The world around us is faster paced than ever before. We are constantly stimulated, whether it be with work demands, family demands, or even television. It is not often that we are still. It is in the stillness that we have the opportunity to think, to actually think. Thinking deliberately and intentionally is something we all need to become better at. This will not only be advantageous to your career, but also to your mental health and stability. The space between your ears – that’s yours. Treat it as so. Journaling is a way through which we can slow down and ask ourselves tough questions. Instead of carrying baggage around in our minds, we can release it on to the paper. Leonardo da Vinci kept his notebook with him at all times. As President, John F. Kennedy was a note taker and doodler. Yes, doodling counts! In fact doodling and note taking are both great methods for improving our memory. Attached you will find an example of doodling from the head sport psychologist with the LA Dodgers.
Don’t know where or when to start? Here are a few prompts to get the ball rolling.
Establish your morning mindset, own your day:
• What is one word that could describe the person I want to be today and why?
• A situation that might create stress today and how I plan to deal with that is…
• One action that I could take today to demonstrate excellence or real value is…
• If I was a mental performance coach, I would remind myself that…
• The big projects that I have to keep in mind today, even if I can’t act towards them today are… (use the Eisenhower box if needed)
• I would know that today was a great success if at the end of the day I accomplished this or felt this way…
Reflect on your day (AAR):
• A moment that I appreciated today was…
• A situation or task I handled well today was… and what I did to handle it well was…
• Something that I realized or learned today was… (this can be about our working
environment OR about yourself)
• I could have made today even better if I…
• Something that could have helped me feel more connected with others today would have been…
• If I was my own mental performance coach, I could tell myself this statement about
today…
There is no right or wrong way to journal, just do it.
“How noble and good everyone could be if at the end of the day they were to review their own behaviour and weight up the rights and wrongs. They would automatically try and do better at the start of each new day, and after a while, would certainly accomplish a great deal.” – Anne Frank
As we help our numerous clients cope with the unique stressors inherent in today’s uncertain world, we are thrilled to offer the services of Dr. Kate Colvin, PhD. As Director of Human Performance, Kate’s role is to provide training and education around various aspects of mental and physical wellbeing, including stress management, effective thinking, mindfulness, attentional focus techniques, goal attainment, organizational leadership, memory and learning enhancement, and sleep. Kate has assisted hundreds of LSDS clients, and is available to help you navigate the path ahead. Email katecolvin@lsds.us to learn more about what Dr. Kate Colvin, PhD, can provide for you.
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