If you’re feeling overwhelmed with never-ending thoughts swirling around your head, putting pen to paper is a sure-fire way to find calm – and there’s evidence to prove it, too.
Researchers at Northumbria University found that spending 20 minutes a day jotting down positive experiences and thoughts - “anything from being moved by a good book, painting or piece of music, to falling in love” - was enough to decrease stress levels.
And if that’s not enough to convince you, then these pretty-looking journals will do the trick. We’ve rounded up eight of the best to suit every taste – from plain pages to goal-setting agendas.
Leather Up
Personalised leather journal, Man Gun Bear, £28
Go classy with a leather-bound journal, personalised with your own initials. It’s a little spenny, but looks so good you’ll be desperate to crack it open and scribble your thoughts down. And it’s plain paper, for those who like going a little rogue when writing.
Size: A6
Buy it here.
Creative Play
Wake up your imagination journal, Oh Deer, £13.95
Even if you’re not the biggest fan of writing, you can keep a journal with creative doodles, too. This journal features light and colourful paintings on every page – colour them in, copy them, write around them, do what you like.
Size: A5
Buy it here.
Brain Dump
Yes Studio Things Notebook, John Lewis & Partners, £10
Get all those things in your head that you can’t say out loud down on paper – you’ll feel better for it, trust us. As an added extra, this journal comes with a zip lock pouch to keep any stray notes or reminders in a safe place.
Size: A5
Buy it here.
Cute And Compact
Busy life notebook, Busy B, £7.99
Small and compact, this is a good one to take out and about, especially if you have a few moments to jot down some thoughts. It’s a standard lined book, with a bold and bright colour.
Size: A6
Bu it here.
Keep It Short
One line a day, Berylune, £17.95
If you feel like you don’t have the time to sit down and write pages in your journal each day, opt for this short and sweet one – there’s space to write one line a day for the next five years. That’s easy enough.
Size: A6 (ish)
Buy here.
Go Rogue
Ark messy bun plain journal, Paperchase, £18
Go for a funky design to suit your taste – we love the 3D bun pencil holder. This little gem also has plain pages, so you don’t need to worry about keeping between the lines when you’re journalling. And yes, it does come with the gold pencil.
Size: A6
Buy here.
Goal Setting
Goals journal, Kikki K, £21
If you need a little more guidance on keeping a journal, go for one that gives you prompts. This one has daily sections for you to set goals, with questions and suggestions to keep your writing on track.
Size: A5
Buy here.
Too Many Tabs
A4 slogan notebook, Paperchase, £10
Got so much to write and nowhere to write it? If you’re an organiser, you’ll love this journal that has different sections – separate it out into careers, family, friends, relationships and whatever else you like. Planned writing at its best.
Size: A5
Buy here.
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