4 Journaling Ideas to Help You Be More Productive

May 20

I think many people are trying to find the secret to being more productive. photo of person writing on notebook Many folks Google ways to maximum time, increase results and get it all done before the end of the day. We here even have a blog on how to practice self-care when you're short on time.One way to be productive that is tried and true is being able to organize your own thought-process. And that's where these journaling ideas come into play.Here are four journal prompts to help you get the most out of your day:

I'll feel ________________ when I complete ________________.

This prompt helps us recognize what it means for you to feel successful. Often during our busy days, we may start the day with what we plan to do and end up not getting to it. With this prompt, think about what feelings come up for you when you feel accomplished. Will you feel happy? Satisfied? Relieved when you're able to accomplish something?Then, choose the activities that you really need/want to complete that day. To set yourself up for success, choose one to three goals that you want to complete by the end of the day/week. black and blue pens beside red covered notebook 2) Write down what you need to get done today and prioritize your top tasks.If you have trouble differentiating which of your tasks need to get done, start with listing all that you need to do. This prompt is most helpful for folks that have difficulty prioritizing tasks and getting important tasks accomplished in a timely manner.

In nearly every setting, not every task is urgent and important. When a task is urgent, it needs to be accomplished in a timely manner (usually sooner rather than later). When a task is important, it has great of value and should not be taken lightly.

Draw four squares and put the following titles on each square:

Urgent and Important
Not Urgent and Important
Urgent and Not Important
Not Important and Not Urgent

Place each of your tasks in their respective square. Notice where you are putting each task, and start working on items that are 'Urgent and Important' first. Ask yourself: if a task is 'Not Important and Not Urgent', could it be completed at another time? ad adult advertise advertisement 3) At the end of the day, list what you want to accomplish tomorrow.Speaking of setting yourself up for success, prepare to take on tomorrow's challenges by creating a 'task list' at the end of your day. It can help to do this prompt if you notice that time flies during your mornings and you want to get more out of your time spent before 12:00 P.M.You can start this prompt with listing what you have accomplished that day or taking a list at the things you've crossed off of your to-do list. Then take a look at your upcoming projects and responsibilities and create a list of what you would like to complete the next day.4) Do a 'Feelings Data Dump'.If you notice that heavy feelings are coming up for you and those feelings seem to get in the way of you making the most of your day, this journal prompt can help you reset and reengage in your work.Start this prompt with: How am I feeling in this moment? How am I feeling right now?

Add to this self-reflection by asking yourself:

What's causing me to feel this way?
What happened to make be feel this way?
What do I need to feel better?

Recognizing our feelings while we are feeling them can be difficult, but emotionally planning ahead can help us validate our own experiences and take control of our reactions. person holding pen and planner Here's an example:I am feeling frustrated right now. The traffic was terrible, it is what's making me feel frustrated. Now I'm late for work and I'm getting a late start on my day. What will make me feel better is grabbing some coffee, venting quickly with my work buddy and shifting a couple of my morning tasks that are not a top priority.There are many ways for you to re-organize your time, thoughts and ability to complete our tasks. Try out these journal prompts and reflect on if these work for you.