The Art of Journaling - 5 Effective Journaling Techniques to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
In Deep Work by Cal Newport, he emphasizes the importance of entering a state of “deep work,” free from distractions of shallow work such as social media, email, and messaging, a period of time where the mind is fully focused and clear. I find that the easiest way for me to enter deep work is to start writing things down. Otherwise known as journaling.
Why journaling? I found out at an early age that putting pen to notebook helped me visualize connections through words and map out my thoughts in a logical sequence that offered me mental clarity and elucidated the confusion of my mind. It made my thoughts more linear, it provided mental clarity and relief from anxiety, and it also helped me regain structure and stability in a distracted world.
There are multiple types of journaling that we will explore here. Journaling is a lost writing/art form that should be revived in this age of doom scrolling, Tiktok and Instagram. To scroll less and write more has been my goal for this year.
Types of Journaling
Bullet Journaling
I first discovered bullet journaling in 2017 when I wanted to change my journaling from chaotic illegible scribbles in my notebook to something more structured. I used a planner throughout my academic education but once I entered the work force, I ditched it for more digital forms of organization. Planners were too restrictive but they helped keep me organized and disciplined. Then I found bullet journaling. It’s a customizable system of dividing your journal into sections to help you track the past, organize the present, and plan for the future. It uses:
Bullets (•) for tasks
Circles (○) for events
Dashes (–) for notes
Tasks can be marked as:
✔ Completed
→ Migrated (moved forward)
✖ Canceled
Components of a bullet journal include:
Index - table of contents so you can easily find pages (remember to number your pages!)
Future log - long term overview of upcoming events and goals
Monthly log - snapshot of the month ahead - deadlines, events, priorities
Daily log - day to day brain dump: tasks, notes, reflections
Collections - custom pages for anything— this can be fun! habit trackers, reading lists, mood logs, ideas, movie list, bucket lists
Bullet journaling is an accessible and simple method of organizing your life without having to work around a planner or to do list. It’s everything in one book, and it’s flexible and adaptable to your life! You can make it anything you want it — add art, stickers, watercolors to make it fun!
Reflective Journaling
I started journaling my thoughts and emotions since I was around 4-5 years old. I wrote down the day’s events, emotions and triggers, moods and feelings. I also wrote down what I learned at the end of the day and what key insights I could generate from what transpired that day. This method of journaling is great for growth and self awareness.
Gratitude Journaling
Write down 3 things you’re grateful for each day, and you’ll notice a change in your mind and perspective soon. It trains your brain to notice the positive in life, to celebrate small wins and moments of joy. This method is great for improving mood and reducing stress.
Goal-Oriented Journaling
Here is for the ambitious. Turn your goals into actionable steps by writing down short term and long term goals, daily and weekly action steps, and progress reflections. Create a page for each goal, write down actionable items, and mark their due date and track your progress. This is great for career growth and building productive habits.
The Brain-Dump
The purpose of the brain dump is to clear mental clutter by writing down anything and everything that is sitting in your mind. There is no structure, no editing, just stream of consciousness writing that helps clear your mind from the myriad thoughts polluting your thought space. It’s great for reducing anxiety and overcoming overthinking.
Conclusion
Journaling is less about writing beautifully and being grammatically correct and more about thinking clearly. There is a direct correlation between thoughts and words you write, so journaling will help structure your thoughts and improve your mental health. Develop a system of journaling — it’s not overrated to journal, it’s actually very helpful and even comforting to sit at a desk and write down your thoughts in a moment of peace. Bullet journaling gives you a system and journaling for emotional processing and gratitude gives you peace of mind. With journaling, you can create something powerful — a life that is not just productive but also purposeful.
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” - Proverbs 16:3
