Health & Wellbeing

Why you should start journaling

Sometimes it can be tough to sort out what’s going on in our heads. You might be feeling overwhelmed in some aspects of your life, or struggling to keep your thoughts organised, but with no outlet these problems are just going to keep building up and tangling together. But what if there was a way to separate your thoughts, experiences and emotions clearly on a page, just for you?

That’s where journaling comes in. It’s gained traction recently, and is used by top athletes like Kobe Bryant and Serena Williams, actors like Dwayne Johnson and Emma Watson, musicians like Taylor Swift and Shawn Mendes, and even people like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jocko Willink. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to successful people who journal, but it’s been proven time and time again that journaling can positively impact our health.

If you want to take charge of your own life and reap the benefits of emotional wellness, we’ve got some reasons why you should embrace the power of journaling.

Reduce stress and anxiety

Journaling can be a powerful tool to improve your mental health – by writing down your thoughts and feeling, you can better process emotions and gain clarity. Here are some mental health benefits of journaling:

Reduces stress and anxiety by giving you a safe place to vent
Helps you understand and manage your feelings better
Boosts mood by focusing on the positive parts of your day

Studies have shown that regularly expressing yourself through writing can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. So, grab a notebook and start jotting down your thoughts.

Improve your grades

Journaling isn’t just good for your mental health – it can also help improve your grades. Here’s how:

Increases focus by organising your thoughts
Helps with goal setting and tracking your progress
Enhances memory and comprehension by summarising what you’ve learned

Try writing a summary of what you studied each day or setting weekly academic goals. Reflecting on your learning process can help reinforce what you’ve studied and make your study sessions more effective.

Think positive

Keeping a positive outlook can be tough, especially when school gets hard. Journaling can help you stay positive. Here are some ways to use your journal for positivity:

Keep a gratitude journal – write down things you’re thankful for each day
Document your achievements and celebrate your successes
Write positive affirmations to boost your self-confidence

By focusing on the positive aspects of your life, you’ll be more resilient and better equipped to handle challenges.

Get better at writing

Regular journaling can also help you get better at writing, which is useful for your schoolwork. Here’s how:

Enhances vocabulary and language skills by writing regularly.
Improves writing fluency by practicing expressing your thoughts.
Helps you develop your own writing style through consistent practice.

Whether you’re working on essays or creative writing assignments, the practice you get from journaling will make your writing clearer and more effective.

See how you’ve grown

Journaling lets you look back and see how much you’ve grown over time. Here’s why this is valuable:

Provides a record of your thoughts and experiences that you can reflect on
Helps you recognise patterns in your behaviour and thoughts
Encourages self-reflection and personal development

By regularly looking back at your journal entries, you can gain insights into your growth and make more informed decisions about your future.

Want more?

We have loads more to explore on our website, like this article on 10 ways to study that aren’t boring.

You can also find more study and wellbeing tips here.

How to stay motivated during the school year

Are you struggling to stay motivated during the school year? Maybe you started the year full of energy and enthusiasm but are losing a bit of steam and worried how this might affect your end results.

Don’t worry – staying motivated during the school year is a challenge heaps of students’ face, but it’s definitely manageable. Let’s explore why getting motivated can seem like such a challenge at times, and how we can tackle it head-on.

Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation

Before we get into the nitty gritty of how to be better motivated, it’s important to understand the science behind it (so we can use it to our advantage). There are two different types of motivation – the type that comes from within, and the type that comes from outside forces. Sometimes, you need a bit of both, but studies show that intrinsic motivation tends to be the more effective of the two.

Intrinsic motivation: doing it for yourself

Intrinsic motivation comes from within you – it’s when you do something because you genuinely enjoy it or find it interesting. For example, if you love reading because it takes you to different worlds and makes you happy, that’s intrinsic motivation. You’re not doing it for a reward or to impress anyone else; you’re doing it because it makes you feel good.

Think about a hobby you love, like playing a sport, drawing, or playing a musical instrument. You do it because it’s fun and fulfilling, not because someone is making you or because you’ll get a prize.

Extrinsic motivation: doing it for a reward

Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is when you do something to earn a reward or avoid a punishment – in other words, it’s driven by external factors. For instance, if you study hard because you want to receive praise from your parents or teachers, that’s extrinsic motivation. Or maybe you clean your room to avoid getting in trouble – yep, that’s extrinsic motivation at play.

How can we get intrinsically motivated?

It’s obvious that people who are intrinsically motivated do better in the long run, but how can we make sure that’s us? We all have different needs and desires, but there are some things we can do to make sure we’re being motivated by internal rather than external factors and as a result, increase our levels of motivation to engage positive output.

1. Discover your interests

One of the best ways to get intrinsically motivated is to find out what truly interests you. Think about the subjects or activities that make you excited and curious. Whether it’s science experiments, creative writing, or playing a musical instrument, focus on what you love, because when you enjoy what you’re doing, motivation comes naturally.

2. Set personal goals

Set goals that are meaningful to you, not just ones that others expect you to achieve. Personal goals give you a sense of purpose and direction, which can help boost intrinsic motivation and allow you to succeed at what’s important to you.

For instance, if you love art, aim to complete a series of paintings by the end of the semester – the bonus to this is that you could include it in a portfolio for art school, which means your intrinsic motivation has allowed you to achieve something you might not have started on if the only propeller was extrinsic motivation. Achieving these goals will give you a sense of satisfaction and pride, which will allow your motivation levels to continue to grow.

3. Connect learning to real life

Try to connect what you’re learning in school to real-life situations or your personal interests. If you’re studying biology, think about how it relates to your interest in animals or the environment, and then see if this motivates you to actually apply what you’re learning. Making these connections can make your studies feel more relevant and interesting, plus it’ll help you understand the value of learning.

4. Challenge yourself

Take on challenges that push you out of your comfort zone. When you overcome obstacles and succeed in difficult tasks, it can boost your confidence and make you feel accomplished, which inspires a higher sense of motivation from within. Choose challenges that are just beyond your current abilities, so they’re tough but achievable with effort, and watch as small successes mount to bigger ones.

5. Reflect on your progress

Take time to reflect on what you’ve learned and how far you’ve come, so you can track your personal growth. Keeping a journal or a progress tracker can help you see your growth and improvement visually and remind you of your successes when the going gets tough. Celebrating small wins along the way can keep you motivated and remind you why you started in the first place.

Staying motivated during the school year is all about finding what works best for you and maintaining a balanced approach. With the right strategies and mindset, you can achieve your goals and make the most of your school experience.

Learn more

Ready to take your motivation to the next level? Explore more tips and resources on our website here to help you stay focused and succeed throughout the school year.