14 Best Journals For Men: Changing Your Life One Page At a Time

Journaling is all about progress and mental health. If you’re struggling with focus, showing gratitude, or gaining ground on your goals each day, you might want to consider adding journaling to your daily habits. The act of writing down thoughts, emotions, and dreams can help men process how they’re feeling, put plans into motion, and become better versions of themselves.

I know, because I do it. I journal.

But to really make the habit stick, it takes repetition and commitment. It also takes a great journal that you’ll actually want to pick up every day. If picking out the best journal for men has you feeling like you’re staring at blank pages, this guide will help.

Note: The Graying Area is an Amazon affiliate and this post does contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, TGA may make a small commission.

The Best Journals for Men

Best for: General journaling, one-sentence, gratitude, morning pages
Page Type: Lined
FSC?: Yes

Guys looking for a great all-around journal should check out the Leuchtturm 1917. This journal comes in several varieties, but my preference is the lined pages. It features FSC-certified materials and acid-free paper, and it contains 251 pages inside. It comes in a variety of colors as well, and it features two ribbon bookmarks, an elastic closure band, and an expandable pocket on the back cover.

This hardcover classic notebook journal is great for lots of journaling types, including general journaling, one-sentence, gratitude, morning pages, and more everyday journal types. Each page has a date marker as well, allowing men to hold themselves accountable to writing every night—no journaler likes skipped dates!

Best for: General journaling, one-sentence, gratitude, morning pages
Page Type: Lined
FSC?: Yes

There are a lot of great reasons to consider a Moleskine Classic Notebook. First, it comes in 30 colors, allowing guys to choose their favorite and start journaling. It features FSC-certified materials, acid free paper, as well as a bookmark and an elastic band to keep things neat and tidy.

The Moleskine Classic features a lined paper design, and it comes with 240 pages. Where it loses out, in my opinion, is the lack of date and page numbers. But, this does make it great for morning pages and one-sentence journaling.

Best for: General journaling, one-sentence, gratitude, morning pages
Page Type: Lined
FSC?: Unknown

Guys looking to save some money on their journals for men should consider this affordable model from Amazon. The Amazon Basics Classic Notebook features a lined design that makes it great for one-sentence and morning pages journaling. It also features a ribbon to bookmark where you left off, and each it comes with an elastic band to keep the book shut.

The Amazon Basics Classic Notebook features 240 high-quality pages, as well as a cardboard-bound cover and an expandable pocket inside the back cover. At such a reasonable price, it’s hard to deny the appeal.

Best for: General journaling, one-sentence, gratitude
Page Type: Lined
FSC?: Unknown

Guys who have a taste for the finer things in life should consider the Montblanc Notebook. This luxury-level journal features high-quality lined paper to make writing a joy. It also has a wide bookmark ribbon, although it doesn’t have a band to keep it closed.

The lined layout on the Montblanc Notebook features wide spacing. This can cheat a morning pages writer from the real experience of writing three pages. However, it does work great for one-sentence writers as well as general journaling and gratitude journaling. If you’re feeling extra bougie, learn to write in it with a fountain pen, as well.

Best for: Bullet journaling, dream journal
Page Type: Plain
FSC?: Yes

When it comes to packing a lot of journal into a small footprint, consider the Field Notes notebook. I’ve used these for small journals for men for years, and they’re extremely handy and feature a lay-flat design. Just open the book, give it a little bend, and it’s good to go. They make a great travel journal due to their compact design, and they’re FSC-certified and feature acid free paper.

These Field Notes journals come in a pack of three, each with plain pages. This allows the user to make their own bullet pages or draw ideas without lines cluttering up the design. Each book has 48 pages wrapped in a cardboard cover. These little writing journals are great for keeping in a pocket or leather journal cover, as well.

Best for: Bullet journaling
Page Type: Dot
FSC?: Yes

The Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal might seem expensive, but that’s because it comes with everything you need to start journaling. It has an accordion pocket inside the back cover that contains directions on bullet journaling, stickers, and more. These resources are high-quality and can help new bullet journal writers understand how this personal journal works.

The 1917 has other features to enjoy as well. Obviously, it has a dot grid design that is completely customizable (it even has white space around the grids to allow for some decoration). It also features a helpful measurement guide inside the front cover to make designing the custom grids easier. The paper is FSC-certified, and the ribbon bookmark and elastic closure help keep things neat and organized.

Best for: Gratitude journaling
Page Type: Designed
FSC?: Unknown

Men who journal for gratitude should consider this Gratitude Journal for Men. This men’s journal features designed pages that require the user to write what they’re grateful for each day. There are also pages with motivational quotes, meditations, and other pick-me-ups to help men feel more grateful.

This journal has a band to keep it shut, as well as a ribbon to mark the pages.

