Journaling for just a few minutes every day can help turn it into a stress-relieving, sustainable habit.

One of your best wellness tools may be a journal. Journaling offers an array of benefits — from easing stress to sparking self-discovery.

When negative or worried thoughts arise, it can be easy to get caught up in them.

Jotting down your thoughts, however, “creates space and distance to consider them in a more objective way,” says Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in New York City.

This distance is called cognitive defusion, a helpful concept from acceptance and commitment therapy. “The idea is that you are not your thoughts, emotions, or physical symptoms; instead, you are the context in which they occur,” says Romanoff.

If your thoughts aren’t serving you, you don’t have to believe them. You can use journaling to see your thoughts as separate from you

Whether new to journaling or returning, try these tips for building a sustainable habit:

At the start, try not to bite off more than you can chew.

Try setting a timer for just 1 or 2 minutes for your journaling session.

Start with whatever method is easiest to incorporate into your routine, says Romanoff, like:

  • writing in a blank doc on your laptop
  • using a note-taking app on your phone
  • putting pen to paper

Try journaling at the same time every day. You may want to write down your thoughts when you wake up or process the day before bedtime.

You can also anchor your journaling to other well-established habits to increase your likelihood of sticking with it.

To sharpen your self-awareness, jot down your feelings around a specific situation daily. You might write:

  • This is what happened today.
  • I’m experiencing these feelings about it.
  • I’m thinking these thoughts.

Prompts are a powerful way to get to know yourself better. They’re also great when you aren’t sure what to journal about.

Try these ideas from Lori Ryland, PhD, LP, a psychologist and chief clinical officer at Pinnacle Treatment Centers:

  • Write your favorite memories from childhood.
  • Go out into nature, and write about it.
  • Describe something you fear or love doing and why.
  • Describe yourself, including your personality and roles at work and home. Then describe yourself from the perspective of a close friend or family member.
  • If you wake up tomorrow having everything you want, what does this look like? Where are you? Who are you with? What are you doing with your time?

Journaling a few minutes a day may:

  • reduce stress
  • boost your well-being
  • better understand your needs

To make it a habit, start with a few minutes or more, depending on your preference. You can explore what’s bothering you, write about the present moment, or use a prompt — it’s totally, completely up to you.