Interstitial journaling: combining notes, to-do and time tracking

Interstitial journaling is a productivity technique created by Tony Stubblebine. To my knowledge, it’s the simplest way to combine note-taking, tasks, and time tracking in one unique workflow.

Interstitial journaling has had an amazing impact on my productivity and creativity, and I think many people would enjoy it.

The basic idea of interstitial journaling is to write a few lines every time you take a break, and to track the exact time you are taking these notes.

I love interstitial journaling because it’s a great way to make your breaks more mindful.

• Proactive breaks: reflect on your previous task, plan for the next one, take your own mental pulse, jot down anything else that comes to mind so as to reduce your cognitive load.
• Procrastination breaks: become aware of these breaks and how long they actually take. When you create the habit of writing down all your breaks, it becomes easier to not open a new tab to “quickly” check Twitter.