When is the Best Time of Day to Journal?

This question comes up a lot when I talk to students about journaling. The simple answer is that it doesn’t really matter. However, because our lives are typically structured around the day-night cycle, there are certain boosts that come from writing at different times of the day.

Mornings

As a high school student, it’s not always easy to find time in the morning for anything other than rushing yourself to school, but for the rare morning people out there, the morning holds limitless possibilities. Because of this, journaling at the start of the day can be helpful for clearing the mind. This is the foundation for the popular practice of “morning pages;” where you sit down before you start your day and continuously write one (or more) pages about whatever comes to mind without worrying about grammar or structure. This process of dumping everything is akin to meditation and helps to build focus throughout the day because your mind is no longer holding and processing so many bits of information.

Evenings

Your time in the evening is usually quite busy and packed with homework, studying, and projects, but how you use your time is much more within your own control. You’re also at the end of the day’s events, which is why journaling in the evening can be helpful for taking stock of the day and some deeper reflection and analysis while the events from earlier are still fresh and easily accessible. This is often the preferred time for most people to write as long as you can hold off the pull of drowsiness as you put down your thoughts. 

The bottom line comes back to your why for journaling. If you’re trying to become more creative through cross-pollinating ideas in your journaling, then you might benefit from morning journaling. If you’re trying to become more reflective and insightful, then journaling in the evenings might suit you better. Don’t feel like there is a single right time to write. The short version for this post is just: write whenever you feel like either. But if you’re like me, you often don’t feel like it quite as often as you would like.