Journaling for better mental health
- Philip Brophy
- Mar 27
- 3 min read
Writing as priceless therapy • 3 min read
The Scientific American Mind cited research conducted in New Zealand which investigated the healing effects of writing, looking at 49 elderly adults post-biopsy.
They wrote about either past traumas or daily activities for 20 minutes, over three days, with photographs over the next 21 days tracking their healing processes. On day 11, 76 percent of the group who had completed the journaling, had fully healed, compared with 42 percent of the group, who had not.
Introduction
We can all suffer stress and anxiety that inevitably impacts on our daily functioning and levels of productivity in the workplace.
Venting or ‘bending someone’s ear’ can help to air our frustrations. But people are often caught up in their own priorities, meaning that we need to look to our own methods of self-help to manage our daily emotional landscape.
Wellness movement
Daily journaling has come to be a cornerstone in the wellness movement. Oprah Winfrey refers to her journaling process as crucial to tracking her own evolution, who she was, and who she is still becoming.
Today, we’ll take a deeper look at journaling methods to navigate the stormy seas of our daily lives, looking to draw upon the many benefits it boasts, including a stronger immune system and increased levels of self-confidence.
Improve our health
Our stress can often stem from overthinking hypotheticals. By converting our experience into written language, we make the experience accessible, this frees up our head space to focus on priorities.
Focus and plan better through self-awareness
Journaling leads us to a state of mindfulness where all tensions, past and future anxieties, melt away to the present moment. Paradoxically, our scattered mind is called into focus, moving to engage actively with our thoughts.
Greater perspective
Journaling also acts as a record, giving us greater perspective on what areas need to be improved, and the potential challenges ahead. It also lessens our anxiety levels by helping us to understand our feelings and thought processes more clearly, we’ll then better be able to prioritise problems. Once we identify our triggers (or stressors), we can then develop a plan of action.
“Yeh, but can this really change your life”, you ask.
The proof’s in the pudding
Numerous scientific studies have revealed the capacity of journaling to heal past traumatic events that impact our daily behaviours. By labelling feelings and acknowledging past traumas through journaling, this can work positively towards addressing how we manage stress and other issues at work.
Let’s start with the basics…
The daily ritual
How about by kicking it off by just getting started?
You could try first thing in the morning, initially aiming to get half of a page done. By starting with a small goal, this will make the task less daunting, increasing the chances that you’ll stick to it.
To spark some creativity, you can use the word “life” to prompt you. Or you could identify a stressful thought, or what your main goal is for the coming year.
Sit with it for a moment or two — this will allow specific emotions to come to the surface. According to the "stream of consciousness" principle, you could just write whatever comes into your head.
The aim is not to be a creative genius, rather to just let it flow. Beginning like this will loosen up your expressive muscles.
Key takeaways
We can use our journals as records, giving us perspective on what areas need to be improved and helping us to understand our feelings and thought processes more. This will help us to better prioritise problems.
Just start writing and remember, your only audience is you. Try in the morning and start small, giving yourself an allotted time frame. This will help you stick to it.
Write whatever comes into your head. Remember that the aim is to just let it flow, as opposed to being a creative genius. You can use prompts, such as a word or a feeling e.g., expectations, or a memory from the day before of something that stuck with you.
Think big. act small
Can you try writing for at least five to ten minutes every morning for two weeks?
We’ll next look at more methods for effective journaling which make for greatly reduced levels of anxiety in our daily thought processes.
Content sources
Forbes Women, 2021, Amy Shoenthal, ‘One Founder’s Unique Approach To Everyone’s Resolution: Journaling’
Forbes, 2021, Regan Hillyer, ‘Journaling: A Powerful Tool For Your Business’
Forbes, 2021,Nancy Olson, ‘Why 2022 Is The Year To Begin Your Journal’
Harvard Business Review, 2011, Teresa Amabile and Steve Kramer. ‘Four Reasons to Keep a Work Diary’
New York Times, 2018, Hayley Phelan, ‘What’s All This About Journaling?’
Psychology Today, 2020, Stephanie A. Sarkis Ph.D., ‘How to Start Journaling for Better Mental Health’
Psychology Today, 2012, ‘The Grateful Brain The neuroscience of giving thanks’
Scientific American Mind, 2013, Tori Rodriguez, Writing Can Help Injuries Heal Faster’
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