Self-care is an important topic this year, with all of us working out how best we can look after ourselves and ensure that we maintain our positive wellbeing. In the face of a pandemic, we have all seen just how much of a subjective topic self-care is. What one person does to stay sane and positive during this time, might not work for someone else.

In this blog, I wanted to share how I use journaling to regularly check in with myself and get rid of as much stress and uncertainty in my brain as possible. These prompts might not work for you, but journaling can have a really positive impact and you can use it however you want.

Since leaving university last year, journaling has been a positive tool for many things. Take a look at the list below and you may be inspired to start your own.

Time Organisation ⏰

Once we leave the education system, we are no longer handed out a timetable or given an idea of how long we should spend on something each day. We are simply told our working hours and we go from there. Personally, I find this quite overwhelming and have found that journaling can really help to feel more organised with many things, from my work to-do list to a monthly planner for keeping track of plans.

It’s also helpful to note these things down as you can look back at when you completed a task or how long you spent on it. The great thing about journaling in an empty book is that you can decide what information to include and keep track of.

Reflection 🪞

At the end of every day, I fill out my ‘habit and mood’ tracker that I’ve created and note down a few things that I got up to that day. My habit and mood tracker is a list of certain personalised habits that I want to track and make sure I stay up to date with, such as waking up before 7am, reading, getting out of my flat and more. 

By looking at the habits I completed, and making a note of my general mood that day too, I can see what habits and activities correspond to me feeling happier or perhaps more down. It’s a really nice way to reflect and to get to know yourself and what you enjoy.

A space to get it all out 📃

Sometimes if I’ve had a really overwhelming day, I open up a blank page in my journal and get everything out of my busy brain onto paper. It doesn’t have to make any sense, but I simply write down everything that’s worrying me, has affected me that day or that I know I need to get done.

It can make a lot more sense when I look at it all on paper rather than trying to understand what my whirring thoughts are telling me.

Manifesting and gratitude 🙏

Recently I’ve been trying to count my blessings more and really appreciate all the things I have in my life. My journal has lots of different pages where I express my gratitude for a variety of things, from the people I have around me to the opportunities I’ve been fortunate enough to experience.

If things are feeling a bit rubbish or I don’t like my situation, I like to write down 3-5 things I’m grateful for each day and it can really shift my mood. It’s always great to have this little bank of things to look at when I’m feeling down too and remember that I do have a lot to be grateful for.

Creative outlet 🧑‍🎨

With a personal journal, the thing that makes it really amazing for expressing yourself is that it is so personal. You can include anything you want in it, design it how you would like and it doesn’t matter how pristine or messy it looks.

I’ve found that sketching out new weekly spreads in my bullet journal, or doodling randomly can help to settle my whirring thoughts after a busy day at work. I use Pinterest a lot of the time to get inspiration for what my journal could look like, although it never goes to plan.

 While I use a physical journal to record my thoughts, apps such as Journify are another great way to really personalise your experience of journaling. So just remember, however you want to clear your brain by journaling, be it through writing or speech, it’s a personal experience so you can do whatever works for you!

If anyone would like to find any further self-care advice for students and graduates, you can find me at www.mindthegapgraduates.co.uk

About the Author:

I'm Maddie, a 22-year old Criminology graduate living in London and working in Public Relations. After having a hard time adjusting to life after university, I set up my blog, Mind The Gap Graduates, as a way to share the difficulties of adult life and let others in my situation know that they're not alone in facing post-graduate blues. I cover all things careers, self-care, finances and more. 

 You can find my blog at: www.mindthegapgraduates.co.uk or on Instagram.

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