Jotting down your thoughts is a great way to increase your productivity and boost your mental health. Even a short 15-minute journaling session can elevate feelings of well-being and decrease some symptoms of depression.
Putting pen to paper can give you a sense of purpose, too. This is particularly important if you are going through a period of change or want to manage your time more efficiently. Journaling forces you to think about your habits and can help you make meaningful changes to your life.
Metacognition is every purposeful person’s superpower. Put simply, metacognition is “the ability to think about one’s own thinking and learning”. This sounds deceptively simple but can actually supercharge your free time and help you make meaningful lifestyle changes.
Keeping a journal can prompt you to discover insights that empower you. It can also help you shift the way you think about yourself and the world around you. This is an important step to take if you really want to make the most of your free time. Metacognitive journal entries can also help you see how much free time you waste while scrolling through social media or twiddling your thumbs.
When writing with metacognition in mind, focus on the way you approach challenges, setbacks, or achievements. This will help you peel back a cognitive layer and help you become more aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Becoming aware of your own shortcomings may be a little painful at first, but self-awareness can lead to a period of personal growth and higher productivity.
Most people have a precious few hours of free time every day. However, if you have more free time than most, you may want to turn the slack in your schedule into an income-boosting side hustle.
Use your journal time to explore some side-hustle ideas that align with your interests and values. For example, if you are an avid gamer, you could consider a series of journal entries that help you identify ways to monetize your hobby. You could even explore the idea of making money on Twitch and use your journal to identify targets like:
Use this example to set some distinct targets of your own. You could, for example, use your journal to document your goals and reflect on how you utilized your free time that day. This reflective, introspective approach can help you appreciate the time you set aside for self-development and improvement.
People have been using journals to improve their health and make lifestyle changes for millennia. You too can use your journal to take control of your thoughts and boost your wellbeing.
If you find the idea of exercise regimes and diet changes to be overwhelming, start with a skincare journal. Being intentional about skin care is important for your overall health as practicing good skin habits can help prevent aging, sun damage, and wrinkles down the line. It can also improve your mental health, too. Even a quick face scrub or moisturizing session can give you a mental boost and help forge a connection between self-care and well-being.
Consider tracking your health in a journal format. This needn’t boil down to quantitative facts about your weight or waistline. Instead, reflect on the way you feel in your body and how your regime has helped you adopt a body-positive mindset. This is far more sustainable and may even help you achieve health goals related to weight loss or gain and fitness.
A blank page is every writer’s worst nightmare. However, when journaling, an empty page is an invitation to start writing down your thoughts and feelings. That said, you may struggle to get started — particularly if you are new to journaling.
Get your journaling habit off to a good start by selecting from one of the following prompts:
These journal prompts can get you used to the idea of introspection and reflection. In time, try to generate a few journal prompts of your own. Consider setting aside one day per week to write your prompts. This will reduce the risk of writer’s block when you sit down to journal and can help you put pen to paper quickly.
It is worth bearing in mind that your journal doesn’t have to be structured. However, if you want to use your journal for productivity purposes, consider jotting down the metrics you use to track success at the start of your journal. This will help you visualize your progression and can bring you a sense of pride when writing.
Journaling can help you reflect on the day in a safe space. This is particularly helpful if you want to maximize your productivity and get more from your free time. Even a quick daily journal can help you identify disruptive behaviors and track a few goals.
When journaling, bear in mind that you can not always be productive. It is OK to take some time for yourself from time to time. Rather than criticizing yourself for vegging out in front of the TV, reflect on why you needed that mental break and try to reflect on the way you recover after a hard day at work.