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 internal 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. If you happen to’re studying this, you’re most likely one in all them. So, let’s make constructing a journaling behavior simpler with a couple of ideas.

Tip 1: Select Unforgettable Cues

Each behavior (intentional or unintentional) has what’s referred to as an activation set off: a cue that prompts you to motion. And you may create one on function.

One of many best cues for journaling is your journal itself. Put it in a spot the place it’s onerous to overlook. In entrance of the espresso maker, so that you decide it up whereas the espresso brews. On the counter, so that you see it if you go to make breakfast. Or on high 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 on daily basis with out fail? May 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 end up the sunshine?

If you happen to don’t need to neglect, make it unforgettable.

Tip 2: Leverage What You Love

Since you’re human, you’ve got 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 get pleasure from. Spending much less on instruments you gained’t use isn’t an excellent funding. If it makes journaling extra pleasant, spend just a little extra on these fancy pens, high-end pencils, or that handbound leather-based journal. Select the instruments you need to use.

Tip 3: Purpose for Simple

If a clean web page is intimidating, purchase a journal with prompts (like our Full Focus Journal).

If you happen to simply don’t need to journal, observe 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 assume 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 onerous, discover a method to make it simple. Remove the intimidation.

Tip 4: Monitor Your Streak

Streaks are satisfying. So observe it. Put a “checkmark” by the date in your calendar. Discover an app that may observe it just about. And, after all, there’s at all times the streaktracker within the Full Focus Planner.

Monitoring your streak gives you a lift whilst you wait till you begin seeing the advantages of your behavior. Then, journaling will change into its personal reward.

Make as we speak the day you began journaling. Select the next move and go for it.

P.S. For extra on habits, take a look at No Fail Habits.