Journaling: Science Subjectivity and History
Journaling: Science Subjectivity and History
I have been journaling on and off for 40 years, and I’m a firm believer in the practice as a way to explore the self, remember the past, and chart your own growth.
The act of journaling is not merely a record of events; it is a neurological tool that shifts how we process reality. I recommend it to anyone I’m working with to explore possibilities and turn thoughts into words and into actions. Taking stuff that is inside your head and writing it on a page is manifestation in its purest form. It takes something intangible and makes it real. To be clear, this is not the New Age conception of the practice. Sitting and writing “I will win the lottery” will not cause that to happen, it won’t bring you the perfect partner or the perfect job, at least not directly. You need to get up out the chair and take action for those things to manifest. Writing stuff down is simply a necessary step between the idea and its realization.
Journaling–the act of writing itself–has a biological impact on the brain as well as a subjective impact on the human spirit. It is a private workspace and a diary that you keep for yourself.
The benefits of journaling are now backed by science.
The Science of the Pen: Why it Works
Neuroplasticity and Encoding: Writing by hand engages the reticular activating system (RAS) in the brain. This process, known as the Generation Effect, forces the brain to encode information more deeply than typing does. It moves thoughts from fleeting working memory into long-term storage.
Amygdala Regulation: Research from UCLA suggests that putting feelings into words–a process called Affect Labelling–diminishes the activity of the amygdala which is the brain’s emotional alarm system. This shifts processing from the emotional centre to the prefrontal cortex, the seat of rational decision-making.
The Zeigarnik Effect: Our brains are wired to keep "unfinished" thoughts on an infinite loop, remembering them as things to do. That can be beneficial or it can cause stress. Or both. Journaling acts as a cognitive offload, closing the loops on unresolved anxieties and freeing up mental bandwidth for complex problem-solving.
Subjective Benefits: Know Thyself
Beyond the lab results, journaling provides the emotional and intellectual workspace that high-level leaders and domain experts often lack.
Clarity of Thought: You don't know what you think until you see it on the page. Journaling forces you to synthesize vague anxieties and half formed ideas into concrete sentences.
Pattern Recognition: Over weeks and months, a journal reveals recurring behavioral loops that are invisible in the moment. It is the ultimate tool for self-audit.
Emotional Catharsis: It provides a safe, judgment-free space to process moral injury or the frustrations of executive bore-out without the professional risk of voicing them prematurely.
The Quiet Room: For someone constantly inundated with data and external metrics, the journal is the one room where the only voice that matters is your own.
You’re not writing for other people. Other people will never see this unless you want them to. The only likes or dislikes that matter are your own. You can show yourself to yourself with honesty. Best, however, not to record those crime sprees. Also best, if you live with people with whom you have relationships that are sometimes challenging, i.e., almost ALL relationships, is to find a secure place to keep it.
Differences Between Men and Women
Growing up in the mid-20th century, I associated “keeping a dairy” with women and teenage girls. This was a departure from the historical norm where men in positions of power used logbooks and journals to record strategies and reflections.
There is still a gender gap–twice as many women as men report keeping journals
Statistical data supports the current gender gap. Surveys from organizations like YouGov indicate that women are roughly twice as likely as men to keep a regular record of their thoughts. Market research in the wellness sector often shows that approximately 20% of women engage in some form of reflective writing, compared to roughly 10% of men.
The category of writing impacts these numbers. When the practice is framed as productivity tracking, performance logging, or strategic reflection, male participation increases. So, guys, call it want you will: logbook, notebook, or field journal. This isn’t (only) emotional venting. It’s strategic reflection and problem solving. It will enhance your performance at work and help your relationships all around. Male or female, if you are more comfortable thinking and writing only in a work context, feel free. In case it still seems to you that journaling is something that only teenage girls do, consider this: the famous men that kept journals include Darwin, da Vinci, Theodore Roosevelt, George Patton, and Thomas Jefferson. Famous women who journaled? Virginia Woolf, Marie Curie, Helen Keller, and Jane Goodall. A firm favourite journalist of mine is the Quaker Deborah Logan. Her 4000-page journal constitutes an important historical source for early American history from the rare perspective of a woman.
Prompting
If you are new to this or even if you aren’t, here are some prompts designed for managers, leaders, and domain experts to use. They follow the model of a daily dialogue with oneself to move from being simply reactive, to daily work pressure and tactical execution toward strategic investment in your future. Some of them are follow-ons from previous posts, which you can read here.
Morning Prompts: Start the Day with Intention
The goal of these prompts is to set a plan for the day that prioritizes the quality of your contribution over the quantity of your output.
The Meaning Check: What is the one specific task today where I can inspire others toward great performance rather than just toward a metric?
Talent Anticipation: Make a short list of your best talents. Ask which of my intentionally applied talents–the ones I used during the intensity of a crisis–I can bring into a business-as-usual task today.
Reclaiming Time: What meeting or obligation on my calendar today do I anticipate will be some I feel I must attend but consider to be a waste of my time? How can I re-align it or delegate it to reclaim my focus?
Beyond the Pay check: If I were doing this work for free today, which part of my schedule would I keep? Which work would I leave behind even if someone were to pay me double just to do it?
Evening Prompts: Finish the Day with Satisfaction
The goal of these prompts is to show the day’s events against the framework of enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning.
FOMO: Which activity today gave me energy, and which activity felt like checking a box?
The Brooks Diagnostic: Enjoyment: Did I do anything today that was difficult but engaging?
Satisfaction: Whose opinion of my work today provided me with a sense of genuine accomplishment?
Meaning: How did my work today specifically help, clarify, or provide insight for someone else?
The Arrival Fallacy Check: Did I chase a temporary high today, or did I do something that contributes to my 20-year legacy?
The Values review: What did I do today that was just? What did I do that was merely performative or worse against my own values?
I suggest writing these by hand in a dedicated notebook. This physical act opens different neural pathways and allows for a narrative approach to leadership that digital tools often miss. By recording these observations daily, you create the data necessary to greater success in your career and happiness in your life.
