How to Start Writing Your Success Journal Today?

Journaling is a tedious task for someone who has a busy and hectic schedule, but actually, it is one way of managing oneself and getting through a busy day. It does not only let you keep a record of your daily activities and remind you of the things that must be done but also help you discover new insights, ponder on what lies ahead, and handle challenges. To experience the benefits of effective journaling, let’s find out how to start a success journal:

Effective Journaling: When is the Best Time to do It?

Is it better to journal in the morning or at night? Most people would prefer the calmness of the early morning before their feet hit the ground. Others are more creative when they are enjoying the quietness of the house in the evening. Is there a best time for journaling?

One renowned research by professor Steve Kay says the body’s clock works synchronized with all its rhythms. This is mostly a reaction to light and stimuli.

She added that most adults tend to execute best in the morning since their body temperature starts to rise. Our willpower burns out during the day but is stronger in the mornings, so it is not a challenge to make journaling in the morning a habit.

Based on a study in 2001 in the journal Thinking and Reasoning, most people can solve and tackle problems in the evening when they are tired because surprisingly, tiredness can increase creativity. The research also added that fatigue may permit the mind to wander liberally to discover another solution and produce ideas.

Evenings also allow our minds to think of our experiences during the day and making us inspired. At night, when everything’s done, you will have all the time to write in your journal.

Hence, the best time of the day to journal effectively depends on when you are most creative. The most important thing is building a habit to journal at the same time every day. The mind and body will find it easy, so it’s naturally ready for the task.

Is it Easy to Start Journaling?

Thinking of effective journaling is easy, but to actually start and making it a habit is not that simple. It requires dedication, patience, and commitment to writing a journal effectively.

• Choose your “best time of the day”.

Psychologist Dr. Jane Oakhill of the University of Sussex performed a series of experiments to find out how the time of the day influences our memory.  She discovered that people are good at tasks that involve morning memory. At the same time, she noticed people were also better at tasks that combine afternoon or night information.

Set a time in your day where you are more productive and least likely to be disturbed. Make time every day to write; however, if you don’t have the luxury of time to do so, spare 5-10 minutes of quiet, undisturbed time. Try out the different period of the day to write and see which one suits your liking.

• Choose a medium.

Deciding on a medium in journaling requires dedication to the process and helps make it an everyday custom. According to Maud Purcell, a psychotherapist and journaling expert, some people find handwriting their thoughts are more effective than composing them on computers.

Physical pen-on-paper writing activates an area of the brain called the reticular activating system (RAS), which sorts and concentrates on information. However, journaling doesn’t limit on physical writing, going digital is an option too.

Blogging is one way to start effective journaling. Blogging can be the best alternative, most especially for busy, on-the-go individuals. Studies show that blogging stimulates dopamine release, a chemical that helps regulate emotional responses and improve mood. Digital journaling can be fun too, as you can include videos and images in your journals.

How to Find Inspiration to Start Journaling

Now, you’ve finally decided to start effective journaling. The challenge never stops here, there will be days that you feel not writing or your busy, hectic schedule won’t allow you to write. How to compose a success journal effectively? Remember the benefits which effective journaling can offer.

• Enhances your IQ.

The University of Victoria reported that writing a success journal inspires a positive connection with learning. In journaling, one needs to explore the language; it comes naturally since you search for new words and vocabulary. The report also added that having a wide vocabulary is one of the best measures of intelligence.

• Stimulates mindfulness.

Practicing mindfulness skills is essential-learning to focus our attention on our internal experience at the moment it happens. It will teach one to be “awake” and be more alert, a report from the School of Medicine at the University of Virginia. Journaling can put an end to absent-mindedness and can give more concentration on actively preoccupy your thoughts.

• Facilitates in Achieving Goals.

In journaling, writing about one’s dreams and ambition comes naturally; yet, it makes ambitions stronger when scrawled on paper. As Purcell stated, the Reticular Activating System of the brain signals to the brain that these goals matter. Then, it provides significant opportunities to help reach that goal. Thus, more detailed goals can increase the possibility of achieving them.

Conclusion

Taking a time of the day scribbling thoughts and goals can help in keeping track of your management and growth over time. The best time to engage in effective journaling is when you feel creative and relaxed. Don’t pressure yourself when writing, forget the rules and just write the way you want to.

Be patient. Take it slow at first, and take bigger steps eventually. Through journaling, you’ll uncover new ideas, and reaching for goals will not seem difficult anymore.