As a writer, I know the value of journaling. Getting all of your thoughts, feelings, worries out on paper — it’s so freeing. Heck, when I was a teen, I had the biggest journal ever: a 4-inch, 3-ring binder that held about 800 pages. And, yes, I wrote on both the front and back of the paper.
Fast forward to decades (and more responsibilities) later. As a writer, there are days when the last thing I want to do after a long day of writing is to write more. So journaling became very sporadic. I would do it for a couple of days and then not pick it up again for weeks.
Several months ago, when I was basically a huge ball of stress, a friend recommended I try audio journaling. If you’re not familiar, it’s as simple as it sounds: Instead of writing or typing down your thoughts, you speak them aloud. You can use a journaling app, the recorder on your phone or another recording device.
I can voice journal with no filter. It’s not like a written journal where sometimes I can’t write (or type) as fast as the thoughts spill out of my head.
Since pen-to-paper journaling wasn’t working for me anymore, I gave voice journaling a try. And let me tell you, talking away the tension is now my go-to for stress relief.
What’s great about audio journaling
As I’ve found, audio journaling reduces stress. “[As Black women], we have historically been taught to keep things inside, and we hold it in our mind or we push it away, and we see that as strength. But the things we keep inside emotionally impact our health, both our psychological and physical health,” says Charryse Johnson, Ph.D., LCMHC, a psychotherapist and founder of Jade Integrative Counseling and Wellness in Charlotte, North Carolina. Audio journaling allows us to release stress because you aren’t holding those thoughts in your head and cluttering your mind, says Dr. Johnson.
I don’t worry about grammar, scratching out mistakes or censoring myself. I simply talk.
For many people, audio journaling is easier to keep up with than its written counterpart. Apps may offer the option of talk-to-text as well as audio playback. Some also allow you to add video, images or other media. You can voice journal anytime, anywhere. “If you have an emotional situation, right there in the moment, you can verbally process it because it’s just you and whatever device you’re working with,” says Dr. Johnson. You can pop into the restroom at work, go for a “walk and talk” lunch break, do your audio recording first thing in the morning or before bedtime — whatever works for you. For example, I often do mine in my vehicle, so I won’t be overheard.
Stream of consciousness—with no filter
One more benefit is voice journaling helps me work out problems. Many time, I’ve struggled with an issue and, in talking about it in my journal, realized the solution halfway through.