Paper Journaling & Mental Health

When was the last time you truly acknowledged your emotions and wrote about them? When was the last time you used pen and paper to jot down your feelings and thoughts? In a digital age where vast information is available at our fingertips, it’s easy to forget how much wisdom can come from our own selves. And how it’s so beneficial to organize our thoughts and express ourselves. 

What is Journaling? 

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably tried to keep a journal diary at some point in your life, and if you’re like most people, you’ve probably given up or forgotten about it. What you might not realize is that journaling is way more than just a fun hobby. It’s also a powerful instrument that can help improve your mental and emotional health. Journals help us to process and clarify our thoughts and feelings and there is something about seeing words on paper that helps us do that. 

Unlike a digital journal, a paper journal has been proven to engage and stimulate the brain more than typing, resulting in a more raw and authentic experience. Not convinced? Here are 5 more reasons why should put pen to paper and start journaling today! 

• Improves Memory 

There exists a special relationship between the brain and the hand, and this is set off by the composition of ideas and thoughts. Keeping a paper journal improves memory and information retention and helps people focus on what’s important in their lives. This aligns with what most journals are used for — a way to record and keep track of things that matter so we can obtain better insight about life. 

• Increases Productivity 

Keeping a daily journal diary can help you clarify your end goals and values and ensure that you’re working towards them. In fact, writing those important things down signals to the brain that this is something meaningful. If you’re trying to increase your willpower or achieve any goals, jotting it down on a bit of paper has been proven to significantly increase your chances of achieving them. 

• Allows you to Slow Down 

Writing by hand in a paper journal slows you down and ensures you keep off screens and distractions. This, in turn, increases activity in the brain’s motor cortex, resulting in an effect that’s similar to meditation. This also explains why journaling can feel therapeutic and why it helps with mindfulness. 

• Sparks Creativity 

Paper journaling is mainly freestyle writing, and as such allows your creative juices to flow endlessly and enables your expressive muscles to loosen up. Plus, since a journal diary is mostly a blank slate, this means you get to decide exactly how to customize your own in order to make it more personal, which altogether helps to boost your creativity. 

• Reflects Emotions 

When you write on paper, you’re likely to feel a closer connection with the written words. In digital writing, that emotion is substituted by emojis or bold and italic letters but none of those can replace the way hand-written letters directly reflect your emotions. Having this type of connection is one of the biggest benefits of journaling as it allows you to make better sense of your thoughts and enables you to be more in touch with your feelings. 

Paper & Peace of Mind 

Taking the time to journal, especially when you write it by hand, is a small way you can take care of yourself and your mental health every day. The benefits of journaling are endless, so if you’re still toying around with the idea of starting a journal, here’s your cue to get out there, grab a piece of paper, and journal away! 

Remember, writing a journal diary doesn’t have to be a chore. You don’t even need to use a fancy notebook, but it certainly does help to have quality journaling instruments, such as crisp bright, and premium paper. 

Lucky for you, IK Yellow brings forward the very best of what paper can offer. Available in a variety of sizes such as B4, B5, F4, A3, or A4 paper, IK Yellow products are expertly crafted to fulfill your journaling needs and turn your writing experience into a luxurious ritual. Shop through our official Shopee and Lazada stores now!