Top 10 Free Diary Entry Templates

Keeping a diary is a powerful tool for self-reflection, emotional expression, and capturing the moments that shape our lives. It can serve as a personal archive, helping us to remember experiences, understand our thoughts, and recognize our growth over time. A Diary Entries template in Notion can streamline this process, providing structure and consistency to our entries, making it easier to maintain this beneficial habit.

Before you dive into creating your own Diary Entries, take a look at these Notion templates to simplify the process and enhance your journaling experience.

What Should Diary Entries Templates Include?

Choosing the right diary template in Notion can transform your journaling experience, making it both enriching and efficient. Here are key components to look for in a good diary entries template:

Date and Time Fields: Essential for organizing entries chronologically and tracking your thoughts over time.
Mood Tracker: A feature that allows you to record your mood each day, helping you notice patterns in your emotional well-being.
Tags or Categories: These help in sorting entries by themes or topics, making it easier to retrieve related notes in the future.
Reflection Prompts: Prompts can guide your writing and encourage deeper introspection, which is valuable for personal growth.

With these components, a diary template not only serves as a repository of days but also as a tool for self-discovery and personal development.

What Should Diary Entries Templates Avoid?

Choosing the right diary template in Notion can greatly enhance your journaling experience. However, there are certain features you should steer clear of when selecting a template.

Overly Complex Layouts: Avoid templates with too many sections or complex formatting. They can make daily entries cumbersome and detract from the main purpose of a diary.
Fixed Time Stamps: Templates that predefine time slots or are too rigid in their chronological structure can limit flexibility in how and when you want to record your thoughts.
Excessive Automation: While some automation can be helpful, too much can make the diary feel impersonal and mechanical. Opt for templates that allow more personal input.

Ultimately, the best diary template is one that feels intuitive and easy to use, encouraging regular reflection without feeling like a chore.

1Daily journal

Build your self-awareness and personal growth with this “Daily journal” template in Notion. With the help of Notion’s button feature, you can create a new journal entry with a click of a button. Use this template to organize your thoughts and streamline your journalling.

2My Diary

If you're anything like me, you've probably tried (and failed) finding a good diary app that doesn't have most of its features hidden behind a paywall. Well, those days are gone as this diary has all the features you need to have it as your diary for life! There are 5 views in this template: Day, Moods, Activities, Gallery and Calendar. I've also included a few templates with journaling prompts for you, you'll find them inside each new entry.

3Daily Journal

This Notion template serves as your journal for life. Log your thoughts and memories to reflect on your past experiences and cherished moments.

The "On This Day" feature surfaces entries you've created on this date in previous years, offering a nostalgic look back.

Additionally, it allows you to create separate journals to organize your entries, making it easy to document your fitness journey or travel adventures in one place.

4Simple Journal

⚠️ IMPORTANT!! Since this template contains 365 pages, it may take up to 5 minutes to import into your Notion. Please try when you have enough time 🙏🏼

We often get lazy and stop keeping our journals organized. However, if you manage to keep your journals well-organized, it can help you stay motivated. Trying to make things organized is the key to staying dedicated. Also, as an English learner, I’ve included a section specifically for English practice. If you’re a native English speaker, feel free to ignore or delete it. I hope this template helps you with your daily journaling!

5Morning Pages & Memories Gallery

The template you need to start a writing habit

Whether you're going through the full 12-week plan from The Artist's Way, need a space to write a quick 5-minute gratitude journal, or want to start a habit of daily writing, this is the template you need.

This template includes:

* A button to write your new entries quickly without overthinking anything
* Two quick prompts to record an intention for the day, and your favourite thing of the day
* Two simple questions in the writing space to eliminate writer's block.
* A space to add a photo from your day
* A gallery view so you can look back at your memories. Over time it gets filled with all the photos you've added.

A template preview for Morning Pages & Memories Gallery

6Dear Spreadsheet Diary

The advantage of a spreadsheet diary is the ease of having a comprehensive record of the events in your life and conducting quick searches for similar situations or emotions due to the categorization by themes and emotions, which were derived from the Wheel of Emotions (Robert Plutchik).

It can be useful for therapeutic purposes, self-awareness, and gaining a better understanding of various types of emotions.

A template preview for Dear Spreadsheet Diary

7Daily Journal

A daily journal to write about your day, track your mood, and more.

8Journal

Document your life - daily happenings, special occasions, and reflections on your goals. Categorize entries with tags and automatically capture the date.

9Personal Diary

A good looking personal diary. This template embeds some useful widgets like time and weather, and helps recording how many days in a year does the user write a diary.

Closing Thoughts

Utilizing these templates streamlines the process of journaling, making it easier to maintain consistency. They help in organizing thoughts and tracking personal growth over time.

By adopting these templates, you can save time and enhance your reflective practices. Start today to experience the benefits of structured diary entries.

What is a Reflective Entry?

A reflective entry in a diary involves the writer engaging in deep thought about personal experiences, often analyzing and learning from them.

What is a Gratitude Log?

A gratitude log is a specific type of diary entry where individuals list things they are thankful for, aiming to enhance positivity and well-being.

What is a Mood Tracker?

A mood tracker is a tool used within diary entries to record and analyze the user's emotional state over a period, helping in emotional management and awareness.