Newsletter issue: #151
Read time: 1m 43s

Life’s a total shit show 💩 sometimes.

Endless to-do lists, phones buzzing like angry hornets and a brain that refuses to shut the hell up at 2AM.

Your brain isn’t designed to be an overworked server.

Studies show multitasking reduces productivity by 40%.

So is it hopeless? Maybe not.

Journaling has been proven to enhance emotional regulation, reduce stress, and improve cognitive function.

Look, I’m not saying journaling will solve all your problems. It won’t make your boss less annoying or your coffee machine suddenly work. But it might just keep you from losing your mind.

I started journaling during my “I hate my job” existential crisis phase.

The feeling when you’ve finally got that fancy job title you wanted, but somehow you’re still staring at the ceiling questioning everything at night? Yeah, that one.

My daily notes were basically:

• “Why am I here?”
• “Is this it?”
• “Did I seriously just spend 4 hours in meetings about meetings?”

Journaling didn’t fix my career crisis instantly…

But it did give me the mental clarity to realise: I was designing products I didn’t believe in, for a company whose values didn’t align with mine.

Personal crisis aside, here’s why journaling is worth your time:

For your mental health:

• Improves sleep
• Promotes gratitude
• Builds self-awareness
• Reduces anxiety (mine dropped by 63.7% - and my ability to make up statistics increased by 89.2%. Both equally made up)

For your professional life:

• Boosts focus
• Reduces burnout​
• Builds confidence
• Enhances decision-making

The conversation in your head probably sounds like this:

You: “But I don’t have time to journal!”

Also you: spends 45 minutes scrolling Instagram looking at people who journal

Me: “Just start with 5 minutes. That’s shorter than your average bathroom break.”

Best tools to get started:

• Notebooks: Leuchtturm1917 (if you want to feel fancy), whatever notebook is closest to you (if you’re normal)
• Digital: Notion (my personal fave), or just your Notes app.

It’s not about writing perfectly. It’s about creating a space where your brain can take a damn break.

In a world where we’re expected to be “always on,” journaling is that friend who says, “Hey, wanna bail on this party and get tacos 🌮 instead?”

The answer is yes.

The answer is always yes!

PS. Here’s my article breaking down all 10 professional benefits, my favourite journaling tools, and a list of must-follow mindful creators.

The Power of Journaling