Category: Business

Top 9 Benefits of Using & Keeping a Journal

Posted on by Eunique
Journal with a pen and blog title

Quick Reference List of Benefits

  •  Benefit 1:  A Record of Your Life & Work Events 
  • Benefit 2: Stress Relief & a Cleansing Process
  • Benefit 3: A different Perspective on Challenges & RoadBlocks
  • Benefit 4: A Roadmap to Progress
  • Benefit 5: Ability to See Results and Progression
  • Benefit 6: The Ability to organize your thoughts and improve problem-solving
  • Benefit 7: Improved Memory
  • Benefit 8: Self Reflection
  • Benefit 9: Possible Improved Health  & Wellbeing

Journal with a pen and blog title

Top 9 Benefits of Keeping a Journal & Planner

But Not Everyone Is Doing It

Exactly, truth is some people find journaling appealing while others try to avoid anything that even sounds related to it like the plague.  If you are not currently among those of us keeping a journal or planner regularly, you might want to reconsider.  Did you know that there are numerous benefits to recording your thoughts, life, and dreams on a regular basis? Well yes, there are, and I will share with you my top 9 benefits of keeping a journal. 

 

A Record of Your Life & Work Events

Have you ever thought back on your high school or college days and thought, “What was his or her name?” Or have you ever wondered if a particular event happened in 2000 or 2005? A journal is a useful way to record significant events in your life.

Stress Relief & a Cleansing Process

When you get the tough stuff out on paper, you feel better.  To me, there is nothing more therapeutic than expressing your thoughts feeling and emotions. Instead of holding them in, you are able to release them and even process what occurred, etc. This can help you figure out different ways to manage difficult situations, and emotions. Journaling gives your emotional health a quick boost. 

Different Perspective on Challenges & RoadBlocks

Things look different in your head than they do on paper or on the computer screen. It’s a little less personal when you can see it. You might find that many of your challenges aren’t as challenging as you first thought.

A Roadmap to Progress

When you record your thoughts and your life, they’re right there in front of you. It’s easy to see how much your life is, or isn’t, progressing. Just looking back at your old entries can tell you a lot.

Ability to See Results and Progression

You will progress. When you record the most important happenings for the day, you’ll start to make new things happen. You’ll be embarrassed or annoyed with yourself if you keep recording the same old boring stuff each day. You’ll do new things in order to have something interesting to write about.

The ability to organize your thoughts and improve problem-solving

Journaling organizes your thoughts and improves your problem-solving abilities. You can clear some of the clutter out of your head when you journal and your subconscious can begin working on a solution to a challenge. I often consider my daily brain dump sessions in this as well. I love having the ability to get it all out and then see the ways that the ideas connect or show me other processes etc.

Improved Memory

If you reflect on your life at the end of the day and record it, you’ll be much more likely to remember it. It’s a great workout for your brain and an effective way to remember more of your life. It can be frustrating when you want to recall something that happened a few days ago, or even the day before and accessing it in your memory may not always be 100%. Journaling allows you to relive that day and your actions not only when you write it, but also when you go to recollect what happened as well. 

Self Reflection

You learn about yourself. When you keep a journal, you quickly see your behavioral patterns and tendencies. Not only is this an opportunity to check how you react to given situations, but it is also an opportunity to see areas that you may personally want to work on. 

Possible Improved Health  & Wellbeing

Journaling can lead to improved health. One study at the University of Auckland showed that writing in a journal can lead to faster wound healing and minimize the symptoms of several ailments, including asthma and irritable bowel syndrome.

Final Thoughts

Consider using a pen and paper instead of a computer for your journal. While using a computer can be more convenient, writing engages your mind at a higher level.

There are so many benefits to keeping a journal, not giving it a chance would be a shame. Try journaling for a full month and then make an evaluation. Decide for yourself if you want to continue. A journal is a great way to organize your thoughts and record your life.

More on the Benefits of Journaling

Need a Journal or Planner?

One of the most powerful tools in my personal and professional life has been using journals and planners.  Over the years I have used a plethora of journals and planners to keep my life organized and keep my ideas in order.

This has led to the creation of my journal and planner. Want in on the pre-order for the new & improved business and product/services journal? Use the linkhere to purchase the journal for the low introductory pre-order price of $19.00 (you will receive your pdf on Nov 29th) after you can still get the journal for $38.00 on Nov 29th the official release date.

Headshot of me

Latisha E. Sample

Your Business & Products Success Consultant

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Top 3 Ways to Value Your Time (Professionally & Personally)

Posted on by Eunique
Top Ways to Value Your Time – Lessons Learned

 

I personally have truly struggled with the value of time. Truth is, no one will value your time professionally or personally until you decide to make it a priority. This post on the top 3 ways to value your time, is so near and dear to my heart because I still do at times struggle defining those lines between my business and personal time. However, the following three things have truly helped me to respect my time and stick to it!

Set Office Hours & Stick to them 

This has proven to be the most difficult for me. At least I know that I am not alone. Setting hours and sticking to them can prove to be a challenge.  setting office hours and sticking to them is super important. One thing that we all want is for others to respect our time, and how can we expect anyone to respect our time when we refuse to do it ourselves? If you are not sure what your hours should be here is a suggestion on how to gain clarity on what those hours should be:

  • keep a log of your day to day activities for at least a week, preferably two. Make sure you write everything you are doing. Once you have done that you can see what times of the day you are doing which activities and determine what times you want to set for yourself on a day to day basis. Note that you don’t have to have hours Monday through Friday, and you don’t have to have the exact same hours each day. Regardless, make sure that you set times that work best for you and the clients that you serve. 

Pick at Least 1 Day a Week Off 

One of the top 3 Ways to Value Your Time is to definitely pick at least one free day a week.  We all need free time! You are not a bad person for wanting, needing and demanding at least one free day per week. As an entrepreneur, it can be difficult to designate a day, but the recharge and reset is a necessary part of staying focused and avoiding burnout.  This one ties into number one for a few reasons:

  • when you are scheduling your time, figure in when you are working on blog posts, working on social media, when you want to take client calls, etc. all of this needs to be scheduled in your office hours, not your free time. This was a large mistake that I made in the beginning. I was using “free time” to schedule posts, write content, take client calls, and work on projects.  As you can tell, I had no free time and was approaching burnout. I was losing my passion and started to think negatively about my business. 
  • By journaling, you also get to see how much time each thing you are doing takes. This helps when you set hours and schedule appointments. This will also help you with setting realistic goals for due dates etc for clients because you will know how long these projects will take you. 

Scheduling Helps You Respect & value Your Time, So Use One!

Another one of the top 3 ways to value your time is utilizing a schedule. Create a schedule and stick to it! This also makes you more aware of your time and just how long it takes to do tasks. By scheduling, you also will not forget important events, dates or info if you keep everything in a schedule. When I have had times that I want to get down on myself for not doing enough, all I have to do is look at my schedule and it is an instant pick me up. I see just how much I have been able to get done and feel accomplished.

There are many additional ways that you can value your time. The top 3 ways to value your time can be beneficial and don’t feel like you have to implement every method all at once. When it comes to Journaling I created a journal to help me keep my ideas and projects in one place. Want in on this journal? Click hereand get your copy. There are so many things you can do to start building a better relationship with your time and make improvements over time. Regardless, of the methods that you choose. Stick to them and respect your time! Your business will thank you for it. You will see better results and will be able to keep your morale higher. Remember that you can do anything that you put your mind towards doing.  Do you have any questions? Drop them in the comments below.