We’re lucky to live in a time when multiple software options exist for daily journaling. People use the daily notes feature in Obsidian and Craft, and multiple journaling-specific apps are available: Day One, Apple Journal, and Journey are examples.
The abundance of apps is great because it gives us many different designs and options to choose from. But it’s also a negative because it makes jumping from one app to another so easy.
Why I Jumped Journaling Apps
I must confess; I’ve been a “journaling app jumper” for the last few years. I used Day One for a while, then used the daily note feature in Craft, then back to Day One, and then the daily note feature in Obsidian. Beginning this month, I’m now back in Day One.
I was drawn to Craft because of its beautiful design and the ability to link my journal entries with other notes. I started using Obsidian for journaling primarily because I found the daily note format more effortless than in Craft.
Obsidian allowed me to use a designated template that automatically appeared each morning when I opened a daily note and was easier to link to other notes. I also liked how I could automatically see the backlinks to my daily journal notes in my notes in Obsidian.
Why I Came Back to Day One
What brought me back to Day One (again) was some correspondence with a friend that prompted me to rethink my choices. He emphasized how important Photos integration in Day One was to him.
I realized I had missed the ability to integrate photos into my journal entries easily. Photos are an essential part of documenting my life and the lives of my wife and family. I wanted to journal in an app that made the integration of photos easy.
Obsidian has no integration with Apple Photos. It is designed as a text app, and its handling of multimedia is awkward and stilted at best. If I wanted to place a photo in my daily note in Obsidian, I had to go to the photos app, copy the photo, then go back to the daily note in Obsidian and paste it in. It was a pain in the butt and created too much friction to use regularly.
In Day One, there is full integration with the Photos app. While writing in my journal, I tap on an icon that brings me to my photos, tap on the photos I want included in the journal entry, and it’s done. In addition, when I import multimedia into my journal, it is displayed in the chronological list of my journal entries when I open the app.
I can even go to the Photos app, select a photo (or multiple photos), select the share button, and send them to Day One. Day One will create a new entry in my journal using the photo’s date and import the photo.
Another important feature in Day One is the ability to quickly scan entries in chronological order in the listing on the left side, including photos, and pick the ones I want to read. It makes browsing entries extremely easy and enjoyable. In Obsidian, I had to open each daily note to see the contents.
The primary feature that convinced me to journal in Obsidian (and earlier Craft) was the ability to easily link my journal entries to other notes. This seemed like a killer feature and something I wanted to use.
However, over time, I realized that although the linking function sounds wonderful in theory (and functions great in practice), I was not taking advantage of it very much. If I were “all in” with Obsidian, as some are, then perhaps I would have used it more. But I’m not, and I wasn’t benefitting from the feature.
How I’m Using Day One Now
So I’m back in Day One again. I’m immensely enjoying integrating my photos with my journal entries, and I’m doing much more journaling than I was when I used Obsidian. This is primarily because I enjoy using Day One much more than Obsidian. I like the colors, the design, the presentation, and the ease of use.
I enjoy dictating my journal entries. My thinking is more open and unrestrained when dictating than when I’m writing (and trying to conserve words).
I used to dictate directly into Day One, but now, most of the time, I dictate into the Whisper Memos app. It gives me an almost error-free text (although yesterday, my spoken “MacSparky” became “MacSmarty,” which, while accurate, is not what I intended).
I like the way Whisper Memos divides itself into paragraphs, and I rarely have to edit it. I can send my transcription directly to Day One via the share button or copy and paste it where I want.
Some, like MacSparky, have created many separate journals in Day One to journal about different areas of their life. For now, I’m sticking with one central journal. I may expand later into using multiple journals, but I’m enjoying the simplicity of one journal now.
Finding the Right Journaling App for You
While journaling apps offer different features and designs, the most important factor is finding an app that encourages you to journal regularly and makes the process enjoyable.
For me, that app is Day One. Its seamless integration with Photos, beautiful design, and ease of use motivate me to consistently document my life through words and images. The ability to quickly review past entries chronologically also enhances the journaling experience.
Ultimately, the “best” journaling app is the one that you’ll use consistently. By embracing Day One’s strengths, I’ve rekindled my journaling habit and am capturing my memories and thinking more frequently.
Will I stay in Day One? I don’t know, and I’m making no promises. But for now, I’m happy and enjoying the experience.