Best for: One-sentence journaling, morning pages, general journaling
Page Type: Lined
FSC?: Unknown

One-sentence journals are a great way to get into the habit of journaling without feeling overwhelmed, and this notebook from C.R. Gibson can help. It doesn’t have any page numbers or date markers, and the lines on the page are perfect for writing one or two lines at a time.

The MJ5-4792 features a bonded leather journal cover as well as a stretch closure band and a ribbon bookmark.

Best for: Morning pages
Page Type: Lined
FSC?: Unknown

Let’s face it: Morning pages can burn up a lot of journal space quickly. Rather than buying a new journal every two months, this model from 996 Deming features 360 pages. Users can fill out three pages for 3 months in a row, making it the perfect men’s journal for morning pages. All of the pages are lined, allowing journaling men to write neatly for longer periods.

This journal for men comes in several colors, including black, burgundy, green, gray, blue, and yellow. Each notebook features elastic bands for bookmarking and keeping the book closed. .

Best for: Double-entry
Page Type: Lined
FSC?: Unknown

Guys who want to try their hands at double-entry journaling should consider this notebook from illygraph. It features a designed dual-entry page, allowing users to write down the facts of their day as well as how they felt, providing clarity and responsibility.

The downside to this notebook is it isn’t very manly. Guys would have to buy a handmade leather journal cover to really spruce this one up a bit.

Best for: Bullet journaling
Page Type: Dot grid
FSC?: Unknown

Want to design your own pages while keeping them neat and cheap? Check out C.R. Gibson’s dot grid notebook. This notebook features dotted grids on each page, allowing users to doodle their own designs onto the page and self-journal. This design can be great for fitness goals, professional goals, and more.

This model from C.R. Gibson features three bookmarking ribbons, allowing it to hold the place of several ideas or designs. It also features a leatherette cover and a stretchy band to keep it shut.

Best for: Dream journaling, general journaling, one-sentence journaling
Page Type: Lined
FSC?: Unknown

Lemome’s Classic Notebook with Pen Loop is a great design for guys who want to record their dreams as they wake. While this journal does have lines that the user will have to draw over (if that’s their style), it also has a pen loop that fits most pens and keeps one readily available so you can jump up and write immediately.

Like most journals on the list, it has a stretchy band to keep it shut. It also comes in several colors, many of which are faux leather.

Best for: General journaling, one-sentence journaling, morning pages
Page Type: Lined
FSC?: Unknown

Folks looking for a cover that at least looks like real leather should check out the Leatherpress Classic Leather Notebook. This notebook looks like it sports a handmade leather journal cover made from full-grain leather. It features a ribbon for bookmarking but not a stretchy closure to keep it shut.

The key features are the quality leather and timeless design. However, the page lines are easy to follow to start writing right away.

Best for: Journaling beginners
Page Type: Designed
FSC?: Uknown

Rather than getting a journal with a faux leather cover and no direction inside, consider the Bro Journal. This notebook features designed pages that ask the necessary questions to guide new users on their way to becoming journalers. This helps guys who start at a blank page and don’t know where to start.

The Bro Journal has all sorts of prompts and sections for the beginner user to figure out. It also has quotes from famous men scattered about, aiming to get the user going and keep them journaling for years to come.

How I Chose The Best Journals for Men

This is a habit I really want you guys to pick up, so I didn’t want to BS you when I chose this list of the best journals for men. I’ve used several types of journals over the years, so I pulled on my experience to determine which ones work the best, why, and what makes the difference.

Once I knew what worked and what didn’t, I did a lot of product research to come up with a list of journals I thought could meet your needs. I then compared them basd on style, price, and desgin to ensure they were value-packed at any price point.

What To Know About Shopping for Journals for Men

You can’t just go out and buy the first journal marketed toward men. It takes some intention and thought to really nail down the best journal for men. The following are some of the most important features or considerations for shopping for a great journal.

Journal Type

There are several types of journals, and sometimes choosing the right one depends on your preferred style. The most popular journal styles to keep include:

• My method of journaling: My method involves writing down the day’s events, something I’m grateful for, something I’m doing that’s working, three or four affirmations, my to-do list, and an accountability section. This is best in journals with lined or ruled pages.
• One-sentence journaling: Write one sentence each day for every day of the month. It’s low-pressure and doesn’t take long. Lined paper is essential for this.
• Gratitude journal: You write down something you’re grateful for each day. They usually include quotes or meditations to consider, as well.
• Bullet journals: A journal that facilitates making bulleted lists about the day’s events, goals, or a to-do list. They’re very focused which can be extremely helpful for unfocused guys.
• Morning pages: Morning pages involve writing three pages of freestyle thoughts, goals, dreams, or randomness. You have to keep writing until you fill three pages, and then you can go about your day. This freestyle-type journal isn’t about organization but can be great for creativity. It just requires a lot of pages.
• Double-entry journals: Originally designed for students, double-entry journals feature two sections: one for writing down what happened today and the other for explaining how that event made you feel. This style of journal separates fact from fiction and lets men take responsibility for their emotions so they can be stronger and emotionally wiser.
• Dream journals: A dream journal is a book that men can keep next to their pillow and open quickly anytime they wake from a dream. This is the hypnagogic period (I actually wrote about it a few years ago), and it’s unbelievably creative. These journals do best with blank or empty pages or dot grids where you can draw freely. They usually have an internal pen holder or external loop, as well.
• Grid journals: Grid journals come in two versions: lined grids and dot grids. These pages allow the user to come up with completely custom boxes and designs for their journaling journey. They can make bulleted lists, lined pages, separate boxes for different thoughts, and more. Since there is a grid to follow, the result is usually relatively neat.

