Journaling to

Manage
Stress
Savina Fischer, Grace LePretre, Lauren
Snyder, Megan Vallas
 What is Stress?

Stress is how the body responds

to any type of demand. It is
caused by both good and bad
experiences. Prolonged
experiences with stress can
have an impact on physical,
emotional and mental health.
What stressors do you typically
experience on a daily basis?
80% of workers feel stressed
during a typical work day
 Why Stress Management is Important

● Workers who are stressed are more likely to be…

○ Unhealthy
○ Less motivated
○ Less productive
○ Less safe at work
 Health Concerns Related to Stress

● Unmanaged stress can lead to physical and mental problems

such as:

○ High blood pressure

○ Depression and anxiety
○ Fatigue
○ Muscle aches
○ Headaches
● Without proper management, prolonged stress can lead
to more severe conditions like stroke and heart attacks.
What techniques do you currently
use to manage stress?
 Ideas of How to Manage Stress

● Using a daily planner to help with time

management
● Relaxation techniques such as meditation
and breathing methods
● Physical activity (yoga, running, etc.)
● Avoiding stimulants such as caffeine,
alcohol, nicotine
● Learning to say “NO” when you are
overwhelmed
● Starting a daily journal
 Why Journaling?

● Helps people to unplug from the world around them and use an
outlet other than social media
● Allows you to organize your thoughts and give meaning to them
● Benefits of journaling to reduce stress include:
○ Improved focus
○ Improved attentiveness at work
○ Better mental health
○ More willingness to put time and energy into things
Daily Gratitude Journal

● Journal to keep track of the good things in life

● There is always something to be grateful for
Daily Gratitude Journaling Activity

1. Write about a person you are grateful for and why.

2. What skills or abilities are you thankful you have?
3. What part of your morning routine are you most
thankful for?
Reflection

What did you say you were grateful for?

Did you think of anything else to write about

besides the prompts listed?
 Goal Journal

● Write down any goals you

have for you future
● This could be a bucket list,
places you want to visit, or
what you want your life to
look like a year from now
 Reflection

What kinds of things did you write down?

Do you feel like this activity motivated you to want

to reach your goals?
 Emotional Release Journal

● Emotional release journaling can help:

○ Express how you feel and make sense of
everyday life
○ Acknowledge the past and move
towards the future
○ Let go of bottled up emotions and
manage recurring stressors in your life
 Emotional Release Journaling Activity

● Take a moment to focus on how you’re feeling and what you’re

thinking.
● For the next 5 minutes, start writing without stopping, even if
you can’t think of anything to write.
● Reflect on your thoughts and emotions and write about any
other stressors that you may be experiencing at this time.
Reflection

Do you feel like this was a good way to release

emotions?

Do you feel like you could fill the time writing or did
you struggle to think of something?
 Questions

● What barriers might keep you from journaling?

● Which journaling activity did you prefer?
● How was your overall experience with the
journaling activities?
 Tips For Journaling

● Take a few minutes out of your day in

the morning or at night
● Write in the notes section of your phone
if you can’t access paper, or find a
journaling app
● Try to get in the habit of doing this daily
● Replace time spent on social media with
journaling
Penzu - Journal From Your Phone
● Penzu is a website and app that
provides you with a wide variety of
journaling prompts and a space to
create a personal journal

● www.Penzu.com or Penzu in the

app store
 References

Global Organization for Stress. (2018). Stress facts. Retrieved from http://www.gostress.com/stress-facts/

Gratitude journal: 67 templates, ideas, and apps for your diary. (2018, August 8). Retrieved from

https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/gratitude-journal/#gratitude-journal

New Life Foundation. (2018). Journaling prompts for mental health and emotional balance. Retrieved from

https://www.newlifefoundation.com/th/20-journaling-prompts-mental-health-emotional-balance/

Skills You Need. (2019). Dealing with stress. Retrieved from https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/stress-tips.html

Tams, L. (2013, May 1). Journaling to reduce stress. Retrieved from

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/journaling_to_reduce_stress

The American Institute of Stress. (2017). What is stress? Retrieved from https://www.stress.org/daily-life/