Is it okay to skip days?

Yes. Sometimes I don't touch my notebook for four, five or six days, and that's totally okay.

Do I have to fill a whole page?

No. Sometimes a couple of lines or a couple of sentences is enough, and I use bullet journal rapid logging to jot down notes, feelings or tasks without writing full sentences.

What is the Intentional Day Journal?

The Intentional Day Journal is a 90-day prompted journal by my friend Jeff Perry, author of Intentional Engineer. It has morning gratitude and intention prompts, an evening reflection and a weekly reflection.