How Journaling Supercharges The Creative Process

To start journaling, all you really need is a notebook and a pen. Actually, scratch that—you don’t even need those. Your phone works just as well. But the real questions are: When should you journal? What do you write about? And most importantly, how can this practice boost your creative projects? Let’s dive into it.

I’ve narrowed it down to three key areas when it comes to journaling: the benefits, different methods, and frequency.

1. The Benefits

Journaling has been a game-changer for me, especially when it comes to freeing up space in my mental hard drive. By jotting down all those lingering thoughts, I don’t have to carry them around all day. Once they’re on paper (or screen), I feel more at ease. For my creative projects, journaling helps me dig deeper into ideas. What starts as a vague thought often turns into a potential content by the end of a session.

2. Methods of Journaling

I started with the 5-Minute Journal. This method was a great entry point because it’s super specific about what to write. The journal divides your day into two sections: morning and night. In the morning, you jot down what you’re grateful for, what would make the day great, and a daily affirmation. At night, you reflect on the good things that happened and what you learned.

How a 5-minute journal looks like

While this structure didn’t directly boost my creative output, it got me comfortable with journaling. Over time, I ditched the structure but kept the habit. Now, I start with gratitude, but quickly move on to whatever’s on my mind—no matter how basic it might seem. For example, I might start with, “I’m trying to figure out ways to get more ideas for my content,” and then just let the words flow from there. Sometimes I’m giving myself advice; other times, it feels like I’m asking for advice from someone else. The key is to keep writing, regardless of structure, punctuation, or errors. This was tough at first, but I’m getting better at letting go of perfectionism. On paper, I aim to fill the entire page, and if I’m journaling on my phone, I set a timer to keep me focused.

3. Finding the Right Frequency

When it comes to frequency, my goal is to journal as often as possible. I aim for daily, but I don’t always hit that mark. I started with twice a week and gradually increased from there. Now, journaling is something I track as part of my OKRs (more on that another time) to ensure I’m consistently generating fresh content ideas.

Final Thoughts

Journaling can be incredibly beneficial—especially if you don’t take yourself too seriously. For me, it was hard not to be overly self-aware when writing, but having a specific task, like brainstorming for creative side projects, made the process more rewarding.

So, grab your notebook, or open your notes app, and start journaling. You might be surprised by the creative ideas that emerge. Follow me on my social platforms if you are interested in other tips for the creative journey.