Dear Diary…
8 ways to master the life-changing habit of journaling
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Dear Diary…
8 ways to master the life-changing habit of journaling
From Albert Einstein to Frida Kahlo to Sebastian Vettel, many of the world’s greatest thinkers and achievers have chosen to keep a journal. As well as guarding some of the most personal thoughts, a diary can improve health and help achieve professional success. But before you turn and fill a new page of your story, we’ve put together a few tips to kick things off.
1. Find a purpose.
First of all, decide what your journal is for. Is it going to help you organise your goals and track achievements, will it be a creative outlet, or a way to cultivate gratitude? For some, journals also help to stay on top of their daily to-dos and remember important details. It’s entirely up to you, which is already an encouraging start.
2. Untangle your mind.
Because writing things down keeps your mind uncluttered and helps you stay organised, it is a great way to feel balanced and less stressed. It’s proven that journaling can help you prioritise tasks and tackle them effectively. Just like pouring your heart out with pen on paper can help resolve emotional difficulties, using a journal at work can help you figure out the next steps for growing your business or solving a pressing dilemma.
3. Write, don’t type.
Numerous studies have proven that writing by hand is the key to reaping the benefits of journaling. It improves memory, encourages self-reflection, and makes you slow down mindfully.
4. Let it flow.
Free-writing and stream of consciousness are not reserved to surrealist artists. By letting your mind run free on paper, you too can tap into the deeper recess of your mind and uncover creative thoughts. To make the process smooth, choose a writing instrument and ink that writes fluidly and glides on paper - if you get a burst of ideas, you can write quickly and catch up with them.
5. Consistency is key.
One of the most essential elements of making good habits stick is to practice them regularly. You can incorporate journaling into your morning or evening routines. For example, sit down to write with your morning coffee or tea, or keep your journal next to your bed and write some reflections every night before you switch the lights off.
6. Shake things up.
It is easy to get stuck in a rut with any habit, including journaling. Refresh your practice by doing something unexpected: write with your non-dominant hand, head outdoors, choose a new location, or use a different colour ink. Experimentation helps you keep the creative juices flowing.
7. Pause the perfectionism.
Remember that your personal journal is not for reading. The goal is to get your thoughts on paper and your mind in good shape. So, don’t edit - just write. You can let professional editors do their job when your most successful ideas make it into a memoir.
8. Get inspired.
A blank page can be intimidating. Next time you feel the weight of a writer’s block, use writing prompts to kick-start your creativity. Find a moving quote and respond to whatever it sparks in you. If you are inspired by a particular person, describe what it might feel like to spend a day in their shoes. Envisioning what you can achieve is more than just blue-sky thinking - dreaming, after all, is a way of planning.
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The benefits of pen-to-paper journaling are endless and personal; from calming your mind, to setting and smashing your goals, to uncovering ideas and turning them into professional success. All you need to start is just a little time, and we will make sure you have the best writing instruments and stationery at hand.
