We have mentioned before how journalling can help reduce stress and anxiety. By keeping a journal we can express ourselves, explore our feelings and document our personal development, but it can also help increase our productivity. Journalling can be a tool to analyze our profession, reflect upon experiences and goals, and plan for next steps in our career.
Here are five ways journalling can help us be more productive and boost performance:
1. A vessel for self-reflection
Keeping a daily record of our experiences and observations can help us reflect on actions and events so we can learn from them and identify the opportunities for improvement.
2. A place to celebrate wins
Documenting achievements is important to keep us motivated and moving forward, and a journal is the perfect place to celebrate those wins without feeling like we are bragging.
3. An aid for building good habits
Making the effort to set aside 15 minutes every day to focus on our journal is already a very good habit as it forces us to pay close attention to the results. By consistently journalling, we’ll help ourselves build (and keep!) other good habits.
4. A sounding board for ideas
Writing things down helps us gain clarity, organize our thoughts and develop ideas before presenting them to our team.
5. A guide for the future
Although our journey through life may have many twists and turns, journalling can help us envision the future in order to cultivate optimism and establish goals and intentions. Putting our most impactful and meaningful goals in writing will remind us what we are working towards. Writing down notes from a mentor can also help as guidance.
Remember that there are no rules when it comes to journalling. This practice is for you and you alone. And just by writing that first line on the page, you are already making progress.
