How to Make and Use a Google Docs Journal Template

Written by Tijana Google Workplace / Docs

- 4 min read

Google Docs is a great choice for keeping a daily journal. If you take into consideration the number of paper notebooks you’ve bought to start journaling, but never started to, you might ultimately make the decision to switch to Google Docs journaling.

In any case, if you’re ready to stop collecting notebooks and start using the Google Docs journal template to record the problems, ideas, dreams, thoughts, and feelings that cross your mind every day - you might be onto something.

In addition, ​​contrary to popular belief, journaling involves more than just opening a page and penning thoughts.

Hence, if you want to make a Google Docs diary template, but you’re unsure how to make one, and how to use it - keep reading below!

Related: How to Insert Checkbox In Google Docs That Users Can Check.

Why should I switch to Google Docs for my journal entries?

  • Easy to navigate - once you create the template for your journal, you’ll be able to easily enter all information you want to on a daily basis, without it being time-consuming. Writing in a notebook would take much more time.
  • Free - in comparison to other numerous journaling apps, the Google Docs templates are free.
  • Private - having your journal in an electronic form is the safest way to keep it out of the sight of prying eyes.
  • Safe - your e-diary is impossible to be lost or misplaced.

How do I create a daily journal template in Google Docs?

  1. Create a new Google Docs document, and name it as you wish.
  2. Type in your journal heading - which will be used as your journal template.
  3. After you’ve created the title, the following step is to create a TOC (table of contents). Click on ‘Insert’ from the top menu, and from the drop-down menu, click on “Table of contents” at the bottom.
  4. From the two options - click on “With blue links”, instead of the numbered list.
  5. After you have added the TOC, you can initiate adding Headings that will contain the content from your journal.

Note: If the blue links aren’t getting enabled, make sure to select all relevant text and switch it to one of the six available heading types in your Google Docs document.

Moreover, you can use Heading 3 and Heading 4 to enter dates, and important subtitles.

  1. Click on the TOC, and click on the arrow icon to launch the “Update table of contents” option.

After making these adjustments, you can switch the colors and fonts, or add images to make your free journal more enjoyable.

You might also find interesting: How to Make Table Smaller in Google Docs.

Free pre-made Google Docs journal templates

You can check out and scrape the Internet for more free pre-made Google Docs journaling templates - bullet journals, aesthetic ones, photo journals, and many more.

There are plenty of template websites where you will surely find something suitable to your taste.

Conclusion

Creating a gratitude journal can help you look back on all the progress you have made, and there are plenty of ways to keep track of your e-journaling.

In this article, you can find both the step-by-step process for creating your own journal, or where to find pre-made journal templates.

If you liked this article, check out: How to Insert Checkbox In Google Docs That Users Can Check and How to Print Double-Sided on Google Docs.