3 Journal Prompts to Reflect On Your Career

What’s your favorite way to journal—one sentence a day, a gratitude list, or bullet points for goal tracking? Let us know in the comments!

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If you’re inspired by journaling, there are myriad benefits to what can be a quick, 5-15 minute activity every day. In addition to waking up your more creative side, keeping a journal to track your professional goals may also help you to increase personal and professional accountability, focus, and goal awareness.

But staring at an empty page can be a daunting experience for anyone, so we’re here to help you start!

Use one of these simple journal prompts to make a habit of recording your goals and progress. Reflect on a different idea each day, and come back to your favorites whenever you’re stuck on what to write about.

Write (at least) one sentence a day

If the thought of filling a page feels overwhelming, there's a low-pressure and time-saving solution that you can try: a one-sentence-a-day journal. This quick approach allows you to capture a daily highlight, challenge, or insight without pressure.

Setting a limit of one sentence may actually serve as an effective way to challenge yourself to boil something down—a moment, a thought, a memory, a win, an obstacle—to its essence. Single-sentence journaling can also offer a powerful vehicle for remembering something joyful or understanding why you reacted or felt a certain way about a particular part of your day.

Journal prompts:

• Describe the most memorable part of your day.
• What’s one thing you accomplished or learned today?
• Name a challenge you faced and how you responded.
• Capture a moment that brought you joy or clarity.

If you find that you have more to say than one sentence allows, let yourself write! And if, on the other hand, one sentence is all you can muster, that’s okay. The important part is that you’ve written it down. You may end up returning to your entry later in the day with a different perspective or insight that you’d like to document, which may in turn change your behavior the next time around.

Take 15 minutes to be grateful

Something that you may not do on a regular basis—but could benefit from—is taking 15 minutes to write down five things you are grateful for. Gratitude journaling is a great way to boost positivity and perspective. It may be a simple act, but there is plenty of room to be as detailed as you’d like. 

Journal prompts:

• Write down five things you’re grateful for today.
• Reflect on a recent act of kindness someone did for you.
• Think about a time you’ve expressed gratitude for someone in the past—how do you think they felt hearing your sentiments?
• Name a skill or quality in yourself that you’re proud of.

Evidence from one gratitude research study from psychologists at the University of California, Davis and the University of Miami show that those who spent ten weeks documenting gratitude felt more optimistic and more positive about their lives than those who wrote about annoyances or simply logged daily events. Other studies from leading researchers support that when we take the time to reflect on what we’re grateful for, we may lower stress levels, increase self-awareness, and feel happier and more focused.

Use bullet points for goal tracking

When it comes to the details of how you plan to get through your day and achieve your goals, staying organized can be a real game changer. While there are many apps out there to digitize calendar, time, and project management, you could opt for an all-in-one, hand-written approach to recording tasks and accomplishments with a bullet journal. Depending on how you want to start using this journal, we’ve put together a list of prompts to help you get started.

Journal prompts:

• List three things you’d like to accomplish this week/month/year, and how they’re beneficial to your career.
• Reflect on certain goals or tasks that went well, and those that need adjusting before you can accomplish them.
• Note any new skills or insights gained from work or personal goals, as well as where you have room to grow this upcoming year.
• End each week by identifying one task to leave behind, and one task to carry forward.

It may sound complicated, but bullet journaling is a very flexible system of tracking long-term, short-term, and daily goals. If you’re a list-maker, this method will be right up your alley.

While there are general guidelines, you have the freedom to take the format in any direction (layout, color, notations, etc.) that suits your personal style and preference. Make it fun for yourself and forego the parts that aren’t as enjoyable.

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Whether it’s one sentence a day, a weekly list of five items you’re grateful for, a daily bullet list, or a more traditional journal, writing down your goals can keep you motivated and grateful for your successes and help you remember lessons learned once you’ve accomplished what you set out to do.