I tried interstitial journaling for a year and this is how I’d use it

Interstitial Journaling

Ruby from The Useful Journal reflects on a year of trying interstitial journaling—a running log of what she does and when—and explains how she adapted the practice.

How to Use It

• Start a page with the date, then note activities and approximate times throughout the day.
• Keep a notebook and pen easy to reach. A small, soft-cover pocket notebook may be more convenient than a larger journal.
• Record distractions, including when they begin and when you return to your task. The goal is to understand patterns, not account for every minute perfectly.
• Don’t worry if entries are incomplete or times are approximate. It’s a flexible tool, not a compulsory task.
• Review the log to see how you spend time on work, breaks, scrolling, snacking, or shopping.

Uses and Adaptations

Ruby used the journal to track her dog’s medication and, briefly, his drinking and bathroom habits after surgery. The information was useful to share with the vet. The method can also help athletes track food, fluids, training, and sleep.

Tracking meal times and the activities around them helped Ruby notice when she tended to snack and what might prompt it. She also found that combining the log with the Pomodoro technique helped her focus. At the start of each 25-minute session, she wrote down the task she intended to work on, then took a short break. The app she demonstrated used four focus sessions followed by a longer break.

Later, Ruby added rapid logging: concise bullet-point notes for tasks, events, thoughts, and observations. At the end of the day, she reviewed her entries, completed or crossed out tasks, and moved relevant items to another list or journal.

Takeaway

Ruby’s main advice is to experiment and adapt the system. Interstitial journaling became more useful to her when she combined it with rapid logging. She didn’t treat missed entries or frequent distractions as failures.

People, Products, and Tools

• Ruby and The Useful Journal
• Ryder Carroll and the Bullet Journal method
• Stalogy Editor’s Series half-year dotted notebook
• Legami erasable, refillable gel pens
• Focus Keeper app
• Pomodoro timers