## Journaling for Creativity - Journaling has been a helpful habit in increasing creativity, and it involves sitting down with a notebook to catch thoughts, with the goal of making time for it every day [(00:00:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=9s). - Carrying a small notepad everywhere has been beneficial in capturing ideas and thoughts as they pop into mind, and it has been the best thing done to help become more creative over the last 12 months [(00:01:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=63s). - The journaling process is simple, involving carrying a small notepad and pulling it out whenever a [[Thought | thought]] arises, with the goal of capturing ideas and thoughts, and it is usually focused on one core idea per week [(00:01:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=97s). - The notepad is used to scribble down ideas and sketch out concepts related to the core idea, and there is also an area for jotting down other unrelated ideas and thoughts [(00:02:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=129s). ## Benefits of Journaling - Journaling has helped in three particular ways: capturing ideas and thoughts, clearing and opening up the mind, and building better creative habits [(00:02:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=164s). - Capturing thoughts is the most obvious benefit of journaling, as it helps to keep track of the many thoughts and ideas that creative people often have, and it prevents good thoughts and ideas from being lost [(00:03:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=202s). - The [[Thought | thought process]] involved in journaling is not direct or structured, but rather free-flowing and changing direction as different ideas arise, which is an important part of the creative process [(00:03:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=237s). - Journaling has been amazing in helping to tap into a different part of the creative brain, despite being a simple process, and it has provided ideas and inspiration for creative work [(00:02:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=152s). - Journaling is a great way to capture thoughts and ideas, and having a small notepad can help to quickly scribble down ideas as they come, preventing them from getting lost, and it also acts as a prompt or tool to guide the thought process [(00:04:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=290s). - Using a notepad seems to connect with a different part of the brain, making ideas flow better, and it is a sweet spot between having nothing to capture thoughts and sitting in front of a computer, committing to a particular problem [(00:06:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=380s). - Journaling helps to capture thoughts and make sure that less ideas are lost, and it is also an effective way to draw out new ideas, making it a great tool for the creative process [(00:07:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=450s). ## Clearing the Mind for Creativity - The constant bombardment of information and stimulation in daily life, combined with the surrounding technology and habits, makes it difficult to find space and time to clear the mind and have mental downtime for new and creative ideas to emerge [(00:08:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=482s). - Finding small gaps of downtime in the day, such as sitting at a bus stop or in a cafe, can be an important part of the creative process and tapping into the creative brain, as it allows for mental downtime and the opportunity for new ideas to filter into the mind [(00:09:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=563s). - Clearing the mind is an important aspect of the creative process, and journaling can help with this by providing a space to process thoughts and ideas, and to reflect on experiences and inspiration, making it a valuable tool for creativity [(00:07:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=472s). - The creative brain does some of its best work in the gaps between input mode, where new information is absorbed, and output mode, where conscious work is being done, allowing different ideas and thinking to connect [(00:09:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=582s). - Having spare moments in the day often leads to pulling out a phone and scrolling, which kicks the brain back into input mode and absorbs more information, losing the opportunity for the creative brain to tick through ideas in the back of the head [(00:10:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=632s). - Using a notepad instead of a phone during spare moments helps to keep the brain more clear and open, and can aid in boosting creativity by not going back into input mode and downloading more information [(00:11:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=665s). - Carrying a notepad and pen, and developing the habit of pulling it out during spare moments, can help to keep the mind more open and clear, and make it feel more creative throughout the day [(00:11:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=712s). - The process of using a notepad is more important than the output, as it helps to stay in a more open and creative state, and can be done without any pressure or expectation of producing something significant [(00:12:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=748s). ## Building a Creative Habit - Setting aside time in the day as "creative time" can help to become more intentional about being creative, and journaling can aid in this by providing a structured way to think and reflect [(00:13:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=828s). - Many people struggle to find time for creative activities due to their busy schedules, and as a result, these activities are often seen as non-essential or less important, which is why it's crucial to be intentional about setting aside time for them [(00:14:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=850s). - Setting aside a fixed time in the day, even if it's just 15 minutes, can help build a habit of keeping creative activities alive and making them a part of daily life [(00:15:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=907s). - Journaling can be a useful tool for building this habit, and it can involve simply sitting down with a notepad to sketch out ideas or thoughts without any pressure to produce anything in particular [(00:15:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=927s). - The key is to start small and make creativity a part of the daily routine, whether it's through journaling, research, or other activities, and it can be as little as 5-10 minutes a day [(00:16:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=974s). - Building this creative habit can have a significant impact on one's creative life in the long run, and it's often the small habits and initial steps that can lead to the biggest changes [(00:16:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=990s). - Journaling, in particular, has been found to have a significant impact on the creative process, and it can be a valuable activity to incorporate into one's daily life [(00:16:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg&t=1010s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFoqsFmWucg)