How To

January 15, 2025

How to start journaling for work

Research shows that writing down your goals and aspirations can significantly increase the likelihood of achieving them

“Journaling is like having a conversation with your future self. It helps you slow down and get honest about what you really want,” says Elizabeth Uviebinené, author, columnist and the founder of guided journaling app Storia. “By connecting with yourself regularly, you build a clear vision of where you’re headed and why it matters.”

She believes that journaling is as important in your work life as it is in your personal life — writing down goals and aspirations can significantly increase the likelihood of achieving them, research shows. 

In our Startup Life newsletter, Elizabeth gave us her top tips for creating a new journaling habit to support your career.

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Review your year gone by

You might want to split it into work and personal life. Or even further like career, relationships, health, etc. A good starting point is going through your camera roll, calendar and previous journals or notes.

Start with the positives:

  • What are you grateful for that happened last year?
  • What were your wins?

Then ask yourself:

  • What went well?
  • What would have been better?

Spend some time reflecting on your writing. What patterns or realisations have you identified? What truly excites and motivates you?

Redefine your long-term goals

Have you spoken to yourself about what you really want? Journaling can help unlock the things we don’t realise we’re not saying. Consider journaling answers to:

  • Where do I see myself in my career in five years? If you’re considering leadership, for example, go deeper by asking yourself: What leadership qualities do I admire, and how can I develop them?
  • What does success mean to me, and how has that definition evolved?
  • What steps am I taking to align my current work with my long-term vision?

Create a prompt library

Keep a list of prompts that resonate with you in your journal or on your phone. Rotate through them based on your current needs or challenges. Here are a few suggestions for:

1. Writing weekly reflections:

  • What were my biggest accomplishments this week?
  • What challenges did I face, and how did I handle them?
  • What lessons did I learn from my successes or setbacks?
  • What moments brought me joy or pride in my work?

2. Goal setting

  • What are my top three goals for the upcoming week/month?
  • What small actions can I take today to move closer to my larger goals?
  • Why are these goals important to me, and how will achieving them impact my career or personal life?

3. Personal development

  • What skills or knowledge areas do I want to develop, and why?
  • What steps have I taken recently to grow professionally?
  • What are my long-term career aspirations, and how am I working toward them?
  • What can I do to better manage my emotional well-being at work?

You can also find so many prompts online to support you with unlocking your writing.

Create a daily check in routine

If you’re doing it at the beginning of the day ask yourself, ‘What are the three most important things I need to focus on today?’ and start freeflow writing. It clarifies your priorities, sets the tone for the day and keeps you focused on tasks that align with your larger goals. If you’re using it as a reflection tool (or both) consider asking yourself what emotions you experienced at work today, and why?

Stay consistent

Even three minutes a day is great to connect with yourself and realign, even on your busiest days. It’s not about perfection but about showing up regularly, and over time; those small moments build a powerful foundation for your goals and growth. If you don’t want to write, you can also type digitally into Storia or use a mic recording feature and speak out your thoughts.

Hold yourself accountable

When you’ve been through something challenging, when you’ve received some feedback or maybe even when you’ve had successes, reflect on it so you can learn and grow. Ask yourself:

  • What went well?
  • What would you do differently next time?
  • How did you feel about all of this?
  • What were some unexpected outcomes?

On the subject of... journaling

Why should you journal about your work life? 

📖 How to start and keep a journal. 

📝 For one founder, journaling is the best thing he’s done for his business: “Going back to mid-2018, I have detailed notes of all my major decisions as a founder.”

💭 Give yourself a quarterly think day. 

Anisah Osman Britton

Anisah Osman Britton is coauthor of Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup. Follow her on X and LinkedIn