Get Colorful
Use each trip as a chance to practice a new art skill. “Adding visuals to a journal helps me remember things in a specific way that writing might not,” Ms. Link said. Try sketching with just a few colored pencils, or draw the view outside your hotel window every morning.
But if the thought of creating art is too much pressure, Ms. Link suggested adding diagrams and maps instead, or maybe a tiny landscape sketch. “Keep your drawing really simple, but carefully observe the shape of things. Add a little bit of color and some notes. Sometimes calling a drawing a diagram takes some of the pressure off,” she said.
Make a Photo-Only Book
For a photo-only journal, think about the trip more thematically or snap photos capturing the small things that make a place special. “Rather than documenting specific monuments or events, I usually focus on everyday details that I find more effective at capturing the feeling of a place,” Mr. Stephenson said.
If you need more guidance, follow one or more of the prompts the journalist and author Rob Walker suggests in his Substack newsletter, “The Art of Noticing.” Searching for, say, flaws, fonts or pops of pink turns travel into a treasure hunt and encourages you to look at the world through a new filter. That approach could make for a particularly energizing way to look at a location you’ve returned to frequently, or when traveling with children.
Mark the best photos as favorites in your phone. Back home, print those shots and tape them into a blank notebook or order a photo book online, Mr. Stephenson suggested. Keep a running record of your daily itinerary so you can add that information to the entries.
And remember, don’t be shy. You never have to show anybody else your journal. It’s just for you.