This is how journalling became the ultimate act of self-care in 2024
If you’re inundated with empty journals, discarded with just a single day or week’s notes in, you’re far from alone. While the success stories and studies around journalling for mental health are in abundance, many can relate to rediscovering a chicly bound notebook, once destined to be a page-turner of newfound wellness habits and emotive daily anecdotes, entirely hollow (besides a few mere page of passing thoughts).
However, when maintained successfully, it is well documented that journalling offers a plethora of benefits for mental health and emotional wellbeing. A study by Cambridge University Press found that people who used expressive writing for 20 minutes per day on three-to-five occasions felt a greater sense of psychological wellbeing, reduced depressive symptoms and an improvement in their working memory. And many in the public eye extol the virtues of journaling. Take the stars of Bazaar 'Inside My Beauty Bag' videos who position their journals as important as their perfumes and SPFs when it comes to self-care, from Maisie Williams and her 'love journal' to Jenna Ortega who used hers to decode dreams.
"Recently, I've started to journal a lot, which I actually was never really into. I thought that it had to be a daily catalog and I always had a hard time just jotting down my day. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I felt like things had to be more interesting or had to be more creative and artistic,' shared Wednesday star Ortega. "Fortunately, that's kind of what this [journal] has become accidentally - but only because I allowed myself to fully release and enjoy what I'm writing."
Of course, everyone's experience of journalling will be different. But to understand the benefits of the practice for mental health, as well as the ways to keep up it consistently, we enlisted the help of experts.
What are the benefits of journalling?
"Journalling can be really beneficial for mental health, improving the effects of stress and anxiety that we encounter day-to-day. Putting pen to paper can clear your mind, ignite your imagination and allow your feelings to flow," says Molly Park, Papier’s chief product officer. "Studies have found that writing about traumatic, stressful or emotional events has positive improvements in both physical and psychological health," she adds.
Not only does this expressive habit allow you to clear the thoughts in our mind, it also allows you to arrange them in a way that enables a path for meaningful change.
"Journaling is a practical act of self-care that helps us to realise what is within our control and let go of what is not," explains physician, author, television presenter and podcaster Dr. Rangan Chatterjee. "Establishing these boundaries is crucial to looking after our mental health and feeling calm. Interacting with our own lives in this way can be game-changing; with repetition we begin to gain clarity and insight into potential problem areas that may recur and how to solve them."
Dr. Chatterjee frequently recommends journalling to his patients, as it has been shown to improve sleep, lead to better decision making and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, he says.
What's the best way to start journalling as a beginner?
If you're new to journaling it can feel awkward to get into. There is no set way to journal; your diary entry could include feelings, emotions, goals and gratitude. It could recap events or forecast future ideals. Ultimately, it's up to you – and is something that may take shape over time.
But if you feel you'd benefit from having a structured format, a guided journal – including prompts, exercises and activities – is a great option for beginners. Dr. Chatterjee's The Three Question Journal, for instance, poses you three questions to answer each morning and evening in a bid to help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself.
Or if you want to journal with a specific goal in mind – such as journalling for sleep, which has made a rapid incline in 2024 – look out for brands like Papier which have adapted their offerings with targeted journals aiming to track, improve and better understand our relationship with our evening routines.
What is the best way to journal consistently?
It’s important to remember that journalling should not done be ad hoc, and continuity is key when using writing to harness your mental health. Keeping your journalling consistent not only adds an element of routine to your self-care, but it allows you to keep track of your feelings and understand the triggers of what causes your mood and sleep to dip.
"It is key to make journalling a daily practice, something that slots into your routine," says Dr. Chatterjee. "Simply knowing that you have a designated, dedicated time in which to journal will help with creating a sense of calm."
Aim to add it to your morning ritual or evening wind-down routine, perhaps bookmarking it with other established activities that you do daily, such as meditation, movement or skincare. "Try to set aside a regular time each day to journal, whilst having the flexibility to adjust this time if it doesn’t seem to be working for you. For example, I spend five minutes with my journal every morning while drinking my first cup of coffee."
Contrary to common belief, journalling doesn't require neatness, excessive structure or copious amounts of time; in fact, keeping your note-making simple is one of the best ways of ensuring you stay consistent.
Is pen and paper better than digital journaling?
As with many wellness habits, adapting your methods to best fit your schedule is far better than attempting to maintain an unrealistic ideal. However, Dr. Chatterjee notes that there are some cathartic benefits to putting your thoughts on paper.
"I highly recommend reaching for a pen and paper when starting journalling. If writing in a notes app on your phone is the best way to fit journalling into your routine, that’s okay, but there is something about physically writing down your thoughts, feelings and goals that helps them to embed into our subconscious and focus our minds," he says.
Ortega also cites the importance of physically writing down her thoughts, as opposed to keeping a digital log.
"I've been trying to practice mindfulness and I feel like this helps," she mentions. "I like to jot dreams ideas that I have questions that I have. I used to write a lot of essays when I was younger. I struggled with insomnia and when I didn't know what to do at night, I would just find really fascinating topics that I was interested in regarding history or philosophy or just stupid hypotheticals. But I started writing those down with pen and paper because I felt like I get more from it; I'm more satisfied and encouraged by it when I see it physically."
With this in mind, it's easy to understand the direct link between processing your feelings via paper and improving your emotional wellbeing.
"By taking part in a practice like journalling daily, we become more equipped to spot when problems, negatives feelings and concerns begin to repeat themselves," says Dr. Chatterjee. "It gives us the opportunity to take stock and notice when something really needs to change and can decrease emotional stress, make it easier to turn new behaviours into long term habits and improve relationships. All of this from a habit that is really enjoyable and takes minutes to do."
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