FOR YOUR JOURNALING
JUST DO THIS
You could modify and refine this later, but I'd suggest that you implement it "as is" right now - so that you get something that works into place and operating! And once you are using the process you are creating Living The Life Of A Life Champion.
TWO PIECES
Write "as you go". Just label the page at the bottom as "Journal", with date. (You could pull those pages out if you wish into a separate folder or simply leave them there to flip to by date.)
2. A Master Journal
A nicely bound journal and/or
A file kept on the computer (see below)
THE FORMAT
Always use two columns, plus a column for the date if it is sequential.
On the computer, it is kept in reverse chronological order so that you don't have to scroll past all the old entries. Just add a few rows as needed. I use a table with three columns: Date, What Occurred, Comments/Responses.
Date What Occurred Comments, Responses
ONE ENTRY A DAY MINIMUM
Do no less, as life passes by too quickly otherwise and before you know it you will have gotten nowhere (or less far, anyway).
TICKLED FOR A PRE-SET DAILY TIME
Although you can make entries any time of the day, you must have a daily tickle that will remind you, so you don't begin to let it slip. And it must be for a specific time set aside (and of a duration probably of about 5 minutes, though it would be more when you are seeing something that you should address and/or solve.
WHAT TO WRITE
There are two primary purposes for journaling:
1. Focus on experiences, recalling what was good.
2. Look at what didn't work or what did work and implement what works.