how to help people start journaling
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
PEOPLE WILL JOURNAL IF YOU…1. Show it’s helpful.2. Make it easy. 3. Remove obstacles.
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SHOW HOW JOURNALING IS HELPFUL
WHY IS JOURNALING HELPFUL?
Gain clarity on
your skills, interests, and goals
make better decisions for yourself
later
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OW
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ELP
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HOW CAN YOU CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT JOURNALING IS HELPFUL? Show them research or examples. Introduce them to someone they
respect who journals and likes it. Have them try it out and see what they
learn.
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ELP
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AFTER YOU SHOW THE IMPORTANCE,
MAKE IT EASY TO JOURNAL
HELP THEM PICK A GO-TO METHOD AND MODE OF JOURNALING
Integrate journaling into a system already being used.
Evernote, Dropbox, Hardbound journal
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KE IT
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MAKE SURE ALL THE JOURNALING SUPPLIES ARE WITHIN REACH Keep the supplies in one
place. Use them when it’s time to
journal.
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START PEOPLE OUT WRITING ONLY ONE THING A DAY
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Write down just one thing learned every day.
The harder people think it is, the easier you have to make it.
HELP PEOPLE CREATE A JOURNALING CALENDAR Every day, focus on a different area to
write about: Monday—a strengthTuesday—an interestWednesday—an experienceThursday—a skill Friday—an epiphany
Put reminders on the calendar
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NEXT, REMOVE OBSTACLES TO JOURNALING
OBJECTIONS TO JOURNALING“Too egocentric”
“Too cheesy”
“Everything I know about myself is in my head, so why write it down?”
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OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS TO JOURNALINGYou need to know yourself to help others
You can make journaling practical by giving yourself concrete objectives
Write to remember.
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MORE OBSTACLES TO JOURNALING
Busy schedule No uninterrupted time
or space to reflectConstantly around people Constantly engaged in
tasks with immediate due dates
Overly taxed by current commitments
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YOU ONLY NEED A MOMENT IN TIME TO JOURNAL Block off just 15 minutes in your
calendar, so you have it penciled in. If 15 is too long, make it 5.
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RUN AWAY TO A QUIET AREA
Where you can’t be interrupted
Where you won’t be distracted
Where you can think
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THAT’S THE RECIPE FOR JOURNALING
TH
E M
AG
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REC
IPE1. Show it’s helpful.
2. Make it easy.
3. Remove obstacles.
THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I’VE REALIZED A FEW THINGS
IT’S HARDER TO START
Once people start writing out a thought about themselves, they get engaged in the process. IN
SIG
HT
THAN TO FINISH
THE MOST TAXED PEOPLE NEED JOURNALING THE MOST. Surprisingly, the people who have the
least time for journaling are the ones who need it the most.
Why? They’re moving so fast but haven’t considered whether they’re going in the right direction.
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THE HIGHER THE INVESTMENT, THE HIGHER THE COMMITMENT The more that people put into
journaling, the more that they feel committed to the activity and the more likely they are to make it a habit.
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