When was the last time you wrote down what you accomplished?
Or better yet, wrote down what you want to accomplish?
Journals are very powerful tools to help us realize our dreams.
They can document what we have done.
And clarify our actions and drive our productivity.
They can help detail our hopes, goals, and dreams.
Do you keep a journal to improve your productivity?
Journaling to Your Dreams
I often talk about not being driftwood on the river of life, but rather charting your own course and path to your goals.
Journaling can be a powerful way to document what you have accomplished, and also to set your future goals. It is a great tool to help us explore our thoughts and priorities.
Keeping a journal does require some discipline to consistently write in it. Additionally, you need to have some openness to writing down your inner thoughts and ideas. However, the benefits can be tremendous.
“Writing a journal not only lets you see where you’ve been, but can be a window to your future.”
I find that writing in a journal not only helps you document your accomplishments, but also lets you see where you want to go and what you need to do to get there.
My journal increases my productivity by clarifying what my goals are and by spotlighting things that I may be overlooking that I need to do.
Here are 5 Ways That A Journal Can Make You More Productive:
- Gather Your Thoughts – Journaling is a great exercise that lets you write down your thoughts. It doesn’t matter whether you write down things you have done, things you want to remember, or things you want to do. Your journal can be a place to simply collect your thoughts.
- Hold Yourself Accountable – When you write down your goals, you are much more likely to accomplish them. Seeing your dreams in writing can be powerful, and seeing your goals in text can be daunting. When I look at my journal, it motivates and drives me forward.
- Capture Ideas – Journaling can be a powerful experience in “emptying your head.” The ideas just start coming. I often find myself adding things to my todo list while journaling. Tasks that are important yet intangible in day-to-day life are spotlighted when I write them down.
- Hear Your Inner Voice – Writing in a journal is like having a conversation with your inner self. You get in the zone, and your inner thoughts just start flowing. Sometimes you don’t even know what had been on your mind until you write it down.
- Ponder What’s Most Important – Journaling lets you confront what is most important to you. Internally, we know what is important. But, sometimes it takes putting it down in our journal to make our priorities clear and apparent.
My Favorite Journal Software
There are many ways to keep a journal. Some prefer the look and feel of paper. Writing with a good pen can be a wonderful experience. If you are looking for great notebook for your journal, try a Moleskine.
On the other hand, there are many advantages to keeping your journal electronically.
This is the method I prefer. I enjoy the speed and interface of an electronic journal. This makes it easy to review and even makes it searchable.
Currently, my favorite journaling app is called Day One by Bloom Built.
It is a simple app with a great interface. It makes journaling a joy.
It even will prompt you throughout the day to make entries in your journal. (You can turn this option off if you do not want the interruptions.)
Even better, Day One is available for not only Mac, but also iPhone/iPad. It will also keep your journal in synced across platforms. So, you can enter thoughts via any of your devices.
Check out Day One for Mac here. You can also get Day One for iPhone/iPad here. (affiliate links)
Write Your Story
Keeping a journal can be a powerful way to boost your productivity.
I use mine to not only see where I have been, but plot a path to the future.
Journals help get your thoughts out of your head and discover what is most important to you.
And of course, they can be a great way to look back and remember what you have accomplished.
Do you keep a journal? If so, how has it helped you?
Hi Craig,
Great advice – I’d not considered a journal to be anything more than a record of my life, but I can completely see how it could help in the way you’ve described.
I, too, use Day One and, like you, find it simple and useable – and what more could you ask of any software. I’ve been rather sporadic in my updates to the journal but, thank to your post, I hope to be a more productive “journalist” from now on. What I’d really like to be able to do is add images, though – I tend to do all my initial thinking as Mind Maps (using Mindjet’s MindManager). If I could get these into my journal, I would be over the moon.
Keep up the good work.
Ady
—
http://startier.wordpress.com
@adycoles Thanks. I have been using my journal more and more, as of late.
Glad to hear that you like Day One, too. Do you use it on your Mac? Or mobile devices? (Or even both?)