Page Type

There are a few types of pages, some of which we’ve already alluded to before. The main page types are lined pages, designed pages, blank pages, and grid pages. Which is right for the journaler also has a lot to do with their journaling style.

Lined pages are the old standby, and they’re my personal favorite (I am a writer, after all). Designed pages are excellent for guys who don’t know what to write, as the different boxes and descriptions should put them on track. Blank pages are better for artists and freewheelers who like to draw with their journal entries. Grid pages are great for guys who don’t like designed pages but love the idea of designing their own pages with boxes, lines, and even drawings.

Materials

Choosing the best journal for men requires some thought about the material. Most journals today consist of at least some recycled materials in the pages or cover, but if that’s important to you, make sure to look for an eco-friendly journal—they’re usually marked with an FSC label. This means they’re made with sustainably produced paper. Otherwise, many journals feature leather covers or hardcover cardboard with some type of canvas or vinyl overlay.

When it comes to leather journal styles, there are many materials to choose from. Faux leather is popular, as is bonded leather. Also, genuine leather like crazy horse leather or genuine buffalo leather are also great choices as they look amazing but are also extremely durable. And, if you don’t love the look of your notebook, you can shop for a genuine leather jacket to give it some style.

It’s also worth mentioning that there are often other materials in men’s journals. For instance, a ribbon bookmark is typically made of nylon, and there is often an elastic band to keep the book closed.

Style

Before men journal, they need to find a journal that fits their style. Many guys like the standard journal style (that’s me), while others might want something that more resembles Henry Jones, Sr’s from The Last Crusade—for those who haven’t seen it, it’s a leather journal travel diary-type book that contains all of Henry’s research on the… Watch the movie. If a vintage leather journal is your thing, model it after Henry’s.

The best journals for men usually come in a variety of colors too. Obviously, the most masculine colors are black, brown, green, or blue, but if it takes a bright yellow journal to remind you to pick it up, go for the yellow.

Also, some diaries have a vintage leather strap that warps around the table to keep things shut, not relying on plastic. Others might feature genuine water buffalo leather or high-quality canvas and cardboard, depending on the design.

Why is Journaling Good for Men?

Journaling offers great mental benefits. That’s why so many great men have used it and believe in it. Here are some of the most common reasons why journaling is good for you.

• Accountability: Writing down a to-do list and goals can help you feel more accountable each night. You’ll see these items you wrote and it will compel you to make them happen.
• Mental Health: Journaling is excellent for self-care. Writing down thoughts, aspirations, emotions, and other details about traumatic events can help cope and provide mental benefits.
• Organization: One of the best aspects of journaling is that it keeps you organized. The rush of checking something off a to-do list will keep you coming back for more.
• Self Improvement: Journaling is a time for self-reflection. If you don’t like how you’re showing up in your journal, you better put a plan together to fix it.
• Stress Management: Studies have shown that journaling can reduce the impact of stress on the body.
• Sleep Improvement: Journaling before bed can be an excellent way to wind down and settle in before bed. If you make it part of your every night routine, the body will begin to recognize it and you’ll be able to fall asleep faster.
• Memory Improvement: Writing things down has been proven to improve memory.

FAQs About the Best Journals for Men

Whether it’s a fitness journal or a genuine leather-bound luxury-type journal, there is something for everyone. This section will answer the most frequently asked questions on the topic.

What is the best men’s journal?

In my opinion, the best man’s journal is the Leuchtturm 1917. It’s classy, durable, easy to write on, and features date marks and numbered pages.

What should I journal about as a man?

If you’re having a hard time thinking to start writing, try the one-sentence journal first. It’s the easiest to come up with and will make getting started a breeze.

What famous men kept journals?

• Thomas Jefferson
• Lewis and Clark
• Andrew Carnegie
• Captain Cook
• Winston Churchill
• Theodore Roosevelt
• George Lucas
• Leonardo DaVinci
• Mark Twain
• Henry David Thoreau
• Charles Darwin
• Albert Einstein
• John Adams
• David Bowie
• Ralph Waldo Emerson