What to write in a journal: 60 prompts for life on your own

What to write in a journal comes down to three things: what happened today, what you noticed about it, and what's coming next. That's enough for a good entry every single day. When you're setting up on your own (a first flat, a new job, a new city, bills in your own name) there's more happening than you'll ever remember, which makes it the best time to write it down. Below are three quick entry formats for tired evenings and 60 specific prompts grouped by the parts of life that change most when you start out alone.

If you haven't got the habit going yet, the guide on how to start a journal covers the setup: format, timing and what to do when you miss a day. This one is all about what goes on the page.

Three entry formats for when your head is empty

Prompts are great, but some nights you won't want to choose one. Keep one of these in your back pocket:

• The three-liner. One line for what happened, one for how it felt, one for tomorrow. Done in two minutes.
• High, low, odd. The best bit of the day, the worst bit, and one thing that was simply strange.
• The list. Five things from today, no sentences needed. "Bus late. New colleague called Sam. Found a decent chippy. Rang Mum. Fixed the shower curtain."

All three work because they ask for facts first. Facts are easy to write when you're tired, and they're the details you'll be glad of later.

What to write in a journal when everything is new

These prompts are for the first weeks and months: moving in, finding your way around, working out what's normal now.

1. What does the flat smell, sound and look like right now, before you get used to it?
2. What's the first thing you bought for the place, and why that?
3. Describe the walk from your front door to the nearest shop.
4. What's one thing you didn't realise you'd have to sort out yourself?
5. Who helped you move, and what did they say on the day?
6. Which room or corner already feels like yours?
7. What do you miss from where you lived before?
8. What's the noise you hear at night that you're still not used to?
9. Write down your neighbours as you know them so far, even if it's just "dog, bike, plays piano at 8".
10. What's the best and worst thing about living on your own this week?

Prompts about work and money

Starting out often means a new job and money that's suddenly all yours to manage. Keep this section to what happened and how it felt, not spreadsheets.

11. What did you actually do at work today, in plain words?
12. Who at work do you want to get to know better, and why?
13. What did you get wrong this week, and what did you learn from it?
14. Write about the moment your first pay arrived.
15. Which bill surprised you most when you set it up?
16. What's one thing you're saving up for, and what would it change?
17. What did you spend money on this week that was completely worth it?
18. What would you tell yourself on your first day in this job?
19. What's a skill you've picked up since you started that you didn't have a year ago?
20. What does a good day at work look like, so you can spot one?

If money is on your mind more than you'd like, it's worth writing that down too, then talking to someone. MoneyHelper is the government-backed service for free, impartial money guidance.

Prompts about people

Living on your own can be sociable or quiet, sometimes in the same week. These help you keep track of the people who matter.

21. Who did you speak to today, and what's one thing they said?
22. Who have you not spoken to in too long?
23. Describe a meal you had with someone recently: where, what, what you talked about.
24. Write about a friend as if you were introducing them to a stranger.
25. What did a family member do this week that made you laugh?
26. Who's someone new in your life, and how did you meet?
27. What's a conversation you keep replaying?
28. Who would you ring first with good news, and why them?
29. What did you do on your own this week that you'd have once needed company for?
30. What's something you want to say to someone but haven't yet?

Prompts for weekends and small adventures

The best entries are often about ordinary weekends. Write them before they blur together.

31. Where did you go this weekend that you'd never been before?
32. What was the weather doing, and did it change your plans?
33. Describe the best thing you cooked this week, including what went wrong.
34. What did you find in a charity shop, market or skip that you're pleased with?
35. What's a local place you've started going back to?
36. Write about a lazy day and what made it good.
37. What did you watch, read or listen to that stuck with you?
38. What's a small trip you'd like to take before the end of the year?
39. Describe a walk you took, step by step.
40. What's one thing you did this weekend purely because you could?

Prompts for looking inward

These are for quieter evenings when you've got a bit more to say. Write as much or as little as you like.

41. What are you proud of from the last month?
42. What's worrying you, and what's the next small step on it?
43. What's a habit you've started since living alone, good or bad?
44. What do you want your flat to feel like a year from now?
45. What's one opinion you've changed recently?
46. What's something you'd like to get better at, and why does it matter?
47. When did you last feel completely at home?
48. What's taking up too much of your attention at the moment?
49. What would make next week a good one?
50. What do you want to remember about this stage of your life?

Prompts for looking back

Use these at the end of a week, a month or a season. They turn a pile of entries into something you can read like a story.

51. What were the three best moments of this week?
52. What happened this month that you didn't see coming?
53. Which entry from this month would you most want to read in ten years?
54. What's changed in the flat since you moved in?
55. Who's shown up for you lately?
56. What did you finally sort out that had been hanging over you?
57. What would you do differently if you moved again tomorrow?
58. What's a small win you'd have missed if you hadn't written it down?
59. How have your weekends changed since you started living alone?
60. Write a short letter to yourself to open a year from now.

Keeping your entries findable

Once you've got a few months of entries, finding things becomes the problem. A few habits help:

• Date every entry, and add the place if you're somewhere unusual.
• Start with a title line, even a dull one like "Bins, Sam's birthday, new kettle".
• Use a few tags or symbols, for example a star for days you'll want to find again.
• Add a photo or two if your journal allows. A picture of the view from your new window says a lot.

mylife/ is built for this bit. A memory can be a written moment, a photo, a video or a voice note, and Slash titles and tags each one for you. Memories are grouped by day, can be filtered by photos, videos, voice, written and places, and Slash finds any of them when you ask in plain English. Nothing you keep is sold or used for ads, and a vault locked with your own answers encrypts sensitive notes on your phone. You can read more about how privacy works in mylife/ or try mylife/ free for 3 days.

Frequently asked questions

What should I write in a journal every day?

Write what happened, what you noticed and what's coming next. Three lines covering those is a complete entry. On days with more going on, pick one of the prompts above and follow it as far as you like.

What do you write in a journal for beginners?

Start with facts: where you went, who you saw, what you ate and what the weather was doing. Facts are easy to write and they're what you'll value most later. Feelings and reflections tend to follow once writing feels normal.

Is it OK to write the same things every day?

Yes. Repetition is part of a journal, and reading back you'll see small changes you didn't notice at the time. If it starts to feel dull, use one prompt a week to shake it up.

Should I write about bad days in my journal?

You can write about anything; it's yours. Many people find it useful to note what happened and one small thing they'll do next. If you're struggling, talk to someone you trust or your GP rather than relying on a journal alone.

How do I keep my journal private if I live with flatmates?

Keep a paper journal somewhere only you go, or use a phone journal with a lock. Decide where it lives before you write anything you'd mind someone seeing. Knowing it's private makes honest writing much easier.