- I keep an irregular journal.

- It is useful to process my thoughts, capture high and low moments in life, braindump when feeling overwhelmed.

- I use VIM + markdown, with a new file per entry. I find it very effective. I journal whenever I feel like I need to or should.

- I don't track aspects, I just write about whatever I feel like writing about.

Like most things in life, the answer is just do it!