Keeping multiple journals allows you to be more organized, journal more intentionally, and journal about different goals and areas of your life/mind.

Keeping multiple journals also allows you to experiment with different sizes, paper types, and writing styles.

If you’re just getting started, then I’d recommend you keep just one journal, but as you get more comfortable, and write more frequently, you’ll want to keep multiple ones.

The secret to maximize productivity as well as your own wellbeing is to develop a set of tiny but powerful daily habits.

It turns out, journaling is one of them. Once you start noting down your thoughts, you won’t go back because you’ll notice the benefits.

Journaling helps you monitor your health, track growth in all areas of your life, organize your tasks… or even just release feelings that may be bottled up.

It really is a magical habit, one that won’t cost you more than a few bucks and a few minutes each day (or whenever you’re inspired).

Not to mention that the end result — a diary full of notes that you can always go back to — looks and feels like a work of art… your own!

Physical vs digital journal

Smartphone apps have their place, but when it comes to writing, in general, pen and paper is best.

I couldn’t imagine keeping a digital journal; it wouldn’t feel as personal, and I know I couldn’t concentrate as much if I were staring at a screen.

When checking the news, texting, catching up on social media etc. your brain is in a certain state; you want journaling to access a different one.

Also, we use screens pretty much all the time (and this is unlikely to change), so for a “ritual” as special as journaling, you may as well use actual paper.

So yeah, if you haven’t already, just buy an actual physical journal. An app may be faster and cheaper, but it just wouldn’t be the same.

That being said, it doesn’t hurt to keep an app just for noting down things on the go or whenever you can’t use pen and paper.

Benefits of keeping multiple journals

1. You’ll journal more often

Imagine keeping not one, but three or four journals you can always grab and note down things in.

Naturally, you’ll now have a lot more to write because you’ll no longer be limited to a single journal.

2. You’ll be more organized

One journal simply isn’t enough for those of us who want to e.g. note down their 2am intuitions, but also track their financial goals.

When you keep multiple journals, each will have a clear purpose and that’ll help you be more organized and journal more intentionally.

3. You’ll experiment

With different sizes, types of paper, or even just the way you journal e.g. writing spontaneously vs being as accurate/precise as possible.

I’ve personally found that sometimes it’s best to just note down something as quickly as possible, spontaneously. Also, I don’t like tiny journals — A4 or bigger for me.

4. You’ll turn pro

With multiple journals, it’ll be easier to be committed and dedicated to the practice.

You don’t want journaling to turn into a job, but since it helps you so much in terms of clarity/mental health/growth you may as well journal more seriously and more often.

Downsides of keeping multiple journals

1. Traveling/moving

You’re finally going on holiday and want to pack light — that’s going to be harder with multiple journals.

Paper is heavy. And if you’re like me, you only keep big journals (no small notebooks). Not the end of the world, but when traveling, it can be annoying.

2. Not good at first

If you’re just getting started, then I’d recommend you start with one. Just get a journal and start noting down things — anything.

Don’t even try to make it pretty. Just write. Once it becomes a habit, you can then experiment with multiple journals (ideally as many as your goals/interests).

Keeping multiple journals: ideas

  • Physical health. Health is wealth and the simple habit of tracking your health (diet, sleep quality, lifestyle, energy levels etc.) can make you a lot more aware of it — and improve it.
  • Mental/spiritual health. Can you detach from your thoughts and feelings and see what triggers them? Can you notice any patterns? Do you know what makes you happy, what drives you?
  • Daily to-do lists. I still write all my to-do lists on single blank sheets (been over ten years now), but you could also use a journal/diary, especially if you want to keep them.
  • Goals/finances. Do you have goals, perhaps financial goals as well? Track them. Use numbers and dates. Besides being useful data, it’ll help you be more committed and disciplined.
  • Dream journal. It’s now a well-known psychological fact that dreams aren’t just random creations of the mind; they can be powerful metaphors and symbols. And if you’re into lucid dreaming, journaling will help too.
  • Thoughts/ideas. From deep philosophical contemplative questions, to intuitions and images that may pop up in your mind when you’re about to fall asleep. Don’t trust your memory — note them down!