I've found that AI's most significant benefit to me is not in the architectural tools I've discussed before, but in enhancing my thought process by analyzing my daily journal entries.
My journaling process starts with answering a set of questions that range from introspective thoughts to daily planning. This structure not only organizes my thoughts but also provides rich content for AI analysis. I share my journal entry with ChatGPT, along with a set of prompts that enable the AI to analyze and provide feedback, considering both my current and past entries. This process is helpful for my thinking and self awareness, so I thought I’d share it here.
This blog lists the types of feedback I’m able to get from ChatGPT, along with examples from my journal entry from this morning. At the end I include the specific journal questions and prompts I use.
Types of AI Feedback in Journaling
1. Key Themes
Prompt: "List the key themes of my journal entry."
The first question in my journal, 'What is on your mind, or what do you notice around you?', encourages free writing. This often uncovers the key themes that ChatGPT later identifies, providing me with clearer insight into my current state of mind. I have found that this analysis of key themes is both straightforward and immensely beneficial. When I ask ChatGPT to list the key themes of my journal entry, it's like having my own words rewritten in a way that makes them clearer and more comprehensible. This is comparable to the technique often used in communication where you repeat or rephrase what someone else has said. Such a method is not just about hearing the words again; it's a powerful tool for problem-solving. By hearing my thoughts presented back to me in a different form, I often gain new insights and perspectives. It's a simple yet effective way to work through any issues or ideas I've been grappling with in my journal.
Example responses from this morning’s journal entry:
Key Themes:
- Virtual Reality (VR) and Technology: Experiences with a VR app, and thoughts on its functionalities and limitations.
- Creative Projects: Blog writing on journaling, AI advice, AI art, and memory techniques.
- Personal Planning and Gifts: Upcoming lunch plans, and selecting Christmas gifts for family.
2. Relevant Advice
Prompt: "Give me 5 to 10 pieces of relevant advice based on my entry."
Part of my journal includes brainstorming ideas on various topics, a practice that feeds into the AI's ability to give relevant advice and add to my idea list. This might include insights or solutions related to the broader themes or challenges I've written about. The AI not only complements my thought process but also introduces new perspectives and concepts that I may not have considered, significantly enriching the brainstorming session.
Example responses from this morning’s journal:
- Optimizing VR Experience: Investigate specific VR settings or equipment that can reduce motion sickness, such as adjusting the field of view or using a VR headset with higher refresh rates. This might enhance your VR sessions, especially when reviewing projects like the Native American exhibit.
- Enhancing Blog Posts: For your blog about journaling, consider adding personal anecdotes or examples to illustrate how journaling has impacted you. This could make the content more relatable and engaging for your readers.
- Balancing Work and Personal Life: Ensure to allocate time for relaxation and personal interests. This can help in maintaining a healthy work-life balance, reducing stress, and fostering creativity.
3. Mental State Evaluation
Prompt: "Estimate my emotional state and mental health."
I have the AI assess my mood and emotional state, providing insights into my mental well-being. Through my journal entries, the AI often detects a blend of emotions and states, such as being busy yet positive, feeling encouraged, or experiencing mild stress due to social interactions. This helps me understand and acknowledge my emotional state more clearly, especially during times when I might not be fully aware of my underlying feelings.
Example responses from this morning’s journal entry:
- Your journal entry suggests a generally positive and proactive mindset, with enthusiasm for your projects and technology.
- Mild stress is indicated, particularly related to the VR experience and the workload of your projects.
- Engagement in social relationships appears to be a priority, showing a balanced approach to work and personal life.
4. Reality Checker
Prompt: "Point out any biases or misperceptions and also highlight any achievements or positive aspects I might have downplayed."
The AI acts as a reality check, highlighting any skewed perceptions or experiences and encouraging me to acknowledge achievements I might have missed. It's especially helpful when I compare myself to others or my past self, providing a balanced and encouraging perspective.
Example responses from this morning’s journal entry:
- Effectiveness of AI for Everyone: The assumption that AI journaling will benefit all architects and designers equally may overlook individual differences in work style, creative process, and technology adaptation.
- Privacy Concerns with AI: While you mention potential privacy issues with AI accessing journals, this concern might be underestimated, especially considering the nuanced and complex nature of data privacy and security in AI.
5. Schedule Planner
Prompt: "Organize my to-do list in order, with estimated timeframes, durations, and subtasks."
My journaling concludes with listing the day's tasks, which ChatGPT then helps organize. This process transforms my initial jumbled list into a clear and structured schedule for the day. Using AI to plan my daily tasks helps me organize my tasks by order of priority, estimated time, and other details like subtasks and potential conflicts. This not only improves my productivity but also opens up possibilities for future integrations with other applications, such as calendar management, ticket purchasing, and meeting planning.
Example responses from this morning’s journal entry:
To-Do List Organization:
- Lunch (11:00 am - 12:00 pm): Early lunch, 1 hour.
- Coffee Shop Writing Session (12:30 pm - 3:30 pm): Continue outlining and writing the blog post, 3 hours.
- Edit and Finalize Blog Post (3:30 pm - 4:30 pm): Remove unnecessary paragraphs, critique, 1 hour.
