Russell Grant Magazine – Feb22 (LOVE2022)

WHY KEEP A JOURNAL OR DIARY? Some people can’t be bothered to keep a journal or diary.

They’re not interested in writing things down, regarding it as a waste of their time. They’d much prefer to keep their appointments in their heads, their thoughts about their feelings to themselves and not bother themselves with maintaining an ongoing record of their lives.

There are others who see the value in keeping a journal or diary. They view it as a good way to manage their time, to reflect on how they spend their days, to monitor their emotional health and wellbeing and to plan their ongoing journey and the direction in which they’re heading.

So, why keep a diary?

I know of several busy business people who, at one time, resisted using a diary, in either paper or digital format, instead preferring to keep everything, all their plans and appointments, in their heads. When they discovered that updating their diary took only moments and freed them from the stress of having to remember everything, they rapidly started to see it as a beneficial way to support their efficiency and manage stress.

It can be a useful exercise, at the beginning of each year to add significant dates, from birthdays to anniversaries to your diary. From then on, keeping it nearby enables new appointments and additional information can be added immediately. Notes can be made next to entries, with relevant prompts, phone numbers, addresses and key pieces of information. A well-kept diary can be an important aide memoir, assisting with better time management and supporting a busy life. Efficiently managing time is important, especially when there’s a lot going on, so using your diary to note meetings and appointments can ensure that you apportion time as required, better able to plan well and give yourself time to travel, have food and schedule breaks in-between each entry. It can also be a valuable point of reference if bookkeeping and accounts are needed.