PS – I too love mindmaps. Hope you saw my posts on the topic. 🙂
@TMNinja I have Day One installed on my Macs (3 of them!), plus my iPad and iPhone, though I must admit to not having used it on the iPhone, as I don’t find it a suitable form-factor for writing; there’s too much friction, which is a great inspiration-killer as far as I’m concerned. I do review my journal on the iPhone, though. I mainly write on the Macs and occasionally on the iPad.
WRT mindmaps – I’m a long-time fan. I’m not sure I’m capable of thinking without drawing my thoughts any more. I have seen your mindmapping posts and – apologies – haven’t commented.
@TMNinja I was just updating my journal (Day One) and had a question. I hope you don’t mind my asking you here, in the open.
The Day One software has a facility to ‘star’ particular entries and I was wondering (a) if you use this feature and (b) if so, what for. I can see it may be useful, but being able to tag entries would be much more useful, in my opinion.
Many thanks in advance,
Ady
—
http://startier.wordpress.com
Hi Craig,
Great advice – I’d not considered a journal to be anything more than a record of my life, but I can completely see how it could help in the way you’ve described.
I, too, use Day One and, like you, find it simple and useable – and what more could you ask of any software. I’ve been rather sporadic in my updates to the journal but, thank to your post, I hope to be a more productive “journalist” from now on. What I’d really like to be able to do is add images, though – I tend to do all my initial thinking as Mind Maps (using Mindjet’s MindManager). If I could get these into my journal, I would be over the moon.
Keep up the good work.
Ady
—
http://startier.wordpress.com
Craig,
I have a little leather bound diary that is waiting for me since 2002.
It’s there on a shelf for a few reasons: 1) I don’t want to ruin it by writing on it. 2) I don’t have another one to create a series 🙂
3) Can’t bring myself to sit down and record my thoughts over paper since high school… I guess since I’ve started blogging the need to write a diary vanished…Happened to you too?http://www.iqtell.com/blog/ Haim
Craig,
I have a little leather bound diary that is waiting for me since 2002.
It’s there on a shelf for a few reasons: 1) I don’t want to ruin it by writing on it. 2) I don’t have another one to create a series :)3) Can’t bring myself to sit down and record my thoughts over paper since high school… I guess since I’ve started blogging the need to write a diary vanished…Happened to you too?
http://www.iqtell.com/blog/ Haim
Craig,
I have a little leather bound diary that is waiting for me since 2002.
It’s there on a shelf for a few reasons: 1) I don’t want to ruin it by writing on it. 2) I don’t have another one to create a series 🙂
3) Can’t bring myself to sit down and record my thoughts over paper since high school… I guess since I’ve started blogging the need to write a diary vanished…Happened to you too?http://www.iqtell.com/blog/ Haim
Craig,
I have a little leather bound diary that is waiting for me since 2002.
It’s there on a shelf for a few reasons: 1) I don’t want to ruin it by writing on it. 2) I don’t have another one to create a series :)3) Can’t bring myself to sit down and record my thoughts over paper since high school… I guess since I’ve started blogging the need to write a diary vanished…Happened to you too?
http://www.iqtell.com/blog/ Haim
Craig first off I would like like to tell you I started reading your blogs about a week ago and can’t get enough of them. Awsome job! I have been journaling off and on for years and have rededicated myself to it fully the last month. I have been using Notes on my ipad but is super excited about trying Day One. Thanks for your thoughts and all that you do.
@Traceymarykayismythang Tracey, thanks for the kind words. Glad you like TMN. 🙂
Let me know how Day One works for you. I love it for its simplicity.
Craig first off I would like like to tell you I started reading your blogs about a week ago and can’t get enough of them. Awsome job! I have been journaling off and on for years and have rededicated myself to it fully the last month. I have been using Notes on my ipad but is super excited about trying Day One. Thanks for your thoughts and all that you do.
@Traceymarykayismythang Tracey, thanks for the kind words. Glad you like TMN. 🙂
Let me know how Day One works for you. I love it for its simplicity.
@adycoles Thanks. I have been using my journal more and more, as of late.
