Digital Journaling isn’t for everyone, but it changed my life

I know a lot of people swear by physical journals, but as a naturally techy person, digital journaling has been a game-changer in my life. My handwriting’s been a lost cause since I was a kid, and a couple of years ago, I decided to give digital journaling a real shot. I just wish I’d started sooner because I never realized how much it’d change my life. Here are some of my takeaways and techniques:

1. Tagging & Organizing

Since my journal entries are easily searchable, I rely on tags for everything. For example:

  • Gift Ideas: Whenever my girlfriend casually mentions something she likes, I write it down with a #gfgifts tag. By Christmas or her birthday, I’ve got a whole list of thoughtful options.

  • TV Shows/Movies: If someone recommends a show, I’ll tag it #towatch. Then, when I’m bored later, I just search that tag to see what I haven’t watched yet. After watching, I'll follow up with that person and let them know how I liked it!

2. Quick Entries While Gaming

I love PC gaming, so I keep my journal window open on a second screen. During loading screens or matchmaking queues:

  • I’ll type a line or two about my day—anything from a funny conversation I had to an annoying errand.

  • If I have a noteworthy moment (like a hilarious in-game incident or a conversation with a friend), I record it right away.

Having my journal open means I can stay consistent without feeling like journaling is a chore.

3. Seamless Sync Between Devices

One of the biggest perks of digital journaling is that I can make entries on both my phone AND my desktop: - If I grab an unexpected bite with friends, I can quickly jot down the names of everyone I was with, where we ate, and what everyone ordered via voice notes on the walk back to my car. - When I get home, those notes are automatically on my computer. I can flesh out my thoughts about the conversation and the meal without trying to remember small details.

4. Remembering People

I love using my journal to recall details about the people I meet:

  • After meeting someone, I'll write down their name on my phone and anything I learned about them—their hometown, birthday, mutual friends, job, etc.

  • Before seeing them again, I do a quick search of their name so I can pick up our conversation seamlessly.

It might sound meticulous, but it’s done wonders for my relationships. People really appreciate when you remember the little things.

5. Using Journaling Prompts

Staring at a blank page used to intimidate me, so I have a template that automatically opens a new note every day with prompts like:

  • What did you do for your health today?

  • What are you excited for at the moment?

  • What’s the storyworthy moment today? (I tag these with #storyworthy so I can look back at all my memorable moments later.)

I might start by writing a few words, but then I dive into how it made me feel, how it fit into my day... and before I know it, I’ve written a whole entry!

I feel like every time I mention digital journaling, people kind of look down on it, but it has so many unique features that help me in my everyday life. I'd love to hear, what unique features of digital journaling do you use?