The usefulness of journaling is uncontested. It clarifies our considering and improves our determination making. It helps us discover our emotions and join with our interior life. It captures the questions we’re mulling over. It grounds us in the place we’re, who we’re, and the place we’re headed.
However most individuals don’t journal. When you’re studying this, you’re in all probability one among them. So, let’s make constructing a journaling behavior simpler with just a few suggestions.
Tip 1: Select Unforgettable Cues
Each behavior (intentional or unintentional) has what’s known as an activation set off: a cue that prompts you to motion. And you’ll create one on goal.
One of many best cues for journaling is your journal itself. Put it in a spot the place it’s laborious to overlook. In entrance of the espresso maker, so that you choose it up whereas the espresso brews. On the counter, so that you see it whenever you go to make breakfast. Or on prime of your laptop computer, so you’ll be able to’t miss it earlier than beginning work.
You might additionally tie it to one other exercise. What’s one thing you already do day by day with out fail? Might you journal in your freshly made mattress? Within the car parking zone of your office after pulling in? Proper after doing the dishes from dinner? Simply earlier than you prove the sunshine?
When you don’t wish to neglect, make it unforgettable.
Tip 2: Leverage What You Love
Since you’re human, you may have cravings. Your cup of morning espresso. Your favourite TV present. Your stroll across the block. Settling down with a novel earlier than mattress. Tinkering in your storage. Catching up on the information. What do you look ahead to every day? Bundle your journaling behavior with that exercise.
It additionally helps to have instruments you take pleasure in. Spending much less on instruments you received’t use isn’t an excellent funding. If it makes journaling extra pleasant, spend slightly extra on these fancy pens, high-end pencils, or that handbound leather-based journal. Select the instruments you wish to use.
Tip 3: Intention for Straightforward
If a clean web page is intimidating, purchase a journal with prompts (like our Full Focus Journal).
When you simply don’t wish to journal, monitor what you discover your thoughts returning to throughout the day—concepts, quotes, issues, conversations. Return to this checklist when it’s time to journal. Free your self from what you suppose journaling “ought to” be. Make your journaling serve you.
And set a timer. Don’t begin with half an hour. Don’t even begin with ten minutes. Begin with three. You may spare three minutes a day. And you are able to do something for 3 minutes, proper?
If journaling appears laborious, discover a approach to make it straightforward. Get rid of the intimidation.
Tip 4: Observe Your Streak
Streaks are satisfying. So monitor it. Put a “checkmark” by the date in your calendar. Discover an app that may monitor it just about. And, after all, there’s all the time the streaktracker within the Full Focus Planner.
Monitoring your streak offers you a lift when you wait till you begin seeing the advantages of your behavior. Then, journaling will grow to be its personal reward.
Make immediately the day you began journaling. Select the next step and go for it.
P.S. For extra on habits, take a look at No Fail Habits.
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