The author shares their experience of keeping a daily work journal after receiving feedback that their contributions as a staff engineer were unclear. Inspired by Julia Evans' brag doc technique, they found that sharing this journal with colleagues increased transparency and fostered appreciation for their work. Over two years of maintaining this practice, the author noticed it motivated them to focus on impactful tasks and provided a structured way to reflect on their time management. The work journal serves multiple purposes. It allows the author to document various contributions, not just those tied to pull requests or issues. They highlight activities like code reviews, pair programming, and meetings that often go unnoticed but are significant. By recording these moments, the author creates a permanent record that avoids the pitfalls of ephemeral communication tools like Slack. This becomes especially useful when transitioning between managers, as it helps retain context about their contributions. Additionally, the journal plays a key role in the author's work-life balance. They find that writing down daily achievements simplifies the performance review process and aids memory retention, particularly after major life changes, like the arrival of their child. The practice has become part of an end-of-day routine, allowing them to disconnect from work and focus on their family. Ultimately, the author advocates for maintaining an internally public work journal as a practical tool for personal reflection and career development.