Over 100 journaling prompts for the pandemic

Do you want to keep a journal about the pandemic, but don’t know what to write about as so little seems to change day to day? Below are over 100 journaling prompts for the pandemic split into twelve themes. Each day pick a prompt and use it as a starting point for your writing. Don’t worry about starting at the top or not repeating a prompt (you may actually want to do this to record how things change). Each day pick a prompt that appeals to you from the list.

Please let me know if you think there are any journaling prompts missing from this list. What prompts have you been finding useful recently.

Achievements Journal Prompts

• What have you learnt during the pandemic?
• How are you making the most of the time at home?
• What skills are you developing?
• What are you progressing that has been hanging around for a long time?
• What would you most like to accomplish during the pandemic?
• When you look back at the pandemic, what will you feel proud about?
• What new skills have you learnt because of working and learning at home?
• What have you wanted to learn for a long time? How can you learn it while you’re at home?
• What would you like to complete before the pandemic is over?

Journal Prompts About Your Activities

• What are you watching?
• What are you listening to?
• What entertainment have you enjoyed the most ?
• What activities are bringing you the most enjoyment?
• What have you been reading?
• What have you been cooking?
• How are you occupying your time?
• What are you sorting / organising
• What do you do when you’re bored?
• What hobby do you want to learn or start doing again?
• Have you done any special online activities e.g. virtual tours of museums, shows?
• What are you doing with your extra time?
• How are you keeping up with your extracurricular activities?
• What new hobbies have you started? Have you rediscovered any old ones?

Big Picture Journal Prompts

• What is the current situation?
• What do you think about the Government’s actions in relations to the pandemic?
• What part do you play in the efforts against the pandemic?
• Have you learnt anything new about institutions e.g. company, government during the pandemic?
• What have you learnt about your local community during the pandemic?
• What do you know about coronavirus? What do you not know?
• How much news do you read each day? Where are you reading it?

Changes Due to the Pandemic Prompts

• What has been the biggest change to your life?
• What has stayed the same?
• What did you do today? How was this different to a pre-pandemic day?
• What changes have you seen in your family, your friends, colleagues or community?
• Has the pandemic changed any of your plans?
• What has changed in your day-to-day life?
• What mattered to you a few weeks ago and now seems irrelevant?
• Have you created any new traditions during the pandemic?
• What didn’t matter to you a few weeks ago and is now important?
• What are you now relying on that you didn’t before?
• How has your life altered from a financial point-of-view?

Journaling Prompts for the Pandemic Daily Life

• What does your day look like?
• What are you enjoying eating?
• What are your morning and evening routines?
• Write 3 words that describe your life at the moment
• What is your job / schooling like at the moment?
• What is like doing the food shopping?
• Where are you working / studying?
• Have you tried any new meals? Why?
• What have you struggled to buy?
• How do you feel about your work?
• What does a good day look like for you?
• Do you like distance Working / learning? Do you want to continue with it?
• What do you eat for lunch at home? Who do you socialize with at lunch?
• Are you using social media? More or less than previously? Why?
• Where are you spending your time? How has this impacted on your experience during the pandemic?

Journal Prompts about difficulties connected to the Pandemic

• What is the hardest thing about the pandemic?
• Are you disappointed about any events that didn’t happen?
• What has been the most difficult thing for you about the pandemic?
• Which changes have caused the biggest impact?
• What do you miss about life before the pandemic?
• What have you missed out on since the pandemic started?
• Do you have a hard time thinking of things to do outside of work / school / caring?

Journal prompts about your emotions connected to the pandemic

• How do you feel about the pandemic?
• What is the biggest concern you have about what is going on?
• What is your biggest concern about how your life has changed?
• How are you feeling today? How would you like to feel today?
• How are you feeling about the world and how it has changed because of the pandemic?
• What are you missing the most and least about life before the pandemic?
• Are you feeling more stressed or anxious these days?
• How are you feeling about what is happening in the world?
• What gives you hope about the situation we are in?
• What are you afraid of right now?

Looking forward, past the pandemic journal prompts

• What do you want to do after the pandemic?
• What is the first thing you’ll do when restrictions are lifted?
• What positives do you think may come from the pandemic?
• Are you making any plans for after the pandemic?
• How do you think life will be different in the future
• How are you feeling about the future?
• What one new thing has come out of the pandemic that you want to keep in your life after it is over?
• Has the pandemic made you think about how you take care of yourself, others or the planet?
• What changes do you think this pandemic has caused that will still be around years from now?
• What changes has the pandemic made you realise you want to make in your life?
• How are you going to change your behaviour after the pandemic?
• What are some of the positive impacts the Pandemic has had on the world?
• What are some of the negative impacts the Pandemic has had on the world?
• How do you think Covid-19 will affect your life going forwards?

Journal prompts about people and community

• Are you practicing social distancing? Why or why not? What are you doing?
• Who appears to be in need of support? What can you do to help?
• What are you learning about other people?
• How are you keeping in touch with people?
• What changes do you see in your community?
• How do you feel about replacing in person conversations with video chats?
• Is there any tension in your household from being cooped up for so long?
• Who is supporting you right now? Who are you supporting?
• Who did you talk to today? What did you talk about?
• What good can you do to help others? How can you help your community?
• What have you learned about your family that surprises you?
• Where have you seen the good coming out of people?
• Who are the people you miss the most?
• Write about someone who is helping.
• What is the general mood or belief in your community and how is it changing day to day?
• Who are you social distancing with?

What positives have come from the pandemic journal prompts

• What are you glad you don’t have to do?
• What are you enjoying doing?
• What are you grateful for that you’ve previously taken for granted?
• What is the easiest thing about being at home?
• That is the funniest thing about being at home?
• What opportunities do you see about being at home?
• What are the benefits of being at home?
• Which changes have been pleasantly surprising?
• What are you not missing?
• What will be your lasting memories of lockdown?
• Have you seen any positive changes since the start of social distancing?
• What made you laugh today?
• What are you grateful for today?
• What made you happy or brought joy today?
• What are you excited about?

Self awareness journal prompts

• What are you learning about yourself as a result of the pandemic?
• What is your “must have” while you’re at home?
• What is one thing that always cheers you up?
• What has quarantine helped you to let go of?
• What has quarantine helped you invite in?
• Are you okay spending more time with yourself
• Are you currently surviving or thriving?
• What would thriving look like for you?
• What do you want more of at the moment? How can you bring more of it into your life?
• Have you discovered or rediscovered parts of yourself you’d forgotten e.g. painter, writer, runner?
• Has your outlook about anything become more positive?
• What goals and dreams have you discovered / prioritised?
• What have you learned that you value most?
• What have you learnt that you don’t need in your life?
• What have you learned about life during the pandemic?
• How has this experience changed any of your social, economic or political views?
• How are you feeling today? How would you like to feel today?

How are you looking after yourself journal prompts

• Has the pandemic forced you to develop new healthy habits?
• Has the pandemic forced you to improve your self-care?
• What is something kind you can do for yourself today?
• How are you taking care of yourself right now?
• What self care techniques have you started?
• How has your exercise routine changed?
• Have you changed your diet?
• How can you be kinder to yourself?

I hope these journaling prompts for the pandemic encourage you to start writing about your experience. If you’re still looking for more information I’ve got lots of posts on journal writing or ask a question below.