Day One: My Digital Midori

Day One is an app for iOS (Android is in beta testing). The uses are endless, but for me, it’s how I keep myself organized with journals for each of my projects and one that is dedicated to personal reflection.

I could write a series of posts on using Day One, but to keep this simple and easy, I’ll highlight its features, pricing, and how I’ve found it helpful.

Availability and Pricing of Day One

Currently, Day One is available for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

The app is free, but if you want some of the higher functionality, it’s going to cost you a subscription fee.

The subscription fee for new users is $34.99 a year/$3.99 per month. If you were a user of a previous version, Day One is offering the subscription for $24.99 a year/$2.99 per month.

Day One Features

Depending on when you download the app depends on the features you will get. For a complete breakdown of the basic, premium, and grandfathered in features,

For those who find it hard to swallow the subscription fee, here is what you will have access to with the basic app:

• One journal
• One photo per entry
• Unlimited entries
• Local Backups (including iCloud)
• In-app and system notifications
• Reminders
• On This Day (think Timehop for your journal)
• Book printing (additional cost)
• Track your location while writing
• Browse by calendar, timeline, maps, or photos
• Export to PDF, HTML, or JSON

If you go premium, you get all the above features plus:

• Unlimited journals
• Unlimited photo storage
• Cloud sync to all Day One Apps
• Encrypted cloud storage
• Activity feed
• IFTTT integration
• 25% off book printing
• Future access to upcoming features!

If you are a previous user of Day One, there are bonus features that you get aside from what is mentioned above. For a complete list, check out Day One’s explanation of features and pricing.

Looking at all those features can be a bit overwhelming, so here is what I use and how so you can figure out if this app is a good fit for your style.

How I Use Day One

Journal for Each Occasion/Project

I keep a separate journal for each of my projects and classes, and then I keep another journal dedicated to my GeekMom writing and another for personal reflection. I use tags in each entry to help with searching. Sometimes I may write something on social media that I want in my journal, so I have IFTTT set to sync all my Facebook and Instagram posts (one way) to my main journal and if I find one in my journal I might not particularly want in there (maybe I asked a question or just made a random observation) then I delete it from my journal.

When I feel like writing on paper instead of on one of my devices, I take a picture of my written journal and then upload it into my Day One so it’s backed up. I give the entry a few tags and that helps me find it later.

There are also times when I can’t write in my app (like at work), so I save my thoughts to a text file and e-mail it to myself so I can copy/paste it into my journal at a later time.

Anxiety Relief

Someone suggested I keep a gratitude and positive thoughts journal, so I have one dedicated to that in Day One. I’m not as religious about filling this one out, but I’m working on finding a template that will make it easier for me.

Travel Journal and Scrapbook

The other day I realized what I essentially have is a digital Midori (something that GeekDad Jules is in love with). With my upcoming Disney Cruise on the horizon, I have a feeling I’ll be expanding my journal entry into a photo album to go along with my writing. When my trip is over, I can send it off to be published and kill two birds with one stone.

Export for Other Purposes

For this post, I wrote my draft in Day One and exported it to HTML and copy/pasted it into the GeekMom system.

This idea could also work if you have a school paper or notes. Start it on your computer, then work on it on your iPad or phone at lunch. When you’re ready to turn it in, export it to PDF and submit. Day One has replaced Evernote and OneNote for me.

No matter how you journal, Day One can be basic or it can be complex; it just depends on how you want to use it. For more uses and to stay up to date with premium features, check out Day One’s website and blog.

Disclaimer: GeekMom was given the Mac App (at the time $49.99) free for the purposes of this review.