How The Five Minute Journal Helps With Productivity

Published January 21, 2022

The Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Change Inc. is a popular gratitude journaling that can help you re-evaluate your decisions and refuel your mind to overcome obstacles for the day. It is a best-selling journal with more than 1,000,000 copies sold. 

Also, this is considered a self-help book by Alex Ikonn and UJ Ramdas, created in 2013. Years later, many people still enjoy the powerful benefits of the self-contemplation this journal brings.

You can make daily journaling as a productivity planner along with the main features you can find in this book:

1. Inspirational Quotes
2. Weekly Challenges
3. The five questions & statements that can change your life

How the 5 Minute Journal Works

Many people struggle with their daily routine of planning their tasks which often results in wasted time. The 5 Minute Journal encourages you to spend a few minutes of your time every day being thankful and reflective of your actions, dreams, and plans. 

It has different questions about life, dreams, what you could’ve done, and what are the things you’re most grateful for.

What Makes It Different From Other Journals?

There are many types of journals like artistic, blank, travel, dreams, and bullet journals, but what makes it different is the self-evaluating custom questions that can instantly change how your day will go and how you will look at things. It encourages you to talk to your mind and re-enforces your ideas to come to fruition. 

Since you only need to write a few minutes daily, you don’t have to overthink what you’re going to write. Letting your honest thoughts flow through your pen and words can give you an outlet to unload your brain and make room for brighter and more positive thoughts.

The Five Minute Journal Questions & Statements 

Here are some of the most intriguing and self-provoking questions and statements that you can find in this journal:

Morning Routine 

• I am grateful for…

Being humble and appreciating the beautiful things and blessings that you are experiencing daily can greatly impact how you’ll go about your day. Take note that this will just be a five-minute journal experience. 

Having a daily list of the beautiful happenings in your life can turn a somewhat gloomy day into a promising one. Choose gratitude practices, and they will outweigh whatever comes your way. 

• What would make today great?

Here’s a quote I’ve heard from way back, it says, “What you think you create, what you feel you attract, what you imagine you become.” So jotting down the actions, events, or thoughts before you start your day can influence your brain and your body, giving you rays of sunshine.   

• Daily affirmation. I am…

Have you ever heard of positive psychology? Have you ever heard about motivational speakers encouraging people not to put themselves down? There are many reasons why a person needs positive daily affirmations, and one of them is because we need to lift ourselves.

Putting yourself down and fussing over the little negativities will only make things worse, especially if they already are. However, if you write daily affirmations that highlight your strengths, you can use your strong characteristics to get out there and make the most out of your day! Claim it!

Night Routine

• 3 amazing things that happened today

An inventory of the most awesome happenings for the day will change your outlook on life. In a journal or planner, you can even put daily photos to have something to look back to. Whether your childhood best friend recently reached out to you for reconnection or you got accepted for a new job, celebrating both the little and big victories in life is worth counting. 

• How could I have made today even better?

Same with any problem you’ve solved before, a day in your life is like a puzzle you’re trying to solve. Before going to bed at night, this simple question of “how could I have made today better?” can guide you to think beyond your imagination about the things you could’ve done to make things and your life better.

So, if you’re faced with similar scenarios, you would know how to handle them better. The upcoming adventures of life are unknown. Answering this significant question daily can make your living and surviving smoother and happier.