Since launching my Storytelling for the Soul membership, I’ve heard a variation of this line more times than I can count:

I’d love to write, but I just don’t have the time.

I get it. Most of us are constantly overscheduled. I’m currently moving house, and life has been hectic between work, my business and organising the move. If someone told me to add an extra 30 minutes at the end of my day to write, that would mean yet another task on my to-do list.

Most people who find their way to my teachings have kids, a partner, a family they care about and demanding jobs (at the very least). Their schedules are stretched to the max, and while they typically see the benefits of engaging in self-care activities such as journaling, meditation, yoga, regular exercise and so on, they’re already overwhelmed. The last thing they need is yet another task.

Introducing speed journaling

What if we thought of writing like other regular tasks in our life that we do daily without too much thought? Like brushing our teeth or taking a shower. What if all you needed to journal was five minutes daily? Sure, you may be contemplating what difference five minutes will make, but everything we do builds over time.

Think of brushing your teeth. That may take you five minutes daily or longer between brushing and flossing. If you didn’t brush your teeth for a few days, it’s unlikely you’d see any severe side effects. However, if you didn’t brush your teeth for a few years, you may eventually find yourself in a dentist’s chair, writhing in a heap of pain.

Similarly, we can think of the benefits of writing for just five minutes daily. For the first week or so, you may not notice any difference. However, after writing for two or three weeks, you may find dedicating five minutes daily to expressing yourself and feeling your physical body helps you to:

• Better handle challenges that arise throughout your day
• Tolerate things that typically trigger you
• Sleep better at night
• Feel less anxious
• Want to write more

Everyone’s experience with writing is different

Remember those ‘choose your own adventure’ novels you may have read when you were younger? (I was a ’90s kid, so I may be showing my age here.) Everyone’s experience with writing looks different. What you experience is unique to you. Like any other modality out there, writing may not be for you. However, considering it’s one of the most accessible and cost-effective modalities that’s available on a 24/7 basis, I genuinely believe most people can benefit from writing.

Speed journaling in 5 easy steps

Step 1: Before writing, have a resource* to return to if triggered, and you begin tipping into overwhelm while writing.

Step 2: Notice how you feel in your body before you begin writing.

Step 3: Write for 5 minutes (or however long you have). 

Step 4: Notice how you feel in your body once you stop writing.

Step 5: Reflect on any physical sensations that surfaced while writing. We’re not labelling anything as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ here. We are remaining open and curious.

*A resource is embodied processing (a body-based approach to working with trauma) terminology. It simply means a sense of safety, comfort, support, feeling held or if none of these words resonate with you, the opposite of overwhelm. A resource can be a person, pet, memory, or place, and if you can’t think of anything, use your imagination.

10 easy speed journaling writing prompts to get you started

1. What on your to-do list can wait until tomorrow?
2. List three things you are grateful for today.
3. What is one thing you can do today that will move you closer to one of your goals?
4. What made you smile today?
5. What challenged you today and why?
6. Write about what it feels like to be you in this moment.
7. Recall a small act of kindness that made a difference to you.
8. What will you regret not doing today?
9. Describe three emotions you felt today and where you feel them in your physical body.
10. What do you like about yourself? 

Next steps

The possibilities are endless once you build and maintain your writing practice regularly (define what ‘regularly’ means to you). You can write for longer each day, write multiple times a day, schedule sessions to explore a specific topic and more.