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9+ Notebooks and Journal Templates in InDesign
Sometimes you just really want to remember everything. If you’re a sentimental person, you value keeping moments as much as you could, including every little detail about something that you think would never happen twice. We like to be nostalgic so that we can have the same feeling all over again, and sometimes we do it by keeping a written record about what we did, who we were with and where we were.
Elements of A Good Notebooks and Journal
Journals and notebooks were made for such things, even though they tend to be more useful when you write about something that makes you productive, such as basic plans, bucket lists, simple schedules, goals and yes, recollections too. It’s the end of the year again and you’re probably thinking of purchasing one for 2019. And just like your 2018 notebook, it may easily end up stale, considering how we live busy lives and forget to organize, let alone really write. If you think you’re more determined of keeping a journal this time, here are the most important elements it should have:
1. Reflection: Reaching your goals is quite challenging even when you’re halfway through it. Every businessman or any adult who has a career have had their share of frustrations where it was so easy to give up altogether because they don’t know how to find their way back. A journal which allows you to write your reflections down, even if you can’t make sense out of them yet, is perfect to make sure you’re still on the right track.
2. Progress-check: A journal serves as a good way of recording progress or lack thereof. Our goals are easily forgotten when life steers us back to the easy and carefree way of things, free from routine and pressure. Our personal lives also distract us from our dreams and pursuits of achievement and success. As a result, we lose focus which eventually leads to frustration and it’s easy to feel like we have done so much but haven’t really accomplished anything useful.
3. Bucket list: Many of us want to experience a great many things in this lifetime and yet we’re so easily distracted and lose focus because of the ease to which we can enjoy everyday life’s guilty pleasures such as the internet, books and our mobile phones. You lose track and forget your goals for a while. It happens. But that doesn’t mean you’re just going to give in to these distractions, and listing down the things you want to do and places you want to go helps you get back on track fast.
9+ Notebooks and Journal Templates in InDesign
Free Coffee Journal Template
Education Journal Template
Free Funny Journal Template
Music Journal Template
Photography Journal Template
Sports Journal Template
Free Writer Journal
Free Real Estate Journal Template
Photo Journal Template
Steps To Design An Excellent Notebook and Journal
Keeping a journal and notebook helps you stay on top of your schedule, goals, commitments, and responsibilities. It can also serve as a brain dump for when you want to write something-a thought or idea that you don’t want to let go of or forget, lest it becomes useful for business or for some sort of creative endeavor. Follow these steps to make sure you keep and manage a notebook and journal well:
1. List aspirations: These should count as your bigger or more important items. Include writing your personal and career long-term plans and goals. An effective notebook would also serve as a good tracker lest you fall short on personal and business tasks that needs checking or those that you need to complete.
2. Plan your day: This may seem like an added task to an already packed daily hourly schedule but writing down the things you want to accomplish for the day helps you manage your responsibilities better, allowing you time for more if you still can. Otherwise, you can treat yourself to an hour, maybe two to yourself.
3. Document: Some of us have too much going on in our heads that we fail to make sense out of, yet. But most of what we’re thinking, whether they’re about what happened during the day or something we failed to understand but refuse to let go of, could be useful, even valuable to some extent. Use your journal to write down these thoughts, no matter how mu mundane or nonsensical they seem for now.
4. Use your journal every day: People who are serious about their commitments have a better chance of keeping to those commitments. Some habits are hard to break but having the conviction to do one small “task” in a different way will build a better habit and replace the old, less attractive one.
Tips in Keeping A Notebook and Journal
Your notebook and journal won’t be of much use if you don’t make an effort to divide it into a section or customize it according to your lifestyle and priorities. Here are some tips to help you organize better with a notebook and journal:
- Have a daily sketch reminder: Go old school with a pen to paper scribbles and allow yourself to create some inspiration for any future projects. Taking a break every few minutes or so and sketch or scribble those few minutes away encourages creativity especially when you feel mentally-drained.
- Play with lettering: You don’t have to learn calligraphy but you have to admit there’s just something different about the idea of exercising your muscles by drawing letters, in intricate, visually appealing styles.
- Keep everything in one writing space: You can transfer the notes on your notepad and post-its into your journal or simply paste them there, never mind if they look a bit messy and all over the place. What’s more important is that everything is in one place, and one writing work space.
Types Of Notebooks and Journals
In a time of touchscreen keypads dominating the ways to which we keep record and communicate and where tasks are easier to complete using technology, the thought of something as traditional as writing in journals and notebooks seems a tad impractical. After all, aren’t everything set to be digital? But you won’t believe how many people still prefer written “to do lists” and analog word processors which include these three:
- Spiral Notebook: Among other available notebooks and journals in stationery stores, the most common with students making up the majority of its buyers or users, is the spiral bind. These notebooks come in covers made of thin cardboard or plastic material.
- Bullet Journal: Keeping with the business schedule while trying to manage daily tasks and ideas for future projects can be challenging and also invites redundancy. Bullet journals allow you to improve organizing strategies without sacrificing your personal preference for planning tasks.
- Composition Notebook. While they may come in various styles and designs, composition notebooks are easily recognizable by the signature marbled front cover. The back cover on the inside usually includes an area for writing down the class or work schedule which makes this a popular choice among students and managers.
Notebook and Journal Sizes
The two most common standard paper sizes are the ones from the A series and B series. These sizes are under ISO print standards:
Notebook paper size measurements A series:
- A3: 297 x 420 mm (11.7 x 16.5 in)
- A4: 10 x 297 mm (8.3 x 11.7 in)
- A5: 148 x 210 mm (5.8 x 8.3 in)
- A6: 105 x 148 mm (4.1 x 5.8 in)
- A7: 74 x 105 mm (2.9 x 4.1 in)
Notebook paper size measurements B series:
- B5: 176 x 250mm (6.9 x 9.8 in)
- B6: 125 x 176mm (4.9 x 6.9 in)
- B7: 88 x 125mm (3.5 x 4.9 in)
Notebook and Journal FAQs
What is the difference between a diary and a journal?
A diary is more personal. Those who keep them records or writes activities of their life as they happened. You can treat the journal as a diary but they’re ideal for helping your thoughts and ideas take shape and the contents aren’t as dependent on a calendar date as the diary.
How do I organize my notebook or journal?
It’s okay to dedicate time in a day to write on your journal or keep to a schedule you have set so that you can manage your commitments better but you don’t want to feel pressured to the point of dragging yourself into the task. Otherwise, you’re likely going to abandon journal writing altogether when the frustration starts to kick in.
Having the tools to help organize your life better doesn’t make you an expert in writing down plans and keeping track of responsibilities overnight but trying doesn’t hurt and it certainly makes a difference in planning properly, accomplishing more and fulfilling both short and long-term goals necessary for personal, academic or professional growth.
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