Have you ever had that conversation with someone who is trying to figure out what to do for a living? Maybe it’s a new career, a young high school or college grad, or a new mom trying to start a new job or maybe you’re working on a new goal.

The first question I like to ask is what comes easy for you because it could be anything. However, I’m often replied with “I don’t know.”

I never hear how they’re working on it because they’re not writing their ideas down.

What 9 out of 10 people tell me though, when I mention how they can write their ideas down is that they don’t like to journal because they don’t know how. Just as important as it is to read as much as you can, how much would you learn if you could record everything you experience, think about, hate, admire or just ponder on? For years?

You’re just taking notes! The only difference is that in a journal, you’re keeping it all in one place.

Do you think typing into a laptop is the same because it’s not. It’s the act of having to think about what you’re writing, that’s key in why writing things down is the most effective. Your brain works more effectively when you’re having to think while writing. This is what makes you more productive.

There are studies suggesting that even though a lot of people can remember the same thing whether they write it down or not, when you handwrite your notes, you’ll remember key points if you didn’t.

Here are 4 reasons why you need to start a journal:

1)    For Better Memory

Like you’ve always heard before, you will remember more when you write it down; not type it in a computer but write it down.

There have been many studies on this even when comparing students who type their notes vs. writing their notes. There is something about picking up a pen and writing it down that triggers the memory. Could it be that you have to actually think about what you’re writing instead of transcribing your notes into a computer?

2)    To Have a Record

The older you get, the harder it is, let’s be honest. To remember what you needed downstairs once you’re there just about disappears before you take the first step down the stairs.

The best ideas are always written down, reworked, pondered, adjusted and then looked at again. How can you do this if you haven’t written any of your ideas down? The greatest benefit to writing it down is that if you did, you’d have a better chance to remember your ideas.

3)    To Evaluate Better

If you’re not keeping a journal, what are you using for ideas?

Having a journal to record ideas, conversations, and meetings can be very powerful. Note taking in chronological order (in a notebook: journal) automatically keeps records of dates, when, where and how.

When on phone calls, a journal can help you think through negotiations, (what were the key points discussed)? In interviews, what are the key suggestions you’re trying to remember to follow up?

How do you keep track of all your activity? If you can go back and revisit what you discussed, thought about on a phone call, or recorded everything you did in a day, how much more can you accomplish? I remember being in meetings while working for big companies and some staff members were still not writing notes. What a disadvantage. To have a notepad, that’s great but to have a notebook where all your notes are from past meetings taught me how much more effective I could be in my work.

4)    Less Clutter

To be honest, the biggest reason I like to have a journal is to limit the amount of papers around my desk. Having a notebook eliminates cluttered post-it notes, pieces of paper, lost notes and lost time looking for them. Any idea, thought, conversation, list, or record of my daily duties is found all in one place.

 There are so many ways to journal. You don’t have to feel like you’re writing a book. Are you more into math? Are you a critical thinker than a writer? Would you rather draw? There are many ways to journal that even mathematicians can do.

 The most important part of keeping a journal is to write it down. What can be more important to your goals than to write them down?

For more ways to journal, I’m coming out with a white paper with more details on specific projects and how you can journal. Once you have a specific project, job or task, then you have to figure out what kind of journal to do and how to go about it.

Feel free to let me know what ways you need help with.