Don’t Have Time to Journal? Try THIS!
Many times our biggest problem isn’t knowing what to do, it's executing what we know we should be doing. If you have been trying to incorporate journaling into your routine or develop a new journaling habit altogether, figuring out when and how to start seems like the hardest question to answer. If your desire to start journaling is stronger than the resistance that keeps you from writing, continue reading for tips on exactly how to overcome it!
Why is Journaling important?
Journaling is an important habit because it allows you to understand your thoughts from an objective perspective. Proper reflection, self-analysis, and growth require objectivity that we don’t have when we try to think in our heads. Journaling is the secret weapon of high performers all around the world. They know that a clear mind leads to well-defined action, which leads to consistently achieving the desired result. The consistent achievement of the desired result is what we identify as success. If you seek clarity, peace, or any semblance of success, journaling is a habit you MUST try!
Tip 1: Create a Mobile Journal
On average, people spend three to four hours on their phones PER DAY. Since you are on your phone anyway, do something that will be beneficial to you. Create a mobile journal in the notes app of your choosing and use it on the spot to jot down your thoughts or brainstorm ideas. You can make one long continuous note, using titles to separate the days or you can create a new note for each day.
Mobile Journal Option: Create a new note for each entry.
Tip 2: Try Habit-Tracking
It’s okay if you don’t know where or how to start when it comes to journaling your feelings. You can build a habit of journaling without writing your feelings at all, and that's through habit-tracking. Use a journal to keep track of any other new habits you are trying to build. By regularly journaling to track your habits you build a habit of writing in a journal regularly. You can track your water intake, sleep schedule, saving progress, or any other goal you might be trying to achieve.
Tip 3: Get a leather-bound Journal
You’re ready to make the switch from mobile journals to pen and paper, but what type of journal is best for you? Writing in a regular 1- or 2-subject notebook brings back the nostalgia of homework and makes journaling feel more like a chore. Leather-bound journals have a rich feel to them with their bookmarks and higher paper quality. Find a journal that you would enjoy writing in and wouldn’t mind carrying with you anywhere.
Tip 4: Designate a Time
Too often we can find ourselves “busy being busy,” to quote Robin Sharma, that we don’t actually make time for what’s important. As unexciting as it is, we can get caught up in the monotony of life that we don’t even remember between the time we open our eyes in the morning and when we go back to sleep at night. There is never going to be a perfect time to journal, just like there is never a perfect time to go to the doctor. You don’t avoid the doctors forever, you just schedule an appointment and make time for it. That is the same way journaling should be approached. Try journaling first thing in the morning with morning pages, which are three pages of long-form writing.
Final Thoughts
If you are interested in the most efficient way to journal, start a mobile journal. If you are planning to spend more than three hours of your day on a device, make it useful. Maybe you have a journal and you’re just not sure what you want to journal about. Try starting with habit-tracking, this is a great way to create measurable progress on your goals and hold yourself accountable for missteps. While composition notebooks are a means to the end that is journaling, a leather-bound journal makes it a more enjoyable experience and less reminiscent of school. The only thing left is to write. Maybe your day is jam-packed with meetings, kids, work events, etc. Try setting the hour after you wake up as time to journal, you could try morning pages or just write out your goals for the day.
Let us know which tip helped you start the habit that will change your life!
