How to Start Journaling—a Self-Care Practice That Takes Just 15 Minutes a Day

Finding a self-care activity that's simple, effective, and inexpensive is easier than it sounds—but daily journaling is just that. The simple act of describing your thoughts on paper is one of the best ways to process feelings, reduce stress, and improve your mental health.

Though you may have learned the basics of keeping a journal as far back as grade school, you can make the practice more powerful with these expert suggestions for how to start, what to write, and whether it's OK to use your smartphone instead of a paper book (spoiler: It is!).

Why Keeping a Journal Is Good For You

When people keep a journal that describes how they feel, they clear their minds, reduce anxiety, and report higher levels of happiness. "Various studies indicate that writing can improve sleep, immune function, and general physical health," says James W. Pennebaker, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Texas-Austin. "Other [studies] indicate that writing helps people to clear their minds, makes them less anxious, and makes them happier."

What to Write in Your Journal

When researchers talk about the benefits of writing for stress relief, they're talking about "expressive writing": jotting down positive or negative life experiences rather than creative stories.

"Expressive writing is aimed at trying to understand and come to terms with difficult events. Creative writing, in my mind, is playing with new ideas," says Pennebaker, the world's leading researcher on the benefits of expressive writing. While beginning to write may very well get your creative juices flowing, for maximum health benefits, focus your journal on events in your own life and explore your feelings around those events.

How to Start Journaling

When it comes to beginning a self-care ritual, you'll actually stick with, establishing a routine is key. "Have a specific set time and place where you write," says Laura Rubin, the founder of Allswell Creative, a line of journals and a series of workshops that encourage self-expression and self-examination. "It's about creating the rituals that work for you."

Pennebaker doesn't demand daily journaling or suggest any specific cadence, saying, ultimately, there is no absolutely true answer as to the right way to journal. "You have to be your own scientist and try to analyze what works for you," he says.

Let the Words Flow

If you're not sure how to start journaling about an event that's influencing you, Pennebaker recommends setting a time for 15 to 20 minutes and free-writing about the event and your reactions. Whether you're ranting about your coworker's criticism of your project, your child's rudeness, or an unexpected car repair, describe the problem and your reaction. (Remember: It doesn't have to be perfect; no one else needs to read it.)

"My personal solution is to focus on the stressful event and try to understand why it is so stressful for me," says Pennebaker. "Why am I feeling the way I am? What is going on? If trying to understand the stressful event isn't helpful, you can work to look for some positive features of the event or something positive that may come from it."

Try a Prompt

Some people find it easier to begin writing when they are given a prompt that directs them to a topic. Daily prompts that might work for you include writing about the best (or worst) part of your day, describing one moment of your day in careful detail, or expanding on an event from your past that's on your mind. (A quick search for "journaling prompts" will bring up hundreds more ideas from online resources.)

"Sometimes I take a week or a month, and I give myself a theme or an idea to explore," says Rubin. But this approach definitely isn't for everyone. "If you liked writing in school, you may love having a prompt, but if you didn't, you might find it restrictive or exhausting," she says. Bottom line: If it doesn't work for you, don't force it.

Does a Journal Have to Be on Paper?

While Rubin believes wholeheartedly in the neurological benefits of writing by hand, Michael Smith, Ph.D., an associate professor in psychobiology and health psychology at the University of Northumbria in England, says paper journals versus digital expression might not matter. "The most important thing is to take some time, free of distraction, to re-experience the emotions associated with whatever event you're writing about," he says. "It is likely that there are some groups of people, such as teenagers, who may prefer and feel more comfortable with typing on a computer or smartphone than using a physical diary."

Journaling Doesn't Mean Just Writing

"There is emerging evidence suggesting that a range of creative outlets can be beneficial for health and well-being," says Smith. For this reason, Rubin adds blank pages to her journal—even if you don't consider yourself an artist, giving yourself the freedom to draw and experiment gives you more options for expressing yourself. Pennebaker says that while other outlets for creative expression such as art, music, or dance can be helpful, their effects can be more trustworthy if they are done in conjunction with writing or talking.

When You're Finished, Let It Go

Rubin says that one of the most common concerns she hears about journaling, especially from moms, is that they're afraid someone is going to read it. "Some people have had the experience of having someone read their diary and it's traumatic," she says. "If you're afraid of an external audience, write it, read it, and then throw it out."

While plenty of journalers like to look back to see where they were—compared to where they are now—either way is OK. Even writing with your finger on a blank surface could have benefits, Pennebaker says. The important thing is putting your feelings into words.