Document Your Life in Five Minutes a Day with rukristin's Daily Pages

A simple, joyful, and creative way of telling your stories.

It all started in the summer of 2018. I was burnt out as f*ck and I needed a structured way to get creativity back into my workday. But I had no time. So I came up with a creative habit that only took five minutes -- because I could make five minutes happen. We all can.

I started creating modern scrapbook pages inside of small notebooks. I told tiny stories with stickers, pictures, pretty paper (aka my favorite office supplies), & whatever is on my desk.

Once I knew the habit stuck, I gave it a name and started sharing it with other people.

Join me for Daily Pages, a new, modern, way of documenting your life.

You don't need any special supplies -- all the essentials you've got on you already.

Step 1: Get a small notebook.

My favorite size is the passport Travelers Notebook (5.5"x3.5"). I get most of mine from Field Notes. I like the paper and # of pages in their books, as well as different covers.

I like using a small notebook for this project because it takes less time to fill up a small page.

Step 2: Write the date on the first page.

I date my first page so I know the order of my books, and can put them into time context.

Step 3: Flip to the first set of blank pages and create!

These pages can be whatever you want them to be. Lots of stickers, lots of journaling, stick down paper or post-its. The goal is for you to spend 5 minutes inside your notebook.

This can be about whatever you want. It can be a story, contain a photo, just have a bunch of stickers, or whatever else you feel like documenting that day.

Some of my favorite pages include:

Pulling different scraps from my desk (I love vertical paper strips like the page below). It’s a great way to use up the little scraps that you can’t bear to throw away.

Documenting what I’m Currently watching (and reading and listening to…). I have been filling out these Currently Lists every week for more than a decade now. It’s never the same exact style or page design. But it’s really nice to start the week off knowing what the main focus of my page is going to be.

Practicing with new supplies. This is such a great place to play and practice. Whenever I get a new supply, I pull it out and start a Daily Page to see what it feels like. It’s a great way to get over the fear of messing up when trying out something new.

Highlighting inspirational art & words. There is so much great inspiration out in the world. Daily Pages is a great place to capture the art and artists who are inspiring you right now.

Using fun memorabilia. I love picking up colorful brochures and pamphlets whenever I’m out. It’s so much fun to cut up the pretty papers and use them as a background. Pairing them up with simple labels like the video below is an easy way to tell some little stories!

Playing with handmade/mixed media papers. I love using mixed media for creating unique backgrounds. Whether it’s with stamps, acrylic paint, watercolors, stencils, or gelli prints, I love that Daily Pages is a little canvas where I can use all the papers I make. (P.S. all mixed media background papers look awesome when you cut them up and arrange them in a grid.)

Art-ing out frustrations. Daily Pages is amazing for getting those persnickety thoughts out of your head and onto the page. Since it’s a daily project, once your done getting out your frustrations in a fun and creative way — you can just flip the page and it’s a clean slate for tomorrow.

Step 4: Tomorrow, flip to the next set of pages & repeat.

This is not about perfection. You're just spending time in your notebook.

Step 5: At the end of your book, write the date you finished

We date the first page, so obviously, we also date the final page. Also, celebrate. Finishing a book is such an awesome thing. It feels really good.

Step 6: Start again with a new book.

As with any other habit, the next day we start again.

And remember, this is not a 365 day project. It’s not about doing a page every single day. It’s about a creative routine that fits you.

Whether that’s creating a page in five minutes a day or creating a few pages on the weekend. Daily Pages is a way for you to document your life and get creative in a small format that works for you and your life.

If you want to join me for Daily Pages, the best way to start is with the free Daily Pages Challenge. Visit theawesomeladiesproject.com/dailypageschallenge to get started!