FREE 30+ Journal Samples in MS Word | Google Docs | Pages | PDF

In accounting, investment, and trading, a journal refers to an informative and detailed account that keeps a record of a business’s financial transactions and will be used for account reconciliation in the future and transfer details to other accounting records like a general ledger. However, a journal can also refer to a record that contains all the details of one’s life, from certain events, experiences, and feelings to everyday thoughts and memories.

30+ Journal Samples

1. Anxiety Journal Check-In Template

2. Sample Journal Planner Template

3. Bullet Journal Time Blocking Template

4. Bullet Journal Planner

5. Poetry Journal Template

6. Research Journal Template

7. Academic Journal

8. Journal Proposal

9. Outcome Journal Example

10. Creative Dialectical Journal

11. Electronic Submission Journal

12. Food Journal

13. Journal Club Handout

14. Journal Article

15. Research Journal Paper

16. Journal Article Reading Template

17. 14 Day Food Journal

18. Project Journal

19. Journal Club Example

20. Blank Journal Article Template

21. Printable Journal

22. Journal Activity Log

23. Journal Internship Program

24. Personal Journal

25. Gratitude Journal Template

26. Engineering Journal

27. Weekly Practice Journal

28. Journal Editorial Review

29. Credit Experience Journal

30. Double Entry Journal

31. Triple Entry Journal

What is a Journal?

A journal is a document that contains a written record of an individual’s experiences, ideas, thoughts, and observations. It can be written on a daily or weekly basis or whenever the writer has the urge to write an entry. Writing a journal allows a person to remember the events they had attended, the tasks they did, what they were feeling on a particular day, and more. Other templates that an individual can use to keep a record of their activities and experiences are daily schedule planners, goal planners, vacation journals, travel journals, weight journals, and food journal templates.

How to Create a Journal

Journal writing or journaling is an informal method of recording one’s emotions or thoughts on certain topics or factors they encounter every day such as their feelings when they met with friends, talking with family, or more. This writing skill requires practice, consistency, and commitment which eventually leads to enhanced creativity and skills. Journaling does not require technical or complex topics like an essay format and can be about the writer’s routine, diet plans or tips, places they have traveled, or thoughts about the people they have met.

Step 1: Determine a Time to Write a Choose a Topic

Start your writing routine by determining the time you will be writing, your tool of choice, and a journal writing prompt. Then, choose a topic you will be writing about such as your daily routine, project plans, or your personal goals, concerns, or problems.

Step 2: Set a Pre-determined Period for Journaling

Consistency is one of the most important aspects of writing a journal. You can decide to write longer entries during the weekend or every evening.

Step 3: Explore the Way You Think

During your writing process, do not stop to edit your work until your timer alarms. Explore your thinking by allowing negative thoughts, writing expressively, and including random ideas in your journal. This provides a type of therapy that also allows you to discover yourself.

Step 4: Review Your Entries

When your timer sounds, review your work. This can be done once a week, month, or quarter depending on your preferences.

FAQs

Journals are written documents that an individual uses to write their ideas, experiences, and thoughts on a periodic basis which is based on their preferences. Journal writing is a writing style that does not require restrictions or rules which allows the writer to express themselves in a simple and informal manner. Journals also enable them to efficiently organize their thoughts and ideas by maintaining a daily journal.