Journals, although not the first choice for organisation or entertainment these days, have a lot more impact than you might think. Taking the time to sit and write out appointments, plans or feelings allows you to totally decompress from the hustle and bustle of your daily life, enabling you to reconnect with yourself and the goings-on of your day today. A simple pen and notebook can totally transform your routine and make you feel calmer than ever, all in just a few short minutes. If you’re grappling with the temptation to grab yourself a writing outlet, here’s a few surprising benefits that just might tip you over the edge:
Methodical Thinking
Our brains get very, very busy. With a whirlwind of things to do, people to see, and tasks to complete, it’s not surprising that we all get pretty overwhelmed pretty quickly. What tends to make this worse is that we rarely ever switch off and embrace some slow, quiet time. In fact, we prefer to be surrounded by blue light, music, and dialogue at all times – not great for switching off! Be mindful about your downtime and experience the methodical, logical thinking that can take place when you’re not constantly multi-tasking. You’ll be taken aback by the thoughts and observations you have tucked in there amongst all the chaos, who knows, you might even have a career-defining idea hidden in there somewhere!
Mental Serenity
This is in a similar theme to methodical thinking, but a little less action-focused. Mental serenity is rare and increasingly important, and you don’t have to invest in hundreds of dollars worth of yoga classes and silent retreats to get it – who knew! You can simply sit down with a blank page and a pen in hand, whether you choose to write, draw or just doodle, you’ll find that your brain will be feeling calm and dare you say it, relaxed. This is an amazing way to implement a little simple. fuss-free self-care from the comfort of your couch.
Hand Strengthening
This might sound a little strange, but writing in a diary is fantastic for your hand muscles. We write less and less with every passing day, and for some, picking up a pen feels totally alien. Hand strength and flexibility becomes more and more noticeable as you age, with problems such as arthritis creeping up on you what feels like all of a sudden. Keeping your hands muscle strong with regular writing will help you out a lot in the long run.
Creative Freedom
Whether you’re a full-time creative or not, we can all feel a little flat in the artistic department every now and then. Expressing yourself through words, drawings or anything else is incredibly important to feeling happy, and a journal is a perfect place to get those creative juices flowing. Write out ideas for a short story, mock up some drawings or simply scribble down how you’re feeling that day, these will all encourage your creative gears to get grinding.
Of course, there are so many practical reasons to keep a diary, organisation, meal planning, exercise logging, contacts and appointments are all great ways to add more structure to your life. However, a few more obscure benefits are sure to prove that journaling is the way to happy and healthy existence! What are you waiting for? Grab that pen and get jotting!
