If you have a convoluted mind swirling with thoughts about so many things, then you are likely to become stressed easily. This is why journaling is an imperative skill to develop
However, you may be wondering how to go about it. And there are a few techniques you can use.
Here are 7 ways to journal that can offer you incredible benefits both for your mind and body.
Free Writing
As the name suggests, you are free to write anything. Don’t think about grammar or correct spelling. Just write.
It could be about anything. Your work, your relationships, and any issue you need to work through. It is one of the major strategies for exploring and generating ideas for writing essays both in Academia and in the working environment.
Morning Pages
The idea is when you wake up in the morning and get ready for the day, you set aside at least 10 minutes to write out your expectations for the day. It will give you a focused intention.
You don’t have to do too much. Just let your mind work and list out all the big goals you have for the day. You can use a normal notebook or dedicated journal for this exercise.
Guided Journaling
Another technique we found for exploring ideas is guided journaling. It is a much more focused and intentional form of freewriting. Instead of working through ideas as they come to, this strategy uses a set of prompts to guide your thinking. You can combine this type of journaling with other forms of journaling.
It is restrictive by nature and helps you focus. You will get the most out of your journaling session.
Bullet Journaling
Bullet Journaling was created and popularized by Ryder Carrol. He created it because he wanted a way in his own words, to keep a record of the past, track the present, and prepare for the future.
These are the three general components of our lives. Having a way to keep them in check will help you achieve your goals easier and faster.
No matter how busy you are, you can find at least five minutes to think of your present moment and the future as well.
Brain Dump
When you feel overwhelmed and don’t have any specific topic to journal about, do a brain dump instead.
Most times you will find it an arduous task to articulate your own thoughts. If you find yourself in such a situation, just dumping your thoughts on paper can help you figure out what you’re thinking about.
One benefit of this method is that it frees you up for creativity.
Mood Tracking
I watched a YouTube by Matt D’Avella who mood-tracked for one year straight. This particularly is not sustainable for most people because of the complexity of the journaling. You need to be aware of your feelings and emotions at all times to keep this exercise going.
However, you might want to throw in some listing of emotions like a bullet journal. Play with it and make it fun.
Reading Journaling
If you love reading, then you can do sporadic reflections during your reading sessions.
Before and after every chapter, try to answer some questions about the main ideas in the book. Use questions to guide your exploration. A question like how you might apply the information is also another method that can provide you with prompts to start journaling or writing out your thoughts is a great mental tool to get started with this type of journaling.
