Four Ways Keeping a Journal Can Actually Help Your Career

You might think that keeping a journal is overrated and time consuming, but what if I told you that it can actually help boost your career? If you’ve contemplated keeping a journal at some point in your life, but you never really picked up the habit, then it might be time to reconsider. Keeping a journal will help you jot down any thoughts or ideas that come to you in the spur of the moment, and can definitely help you organize your to-do list. So it may be time to pick up a pen and journal, for these are four ways keeping a journal can help boost your career:
Your Journal Will Help Measure Your Growth
You can easily monitor your growth by keeping track of your progress and work achievements. A work diary will allow you to set goals that will help you achieve your objectives. For instance, if you intend on completing a certain number of tasks before a specific deadline, write down how you plan on completing each goal. By recording your achievements or set backs, you can always reflect back on previous journal entries and assess the quality of your decisions. Were they realistically set? Did they help you achieve your goals?
You Can Keep Track of Good Ideas
Do you ever get a great idea from the spur of the moment, but end up forgetting it because you didn’t jot it down? You might be surprised that sometimes the brightest ideas can come to you when you’re stuck in traffic, cooking dinner, or about to go to bed. A journal can help you record these ideas once they come to you, and eventually share them with your boss or team. You might also find out that one simple idea that you jotted down can help bring about a bunch of other ideas!
You Can List and Remember Good Advice From Mentors
You will never forget invaluable feedback and advice if you write them down. Sometimes, when someone gives you great advice, you’ll most probably end up forgetting about it, or won’t really implement it when in need. If you’re going through a rough patch at work, you can always go back to your journal to remember your mentor’s advice, and use it as a source of inspiration to help you through hard times.
You Have an Appropriate Place to Vent (and Complain)
Did you get a hostile email from your manager today? Did you have to deal with an angry client? If you’re looking for a place to unleash your frustrations, then a journal will be your safest place. Bottling up all your feelings and workplace frustrations will only hinder your work performance, and the last thing you’d want is to experience an outburst in the middle of the office. Writing down in your journal can help you privately express your feelings and can serve as a safe way to get over your dissatisfaction.