We might be living in the age of AI and automation, but the simple act of journalling has never been more important. In fact, putting pen to paper may well be the one activity that is helping modern human beings navigate our increasingly digital world. 

Published research by the Journal of Experimental Psychology shows how writing down thoughts reduces intrusive thoughts about negative events that have affected a person, helping to focus attention on the real issue. It also improves working memory; writing tells the brain that what's being written is important and must be remembered.

At a time when humans are overwhelmed by digital media, writing forces one to slow down, to become mindful of the task at hand (as opposed to mindless scrolling), and to process thoughts and emotions. Put simply, it brings moments of stillness and clarity to our technology-driven lives.

If that all sounds woo-woo, it's not. Yes, journalling has a vital role to play as a mindfulness practice, but scientists are weighing in on the importance of a daily writing regime in balancing overall mental health and even business performance.

A number of research studies have revealed that journalling can reduce levels of depression. One study, back in 2006¹, demonstrated that writing in a journal could be as effective as cognitive-behavioural therapy when attempting to reduce the risk of depression in young adults.

Another study² showed that journalling reduced anxiety in women suffering from multiple sclerosis - a lifelong medical condition that can be debilitating. This has been supported by further studies that attest to the power of journalling in relieving anxiety, as it breaks the nonstop cycle of obsessive thinking over an issue.

Beyond mental health, journalling is also believed to have a positive effect on overall health and well-being. According to a peer-reviewed Healthline article³ by Margarita Tartakovsky, MS: 'A 2018 research review suggests that writing about your deepest thoughts and feelings may contribute to fewer stress-related doctor visits, lower blood pressure, improved mood and greater well-being. 

'In addition, a study of 70 adults with medical conditions and anxiety found that writing about positive experiences, like gratitude, for 12 weeks was linked to reduced distress and increased well-being. In the same study, after a month, participants reported fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. After the first and second months, participants reported greater resilience.'

Journalling has been shown to be an effective stress management tool by functioning as a coping mechanism and by reducing the impact of stressful events, potentially helping to avoid burnout. This is particularly useful for corporate professionals and people in high-stress occupations.

Another area where journalling can be used in the workplace is in goal setting. Writing down goals, and then using journalling techniques to break them down and understand them better, makes goals more achievable.

Journalling around the headway being made in chasing a goal - and unpacking the prevailing thinking about this progress and potential obstacles - also makes for effective goal tracking. This is important, for as the business maxim goes, what gets measured, gets managed, and when combined with goal setting, journalling has the potential to double as an excellent accountability tool.

It may feel like the art of writing by hand in a book, and laying bare private thoughts and ideas, is dead, but the science tells us otherwise. Today journalling is very much on-trend and by all accounts, here to stay.

¹ Stice, Burton, Bearman & Rohde: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17007812/ ² Hasanzadeh, Khoshknab, & Norozi: http://cmja.arakmu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-57-1&sid=1&slc_lang=en ³ https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-journaling#boosted-well-being