- Select Image and Title (4:30 pm - 5:00 pm): For the blog post, 30 minutes.
- Plan for Tomorrow (5:00 pm onwards): Decide on what to bring for lunch for the event tomorrow.
6. Knowledge from Past Journals
Prompt: “Analyze this journal entry alongside my past entries, highlighting emotional and thought evolution, and suggest how ideas in this entry relate to past entries.”
The AI's ability to remember and reference my past emotional states is invaluable. It provides me with concise reminders of how my thoughts and feelings have evolved, offering a unique perspective that challenges the notion that my current state is how I've always felt. This feature has been helpful in tracking mental health progression and personal growth.
Example responses from this morning’s journal entry:
- Blog Writing: Your focus on writing a blog has evolved. Earlier entries might have mentioned planning or brainstorming, but your latest entry discusses specific content division and its execution. This suggests a movement from ideation to implementation.
- Personal Connections: There's a shift in your approach to relationships. In past entries, you might have expressed intentions or thoughts about reaching out to friends or networking connections. In the latest entry, you've acted on these intention. This indicates a progression in prioritizing and nurturing personal connections.
- AI Utilization: Your use of AI seems to be deepening. Initially, it might have been for specific tasks or queries, but now you're considering its broader applications in journaling and memory retention. This reflects an evolving understanding and appreciation of AI's potential in various aspects of life.
7. Journal Image Creation
Prompt: "Ask to proceed, then create a few images that each encapsulate every topic in the journal entry. The images should remind me of everything in the journal entry. Don’t show someone writing, don’t show a computer, don’t show a desk, and don’t show a journal."
Creating AI art based on my journal entries has added a new dimension to my journaling experience. The AI-generated images capture the essence of my thoughts and ideas, turning them into visual representations. I use these images as thumbnails and covers for my journal files, making it easier and more engaging to recall the contents of each entry at a glance.
Example response from this morning’s journal entry:
The image reflecting the diverse activities from your journal entry, including VR testing, selecting Christmas presents, writing your blog in a coffee shop, and preparing for an event by picking up rolls from the grocery store, has been created. It combines these elements to tell a story of technology, festive preparation, creative work, and personal errands.
Ethical Considerations
While I wouldn't advocate for it due to a variety of privacy concerns, there's a scenario where an AI could access not only my journal but also those of others. Imagine an AI identifying common themes across different journals and suggesting connections – for instance, pointing out others who are exploring similar topics, potentially fostering a dialogue. Additionally, the AI might even act as a matchmaker, identifying instances where two individuals are expressing mutual interest in their journals but are hesitant to voice their feelings.
Consider the potential risks if an AI, controlled by an unscrupulous company with access to personal journals, were to be misused. Such a scenario could lead to subtle yet significant manipulations, where the AI influences personal choices, alters perceptions of normality, and provides skewed advice. This could extend to impacting purchasing decisions or even swaying political opinions, diverging from an individual's authentic choices.
To mitigate these risks, several proactive measures could be implemented. Enhanced data encryption methods would secure journal contents, while the establishment of AI ethics boards would oversee the responsible use of this technology. User consent protocols would ensure that individuals have control over their data, paving the way for an ethical framework in AI-assisted journaling.
My Journaling Workflow
The specific workflows for setting up a journal like this will change quickly. As of now, my personal approach to journaling involves using Notion, where each entry is written on a separate page and organized as a single project. These entries are then copied into ChatGPT for analysis, and the analysis is copied back into the journal for future reference. Notion's new AI Q&A feature analyzes not just individual entries but integrates insights from all my previously stored journals, blog posts, and related content. This comprehensive method provides a more holistic view, allowing for journal responses that take into account previous journals. I expect to use this more going forward.
My Journal Prompt and Questions
The following is a morning journal entry. I would like you to do a few types of analysis on my journal entry.
- List the key themes of my journal entry.
- Give me 5 to 10 pieces of relevant advice based on my entry.
- Estimate my emotional state and mental health.
- Point out any biases or misperceptions and also highlight any achievements or positive aspects I might have downplayed.
- Organize my to do list in order, with estimated timeframes, durations, and sub tasks.
- Analyze this journal entry alongside my past entries, highlighting emotional and thought evolution, and suggest how ideas in this entry relate to past entries
- Ask to proceed, then create a few images that each encapsulate every topic in the journal entry. The images should remind me of everything in the journal entry.
Journal Entry:
- What is on your mind, what’s bothering you, or what do you notice around you. (Write freely about anything on your mind or observations about your surroundings, until you exhaust all thoughts.)
- If you reached out to a friend today, who would it be and what would you say? (Think about a friend you would contact today and what you would say, encouraging introverts like me to maintain meaningful relationships.)
- List 10 bad ideas related to a certain topic. (Generate 10 ideas, good or bad, on a chosen topic to practice idea generation and embrace creativity.)
- Do you have anything else on your mind? (A follow-up to the first question, allowing space to explore any new thoughts or ideas that have arisen.)
- List the items you need to do today. (List out all tasks for the day, including expected durations and priorities, which ChatGPT will later organize into a structured schedule.)
I encourage y’all to do a practice of daily journaling as well, and see how AI can help your thinking process.
Happy journaling!