6 Reasons to Start a Journal

Putting pen to paper might seem kind of old-fashioned right now, but there really is no better way to connect with yourself and your life than regularly writing in a journal! It can feel like a lot of effort but taking a few moments out of your day to reflect and plan is only going to do you good, promise! If you’re still not quite sold on keeping a journal, here are 6 very compelling reasons to get started today:

1. Organisation

A diary is guaranteed to increase your organisation, no matter what you actually decide to use it for! Whether you’re using a dated model, a free-form journaling notebook, or you’re trying your hand at bullet journals, you’re going to find that your day to day life feels a lot more organised and better planned! This is going to help you out in all areas of your lifestyle, so get excited about introducing a little more structure to your routine!

2. Career

Your journal can up your creativity, productivity and performance in your workplace! Use your notebook to write down minutes, notes about projects, track your performance, keep a contacts list and create a goal map! All these elements will work towards making you more effective and organised at work, and who doesn’t want that? Keep your journal at your desk, that way it’ll be handy at the times when you need it most!

3. Social Life

Use your journal to track your social appointments! They aren’t all for serious planning or career stuff, you can always use a notebook to physically plan out when you’re seeing who! With so many different social media platforms, it gets really easy to forget what you agreed to, with who, and where. Write down your plans in a dated journal to effectively organise your social life, your friends will thank you for it.

4. Exercise

Your fitness journey or exercise regime is something that has to be monitored. Writing down your work out plan will solidify it in your mind, you can also note down personal training appointments or planned trips to the gym! If, like most of us, you sometimes need a little more morning motivation, why not take the time to write out how you feel after you’ve exercised – it might encourage you on the days when you’re feeling flat.

5. Recipes

Whether you want to note down meals as a means of weight loss, to track what you’re eating or just to remember your recipe, a notebook is the place to do it! Keeping a food journal is great for maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle, long term. Get creative and illustrate your recipes to make something that you can pass down through generations to come.

6. Critical Thinking

A journal is a great place to express yourself and to work through issues or topics without having to worry about who’s listening. When you’re dealing with a conundrum, new phenomenon or just an issue that you don’t quite understand, writing out your thoughts is amazing. This lets you vent about what’s going on in your mind, unravel the problem and think critically about how you live your life!

By now, you should be fully convinced! The benefits of keeping a journal are kind of endless, so get out there and get scribbling! Whether you’re using yours to think, to be creative, professional, to cook or for exercise, you’re going to savour and love your journaling time, it’s the ultimate escape – right in your living room!