Happiness can be found when you put your thoughts down on a crisp white sheet of paper. Etching your thoughts and ideas as they flow from your mind (and sometimes your heart) through your pen and onto the sheet can be cathartic. Writing is an essential part of any profession. Even monarchy, the stoic emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote his reflections everyday which helped him to become an able ruler.
The benefits of writing down things are plenty. But to me, writing is nothing but an alternate way of examining my mind. A nice outside-in perspective. A way to understand myself better.
There are many reasons to pen your thoughts down. Here are some of mine.
To Decode
Often when I find myself dealing with too many options, trying to make sense of the world, I find it useful to write down everything I know about the problem so far. It helps me to categorise and clearly see some of the patterns available. This helps to decode the many signals that I maybe dealing with then. This is particularly useful when you are trying to understand and solve some perplexing issues or struggling to make some critical decisions.
To Understand
If you have understood it, you will write about it effortlessly. If you write about it then you have understood it well. No wonder the essay type descriptive questions remain popular in advanced academic courses as well as competitive exams. Writing something lucidly really helps to test your understanding. I often do this when I am trying to learn new concepts. A short summary of my learnings so far helps to check my progress. This helps while making proposals too.
To Record
Almost all senior executives I have met carry a diary. They seem to be noting everything that’s important throughout the day. They often pull back their diary to check their previous notes. Often inspiration strikes at any point. Great ideas float in and get lost among the other priority items of the day. That’s why maintaining an ideas section can be useful for future reference,. Memory can be fallible hence jottings of statistics, names can be very helpful during such times. These notes come handy when you are reflecting upon the meetings. The black diary can be a great companion.
To Reflect & Express
Reflective writing is therapeutic. It is cathartic. At the end of a project or before starting one, reflecting upon my past experience helps to plan better. Reflective writing also allows for expressing your deep thoughts and anxiety through words. A free flow of words helps to relieve the built up stress during tough times. It helps you to give a voice to your pent up feelings. The end result – a feeling of lightness and clarity of thought.
Getting Started:
Invest in stationery – unruled journals or blank sheets of paper depending upon why you are writing. A good pen – I favour the Pilot V5 but you can choose anything that’s comfortable for you.
Don’t wait for anything, just simply start writing. Remember this form of writing is for yourself so don’t worry too much about style, presentation or even grammar.
Here’s hoping that you benefit from noting your thoughts down on paper.