I used to work as a project manager in different companies for about 7 years
I was good at my job but I was constantly feeling under a lot of stress and pressure.
My responsibility was both to my clients, but also to my team.
If something went wrong, I would take the bullet, if something went right, I made sure to give credit to my team.
I remember many mornings when I’d wake up in anxiety, getting early phone calls from clients on different time zones, asking me about email campaigns and powerpoint presentations.
In moments of stress, I didn’t always know how to prioritize my tasks.
Until I found systems that worked for me and my team.
I had a journal where I’d write down the daily goals and tasks.
I would also take notes during meetings and calls and find ways to keep track of my to-do list.
I even improvised a big white spreadhseet on a wall in the office, where I’d put colored post-it notes to track the progress of complex projects. It helped my team members stay all in the loop and have a visual understanding of where we are on the timeline.
These tools are only a few from the set of proven methods that top leaders use around the world in their business journals.
Writing down, seeing the words on paper, visualising, reflecting – these are scientifically known to improve leaderships skills and make you a better leader, working with no stress and actually enjoying the team management process.
Now, as an entrepreneur, keeping a professional journaling practice helps me stay aligned and clear with my vision and goals, figure out why some things go wrong and make sure creative ideas don’t fly away from my mind.
Just like me and my clients, many successful leaders are known to have a dedicated routine of journaling, so how does a leadership journal can make a difference for your performance?
- enhance your self-awareness, reflect daily and know your strengths and weaknesses
- develop high emotional intelligence, with empathy and compassion for your team members
- manage stress in any situation and learn to let go of negative perspectives and judgement
- let your mind wander, listen to your own thoughts and come up with creative solutions and ideas
- extract meaning from daily events and meetings to inform further actions and mindset