Use Apple Shortcuts to Construct the Final Day by day Digital Journal

I began journaling in 2019. It is not that I like holding a journal, precisely. It is extra that I discover my mind works higher if I spend a little bit time dumping its contents onto paper each morning. This observe bought me by 2020, a particularly troublesome 12 months, and I’ve saved it up ever since.

My journal is not superior. I’ve bought a number of sections really useful by my therapist from across the time I began—there is a part I fill in day by day with issues I am trying ahead to, for instance. I take advantage of one other part to assume by what I will eat and different issues I am going to try this day. All of that is easy; I simply use a template that features headers for these issues.

However there is a bit of knowledge I like to assemble and embody. Every day’s climate, for instance. I’ve observed that I am usually in a foul temper on wet, grey days, so recording the climate together with my ideas offers me some useful context after I’m reviewing entries later. I additionally wish to know what time I wrote my entry, the place I used to be after I wrote it, and—if potential—embody a quote of the day or one thing else to mirror on.

I might collect all the above info myself manually, each morning. However I’ve discovered it is loads sooner to make use of Apple Shortcuts for the job. This software, which comes preinstalled on each Mac, iPhone, and iPad, can mechanically pull in all types of knowledge and format it properly for my journal. I run a customized automation each morning. This is how I constructed it.

The Date, Climate, and Location

Apple through Justin Pot

Hearth up Apple Shortcuts in your system of selection and make a brand new shortcut. This software program could be a little complicated, however don’t be concerned, I will speak you thru every thing. In the proper column you will notice numerous totally different tiny automations you’ll be able to run. Drag as many of those as you wish to the principle column, which is on the left. I wish to seek for what I am on the lookout for, however if you happen to choose, you’ll be able to manually discover the choices to get a way of what Shortcuts can do.