Throughout high school and during my first job out of college, Sunday afternoons were wracked with dread, as anxiety bloomed over the week ahead. I fantasized about ditching class or work, running away from my life like Gwen Stefani in “Simple Kind of Life” (only for the opposite reason, since I was obsessed with achieving something bigger than being the girl next door). Eventually, I learned to cope as I worked toward a better chapter, but it would’ve been a lot smoother had I come up with this two-part journaling tactic sooner.

Part 1: The EOD Friday brain dump. Before leaving work or shutting off my laptop on Fridays, I take 5 minutes to write down anything and everything I need to take care of: work, personal, long-term, in the next hour, etc. Then I write my top three priorities for Monday and any loose to-do’s, so they’re not lingering in my brain all weekend long. It helps me unplug.

Part 2: Monday journal prompts. They help me clear my mind, find inspiration, purpose and perspective as I launch into the week ahead.

How to Get into the Mood to Journal

Try taking a short walk or a 15-minute yoga flow (not just to get your blood pumping; a Stanford University study found it can help you think more creatively). Invest in a solid journal (or a planner with plenty of space) that you look forward to using, as well as a smooth-writing gel pen. Put on some lo-fi music that won’t distract you, and sip some ice water, tea or cold brew.

32 Monday Journal Prompts to Inspire You

Whether you’re a teacher looking for Monday morning journal prompts to get your students thinking (and writing), or someone looking for ideas to liven up their start to the week personally, you’ll find prompts to tackle both needs, divided by intended audience (you or, uh, your pupils).

The latter are a bit more fun and require a bit less vulnerability, especially if students need to share their answers, so they may be more apt to open up.

Monday Journal Prompts for Adults

1. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the week ahead?

Why is it resonating with you so much?

2. What song has defined the past year for you, and why?

3. What’s one skill you’d like to develop over the next year?

What’s one baby step you could take to start working toward it this week?

4. What’s one thing you could do for yourself this week that’d help you unwind?

It doesn’t have to fit anyone else’s definition of self-care.

5. What are five things that define *you* right now?

A book, a show, a hobby, a collection, a mantra, a sport, whatever you’re loving to your core, no matter what anyone else thinks of it

6. What would the best week of work look like?

Get as specific as possible, whether it’s a lunch break to catch up with an old friend, a project finally being completed, a promotion, a new job offer—whatever you can dream up. What’s holding you back from that ideal week?

7. If you had today off, what would you do?

Go hiking, see a movie solo, bake banana bread? Can any of those things fit into your day before or after work?

8. What are three things that help clear your mind when you’re feeling tense?

9. What’s a talent someone has told you that you have but you haven’t given much thought to?

Does it just come naturally to you? Do you have a hard time believing it’s true? What sticks out?

10. What am I most concerned about right now?

Steal a page from How I Built This author and podcast host Guy Raz: Keeping a “worry journal” that you regularly reflect on can show you how often what we freak out over…isn’t really worth worrying about. It can provide perspective that this, too, shall pass, and it likely won’t be as bad as you fear it will be. (And worrying about the worst-case scenario won’t prevent it from happening either.)

11. What’s something painful that happened recently?

It seems counterintuitive to dwell on the negative, but sometimes, it’s best to excavate what’s aggravating you, rather than bury it. And to prevent yourself from dwelling, in this Oprah-backed exercise, the self-help queen recommends limiting yourself to just two lines to express what happened. Acknowledge it, but do not live there.

12. One month later, revisit the prompt above and answer this: What did I learn from that experience?

Was there a silver lining? Did it shape you or help you grow in some way? Maybe the answer to both is no, but you’re still standing, so what’s happened since then?

Just like Raz’s strategy, Oprah and her Build the Life You Want co-author, Arthur Brooks, argue that keeping a log of your struggles, how you dealt with them and how you came out the other side can help build resilience as you deal with challenges in the future.

13. What’s one absolutely unproductive thing you love to do? What do you love about it?

14. What do you want to prioritize this week?

Why is it important to you? Or is it just urgent and needs to get done?

15. What’s one word that embodies your intention for this week?

16. What would you consider your three core values?

Need help figuring out what the heck those could be? Check out this story on the “Fresh Start Effect.“

17. How can you incorporate those values into the week ahead?

18. What are three words you hope people use to describe you?

(That’s one of 22 questions to answer before you die—morbid, I know, but crucial.)

19. What are the “shoulds” in my life that I need to give myself permission NOT to do?

Too many shoulds = resentment as you gradually build a life based on others’ desires for you over your own

Monday Journal Prompts for Students

This list is focused on ideas for middle/high schoolers, but honestly, they work for adults too.

20. If you could have a menu item named after you, what would it be?

Your own signature smoothie, a la Hailey Bieber? A secret menu burger? A cookie the size of your fist?

21. What’s one thing that would make your day if it happened?

22. Think about the last person you texted or spoke to. What’s one thing you could do for them that would make their day?

It doesn’t matter how large or small the gesture; anything that’d boost their spirits.

23. What’s one song that always gets stuck in your head? What’s your first memory of hearing it?

24. What’s one habit you’d like to start—or strengthen—this week?

25. What’s one habit you’d like to break, once and for all?

26. What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?

It could be a birthday gift when you were five, beyond-helpful advice from a friend or something even less tangible, like forgiving you when you didn’t feel you deserve it.

27. You won $50 for correctly guessing a dog-influencer’s favorite chew toy. How do you spend the money?

28. We’re skipping class and you have a round-trip ticket to spend the day anywhere. Where are you going and why?

29. Have you ever felt burned out?

How would you describe it, and what’d you do to refresh and replenish yourself?

30. What’s one word or phrase you wish people would stop saying?

31. What’s one thing that puts you in a good mood?

32. What’s one book you’ve read more than once? Or a movie you’ve seen multiple times?

What do you love about it? What would you say it reveals about you?