Post #3 of 100 Days to Offload challenge.
I've been journaling for a very long time, and my default way of journaling is free writing.
It gives me freedom to express myself without worrying about structure or perfection. This journaling technique allows my mind to wander freely and dump all the thoughts.
Today, we are constantly bombarded with information. A lot of it remains unprocessed, taking up space in our minds, whether we need it or not. I find that carrying all this unprocessed information makes it hard to focus on the task at hand.
Journaling is like moving our thoughts from our heads into external space, which makes the mind feel lighter.
How to do Free Writing
- The only rule of free writing is: don't stop writing. Start the timer for 10-15 minutes or aim for 3 pages / 720 words if you are using some text editor. Do not stop until these criteria are met.
- Even when nothing is coming to your mind, just write that: "I don't know what I should write, why I'm doing this, what will I achieve by doing all of it."
- When we force ourselves to write, it is kind of frustrating ar first. But soon, you will notice that your train of thought starts moving. You start thinking verbally.
I think of it as mind vomiting. Just get it all out. We can make sense of it later.