Glad to hear that you like Day One, too. Do you use it on your Mac? Or mobile devices? (Or even both?)
PS – I too love mindmaps. Hope you saw my posts on the topic. 🙂
@TMNinja I have Day One installed on my Macs (3 of them!), plus my iPad and iPhone, though I must admit to not having used it on the iPhone, as I don’t find it a suitable form-factor for writing; there’s too much friction, which is a great inspiration-killer as far as I’m concerned. I do review my journal on the iPhone, though. I mainly write on the Macs and occasionally on the iPad.
WRT mindmaps – I’m a long-time fan. I’m not sure I’m capable of thinking without drawing my thoughts any more. I have seen your mindmapping posts and – apologies – haven’t commented.
Agree! I keep a journal in my car so I can write down thoughts and ideas, especially for blog posts. It helps flesh out ideas and begin to think about how to approach writing and other initiatives. In some ways, I view my personal blog as a journal on “steroids.” It starts with the journal and leads, most times, to a blog post… it is my mental playground!
Thanks for your good content and insights!
Jon
@ThinDifference Love the journal in the car! Have to be able to document things no matter where you are. (Just not while driving! :))
Agree! I keep a journal in my car so I can write down thoughts and ideas, especially for blog posts. It helps flesh out ideas and begin to think about how to approach writing and other initiatives. In some ways, I view my personal blog as a journal on “steroids.” It starts with the journal and leads, most times, to a blog post… it is my mental playground!
Thanks for your good content and insights!
Jon
Agree! I keep a journal in my car so I can write down thoughts and ideas, especially for blog posts. It helps flesh out ideas and begin to think about how to approach writing and other initiatives. In some ways, I view my personal blog as a journal on “steroids.” It starts with the journal and leads, most times, to a blog post… it is my mental playground!
Thanks for your good content and insights!
Jon
Agree! I keep a journal in my car so I can write down thoughts and ideas, especially for blog posts. It helps flesh out ideas and begin to think about how to approach writing and other initiatives. In some ways, I view my personal blog as a journal on “steroids.” It starts with the journal and leads, most times, to a blog post… it is my mental playground!
Thanks for your good content and insights!
Jon
Agree! I keep a journal in my car so I can write down thoughts and ideas, especially for blog posts. It helps flesh out ideas and begin to think about how to approach writing and other initiatives. In some ways, I view my personal blog as a journal on “steroids.” It starts with the journal and leads, most times, to a blog post… it is my mental playground!
Thanks for your good content and insights!
Jon
Agree! I keep a journal in my car so I can write down thoughts and ideas, especially for blog posts. It helps flesh out ideas and begin to think about how to approach writing and other initiatives. In some ways, I view my personal blog as a journal on “steroids.” It starts with the journal and leads, most times, to a blog post… it is my mental playground!
Thanks for your good content and insights!
Jon
Craig,
I have been using just pen and paper for my journal needs. I write down random thoughts and ideas – however, I really haven’t written down what I have accomplished.
I guess that would be helpful as well, so that I would be able to see that I’m capable of doing things – especially when having a bad day (and thinking that I can’t do anything at all) 🙂
Timo
Craig,
I have been using just pen and paper for my journal needs. I write down random thoughts and ideas – however, I really haven’t written down what I have accomplished.
I guess that would be helpful as well, so that I would be able to see that I’m capable of doing things – especially when having a bad day (and thinking that I can’t do anything at all) 🙂
Timo
Hey,
This is my first time here, I think it’s serendipity that the first post I read by you is about journaling! I’m a keen journaler (is that a word?!) and find it difficult to function if I don’t “gather my thoughts” and “hear my inner voice”, as you say. Journaling has turbocharged my productivity and my life like no other time management technique, really. I find it extremely useful to uncover limiting beliefs, fears, anything that’s holding me back. It also adds the benefit of living more consciously (as if you were the observer of your own life), like stepping into Technicolor when you were living in black and white…
@annadraun Anna, glad you found the TMN site. Welcome!
Glad to hear that journaling is a powerful technique for you.
Do you use paper journals or an app for your journaling?
