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AUTOMATED Daily Journal in Notion (Easy Guide + Free Template) thumbnail

AUTOMATED Daily Journal in Notion (Easy Guide + Free Template)

The Organized Notebook·
4 min read

Based on The Organized Notebook's video on YouTube. If you like this content, support the original creators by watching, liking and subscribing to their content.

TL;DR

Create a “Daily Journal” database with a created-time date property and a “completed?” checkbox to support scheduling and status tracking.

Briefing

A Notion daily journal can be fully automated using a recurring task-style database, so a fresh entry appears at a set time every day—then disappears from the “to do” list once marked complete. The workflow starts with a new Notion page titled “Daily Journal,” complete with an icon and cover, but the real automation comes from building a database that duplicates a template on a schedule.

The setup begins by creating a table view database named “Daily Journal.” Two key properties are added: a created-time date field (used for sorting and tracking) and a checkbox property labeled “completed?” to record whether the journal entry is finished. With the database structure in place, a custom template is created using a “@ today” title so each new entry automatically carries today’s date. Inside that template, the guide recommends prefilled prompts such as “What did I do today,” “What was I grateful for,” and “Best moments of the day,” plus optional placeholders for images.

Next comes the automation. The template is set as the default for all views in the “Daily Journal” database, then configured as a recurring template that repeats every day. The repeat settings include the start time and time zone, meaning the system will generate the new journal entry automatically at the chosen moment—no manual clicking required. After that, the page can be cleaned up by removing the database title display via layout settings.

To manage the daily workflow, the database view is filtered so incomplete entries appear in the main list. A filter is added to show only rows where “completed?” is unchecked. Then a second view/tab is created for completed entries by duplicating the view and switching the filter to show only checked items. The result is a simple two-lane system: the current day’s journal sits in the “not completed” view until the user finishes it and clicks the completed checkbox, at which point it vanishes from the active list. The entry returns the next day when the recurring template generates a new one.

Finally, the guide notes that entries can be sorted by the created date in ascending or descending order, keeping the journal history easy to scan. A completed template is referenced as available for download, and the same database can be made to look cleaner by toggling off “show database title.” Overall, the core value is turning Notion into a scheduled journaling system: prompts arrive automatically, completion updates status instantly, and views keep the daily task focused.

Cornell Notes

The journaling system is built as a Notion database with a daily recurring template. A “Daily Journal” table includes a created-time date property and a “completed?” checkbox. A custom template titled with “@ today” preloads prompts like what happened today, gratitude, and best moments, and it’s set as the default for new entries. The template is then configured to repeat every day at a chosen time and time zone, automatically generating the next journal entry. Two filtered views manage workflow: one shows unchecked (active) entries, and a duplicated view shows checked (completed) entries, so finishing a journal removes it from the active list until tomorrow.

What database properties make the daily journal trackable and automatable?

The database adds two core fields: a created-time date property (used for sorting and identifying when entries were generated) and a checkbox property named “completed?” (used to mark whether the journal entry is finished). The created-time field is created by adding “created time,” then removing the default date property. The checkbox is added via the plus menu and labeled “completed?” so filters can separate active vs completed entries.

How does the template ensure each entry shows the correct date and includes useful prompts?

A new template is created inside the database and titled with “@ today,” which duplicates today’s date into the entry title automatically. The template body can include prefilled journaling prompts such as “What did I do today,” “What was I grateful for,” and “Best moments of the day.” Optional placeholders can be added for images using slash commands (e.g., inserting an image block) so the journal structure stays consistent while still leaving room for personal formatting.

What settings turn a one-time template into a daily automated journal entry?

The template is first set as default for all views in the “Daily Journal” database, so new entries use it automatically. Then the template’s repeat is configured to “everyday,” with a chosen start time and time zone. After saving, Notion generates the entry at the scheduled time without requiring manual creation.

How do filters make the journal behave like a daily task that disappears after completion?

The main view is filtered to show only entries where “completed?” is unchecked. When the user finishes journaling and marks “completed?” as checked, the entry no longer matches the filter and disappears from the active list. A second view is created by duplicating the first and filtering for “completed?” checked items, so completed entries appear there instead.

How can the layout be cleaned up so the journal page looks less cluttered?

The database title can be hidden by going to Layout and toggling off “show database title.” This removes the “Title Here” area, making the journal interface cleaner. The same toggle can be applied to the duplicated completed view for consistency.

Review Questions

  1. How would you configure the “completed?” checkbox and filters so that only today’s unfinished entry appears in the main view?
  2. What role does “@ today” play in the template, and why is it important for a recurring daily journal?
  3. Which two properties in the database are most important for automation and organization, and how are they used in sorting or filtering?

Key Points

  1. 1

    Create a “Daily Journal” database with a created-time date property and a “completed?” checkbox to support scheduling and status tracking.

  2. 2

    Use a custom template titled with “@ today” so each generated entry automatically carries the correct date.

  3. 3

    Set the template as the default for all views, then configure it to repeat “everyday” with a specific start time and time zone.

  4. 4

    Filter the main view to show only unchecked “completed?” entries so the active journal stays focused.

  5. 5

    Duplicate the view to create a “completed” tab filtered to show checked entries, keeping history organized.

  6. 6

    Sort entries by the created date (ascending or descending) to quickly scan past journals.

  7. 7

    Hide the database title via Layout settings to keep the journal page visually clean.

Highlights

A daily recurring template can generate a fresh journal entry automatically at a chosen time—no manual creation needed.
Marking “completed?” instantly removes the entry from the active view when the filter is set to unchecked items.
Two filtered views create a clean workflow: one for today’s unfinished journal and one for completed entries.
Using “@ today” in the template title ensures each entry is correctly dated as it’s duplicated.

Topics

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