Ok, hear me out on this one. I know what you’re thinking.
Keeping a journal is for people who have the time and energy to sit down and contemplate and reflect, right? Only those who can seclude themselves for an hour to doodle flowery notes in the margins will actually enjoy writing in a journal, right?
You’re running a business. Usually, your day consists of a fast-paced balancing act that results in you forgetting to eat lunch. How is an entrepreneur supposed to have time or the will to thoughtfully contribute to a journal?
The truth is, journaling doesn’t have to be a chore, and it does have incredible benefits, both personally and professionally. If you can deliberately set aside even just a few minutes here and there to jot down your thoughts and ideas, journaling can work to your advantage. Here are a few pretty solid reasons to consider adding a journal to your back pocket and to your daily or weekly entrepreneurial routine.
1. Fleshing Out Your Ideas
A journal doesn’t have to be grammatically correct or even cohesive, for that matter. Getting ideas on paper and in short bursts can help you flesh out ideas. You don’t even have to make sense or even use words if you don’t prefer. If you’re a visual learner, draw your ideas. Scribble whatever, whenever, and have a constant record of your moments of inspiration. This is how businesses evolve and grow, too. Get those sparks of ingenuity written down so you can revisit them later.
2. Getting the Negative Out of Your Head
Entrepreneurs constantly face obstacles and challenges that sometimes can lead to mistakes or missed opportunities. Get any negative self-talk out of your head and document your experience. Once it’s on paper and properly vacated from your internal dialogue, you can get back to improving and problem-solving like you do best.
3. A Great Planner and Reminder Resource
Journals can be incredible resources as a supplement to a daily planner. Jotting down upcoming events or tasks can serve as a backup reminder. You can use all the tools you can afford to get your hands on when you’re running a business. A journal can just be another planning and reminding arrow in your quiver.
4. Watch Your Growth and Progress Unfold
You know that nostalgia feeling you get when you stumble across old photos? It’s warm and fuzzy looking back at how far you’ve come since those “good old days.” Keeping a journal, especially with your business, can help document your entrepreneurial journey. Look back on your business growth and watch your progress unfold over time. It can be inspirational and serve as a reminder of just how successful your improvement has been.
5. Forcing Some Much-Need ‘You’ Time
You understand the importance of developing a work-life balance. But it’s just harder for entrepreneurs who routinely dedicate way more than 40 hours each week to the business. Journaling can help you force a schedule of “you” time, even if it’s only 15 minutes at a time. You’ll be surprised just how quickly those small breaks can add up to big relief throughout your day, your week, and your journey.
Grab a small notebook and keep a pen handy. Start journaling. Remember, there are no rules, and there is no right or wrong way to express yourself. And there are a host of great reasons to add journaling to your routine. Hopefully, these benefits will inspire you to try something new.