Hey,
This is my first time here, I think it’s serendipity that the first post I read by you is about journaling! I’m a keen journaler (is that a word?!) and find it difficult to function if I don’t “gather my thoughts” and “hear my inner voice”, as you say. Journaling has turbocharged my productivity and my life like no other time management technique, really. I find it extremely useful to uncover limiting beliefs, fears, anything that’s holding me back. It also adds the benefit of living more consciously (as if you were the observer of your own life), like stepping into Technicolor when you were living in black and white…
@TMNinja I was just updating my journal (Day One) and had a question. I hope you don’t mind my asking you here, in the open.
The Day One software has a facility to ‘star’ particular entries and I was wondering (a) if you use this feature and (b) if so, what for. I can see it may be useful, but being able to tag entries would be much more useful, in my opinion.
Many thanks in advance,
Ady
—
http://startier.wordpress.com
@annadraun Anna, glad you found the TMN site. Welcome!
Glad to hear that journaling is a powerful technique for you.
Do you use paper journals or an app for your journaling?
another option for the iPhone is Meernotes (available in the AppStore)
@DanielNicolae Thanks for the rec, Daniel. Have not seen that one.
@TMNinja No problem, but this is actually an awful self-promotion (I’m highly embarrassed). If you’d like to have a free promo code, please send me an e-mail at m@meernotes.com
another option for the iPhone is Meernotes (available in the AppStore)
Thanks for the reminder. I used to write down my accomplishments daily in a “Success Log”. It helped my writing skills and also made me feel better to see I was doing something. Since I fell out of the habit, I’ve been out of sync and this must be one of the reasons. I just dug out my “idea” book and I’ll start noting my successes there.
@SueGresham A success journal can be a very powerful tool. Too often, we concentrate on what we are not getting done.
Celebrate and remember the accomplishments! 🙂
Thanks for the reminder. I used to write down my accomplishments daily in a “Success Log”. It helped my writing skills and also made me feel better to see I was doing something. Since I fell out of the habit, I’ve been out of sync and this must be one of the reasons. I just dug out my “idea” book and I’ll start noting my successes there.
@SueGresham A success journal can be a very powerful tool. Too often, we concentrate on what we are not getting done.
Celebrate and remember the accomplishments! 🙂
@DanielNicolae Thanks for the rec, Daniel. Have not seen that one.
@DanielNicolae Thanks for the rec, Daniel. Have not seen that one.
@ThinDifference Love the journal in the car! Have to be able to document things no matter where you are. (Just not while driving! :))
@ThinDifference Love the journal in the car! Have to be able to document things no matter where you are. (Just not while driving! :))
@TMNinja No problem, but this is actually an awful self-promotion (I’m highly embarrassed). If you’d like to have a free promo code, please send me an e-mail at m@meernotes.com
Whilst we’re on the subject of journals, I was wondering what your take is on this piece (http://acol.es/oyy68H) by @chuckfrey over on the Mind Mapping Software Blog, where he’s discussing the added benefit of visually making a journal.
Whilst we’re on the subject of journals, I was wondering what your take is on this piece (http://acol.es/oyy68H) by @chuckfrey over on the Mind Mapping Software Blog, where he’s discussing the added benefit of visually making a journal.
Keeping a journal also helps you see negative patterns. When my kids were small, I kept a journal faithfully. I was reading back through one day and couldn’t believe how many times I started the new page with “Today was a tough day”. I had no idea I was doing that until I saw it in writing. I immediately made changes to how I was writing and how I was living!
I also like the comment you made about not being driftwood but charting your own course. A friend of mine said, “I want to live my life on purpose, not by default.” Similar idea. That’s what I want but you’re fighting the current to do it.
I enjoy working with both a hand-written journal “to-do” list and a digitalized version. Crossing something out does feel better than just clicking to delete/archive it, though 😉
I always seem to turn to journals when I seriously need focus. Always interesting looking at past entries, too. Date them.
I agree with your witing about jounaling in every aspect:)
Whenever I need something to get out of my head I write it done. It always helps. Or if I have a plan for my life I’ll write a story. Try it some time! 😀