I started to journal almost 10 years ago. It proved to be one of the most effective self-help tools I ever used, and probably the least expensive.
There are a few mental blocks when you tinker with the idea of journaling. I would dare say that these blocks are even more evident when you’re a man. Because, you know, one of the common images of journaling is a pink notebook in which girls are jotting down random thoughts, drawings of knights on white horses and so on and so forth. Not too manly, it seems. And then there’s the time constraint: what are the benefits of sitting 15 minutes per day in front of my computer and vomiting my brains out? I could do so much more in those 15 minutes. And I could go on like this for a long time.
And yet, once you get over these common preconceptions about journaling and start using it, miracles can happen. It’s a pretty bold statement but I stick to it.
As with any new habit, I wouldn’t recommend a cold turkey approach: I’m starting to journal now and I’m going to stick with it, no matter what. This approach almost never works.
A gentler way to insert a new habit in your daily routine would be a 30 days challenge (like the one that I used to test Steemit in my first 30 days here). Just try it out for 30 days and see how it works. This will ease the unconscious pressure that may lead to a burnout. It doesn’t matter if you do it always at the same time. It doesn’t matter if you write the same number of words in each session. What matters is to create the habit of facing the white paper (or the blank screen) and start dumping out your mind.
And once you start incorporating it into your routine, you may experiment one, or all the benefits below.
1. Clear Mind
Free writing, or writing down whatever you want, will soon free your mind as well. It’s unbelievable how many thoughts are running at the same time in our heads and how little attention we’re left with because of all this humming and buzzing. Journaling will create, in time, a wider attention span by talking out the garbage. And a wider attention span will allow more focus. And more focus means a clearer mind. And that is always good, right?
2. More Creativity
Once you write whatever bothers you and once you start looking at it from the outside, a new pattern will emerge: you will start to focus on the solutions, not on the problems. If you ruminate the same thoughts over and over again, your energy will stick to those thoughts and you’ll be stuck at the problem level. And you know already that no problem can be solved at the problem level, you need to go beyond that. Journaling is literally making you more creative.
3. More Accountability
if it’s out there, written and stored on a piece of paper or in a computer, it must be taken into account, somehow. If it’s only in your head, it may fly away at the next distraction. So once you start creating a trail of bits and pieces left behind from your mind, you will also create the space to process them. You will be able to get a handle of them, now that they’re out there, clearly described. The end result of this will be more accountability. Whatever you will start to do, you will start to do it in a more conscious way.
4. Better Writing Skills
That’s obvious. But keep in mind that better writing skills are useful not only if your main activity is related to writing, as being a blogger or an author. It may be very good for you even if you’re doing management or accounting. Getting your ideas across with ease in writing is a huge advantage. Writing a clear email or a report are huge benefits in any position of work.
5. Better Emotional Balance
I left that at it the end, but, for me, that was the biggest benefit. I admit that in the beginning I was using journaling only when I was feeling down, as some sort of writing therapy. But you know what? It worked. It just worked. So, every time you feel down, try to describe your situation in writing (instead of visiting the fridge in the middle of the night or hitting a club). There is a cathartic experience in opening your heart in writing. And there is real healing.
Do you have any experience with journaling? Do you plan starting it? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
I'm a serial entrepreneur, blogger and ultrarunner. You can find me mainly on my blog at Dragos Roua where I write about productivity, business, relationships and running. Here on Steemit you may stay updated by following me @dragosroua.
