Dramatically Increase Productivity with Morning Journaling by @lisaillman

by Lisa Illman  | Featured Contributor 

Journals are long time best friends of some of the most successful business folk. Lists, ideas, goal setting, idea inspiring, creative writing and more can be captured in our pages of daily digests. Through writing, individuals remember daily tasks, plan out strategies, inspire ideas and generate strategies for business development. It would seem logical then that morning journaling can specifically have positive effects on the outcome of my day; this is why I started the habit of morning journaling. Here are the productive results that motivate me to keep this wonderful habit-forming action.

Begin with Gratitude
Many times, my morning journaling begins or ends with a gratitude section. It is no secret that the more we are grateful for, the more will come our way. It is also such a wonderful practice in building a foundation on a glass half full; what better way to seize the day than with a grateful heart!

Create a Successful Day
When I journal in the morning I literally lay out my day as if my achievements are happening as I write. I jot down how I feel as I accomplish each goal, which creates a positive outcome for my subconscious and conscious mind to begin with. Instead of a simply having a ‘to do list’, I motivate myself with inspiring affirmations and the feelings that come with the day I am planning. An excerpt from my morning journal this morning is a great example of creating a successful day.

“Today I enthusiastically write my articles for ShowOwnsIt.com that include December, January and February. As each article is complete, I am more energized and motivated to write the next. Creative writing surges through me, and I am excited to share my ideas and best practices with other aspiring business women.”

Organize Thoughts and To Do Lists by Priority
It is so tempting to rush into the day by hastily writing a to do list of bullet points that are unorganized and frantic. Through morning journaling, I am able to write about my goals, my dreams and how each ties into the other. I frequently ask myself, “How can I accomplish my dreams with my goals today?” From here, I write out a strategy almost effortlessly. Now I am ready to write a to do list that is prioritized and content rich. In my to do list are the tasks and actions that support my dreams and goals. A wonderful feeling of accomplishment pours over me at the end of the day as I see my commitment to my life. Even if I wrote a to do list the night before (which I sometimes do to prepare ahead of time and allow my subconscious to work it’s magic when I sleep), I can go back to this list and adjust accordingly. Everything starts to jive between my intentions and inspirations.

Morning journaling does not have to have the same structure each day. In fact, I highly recommend changing it up a bit. Some mornings I might spend thirty minutes writing on gratitude alone; or perhaps creating a successful day with which includes an afternoon gratitude meditation. However your morning journaling manifests itself is going to lead you to new results. Mornings and journaling combined are a wonderful duo; I encourage anyone to give it a try as you embark on a new year! Like me, you might find new prosperity, enhanced joy and a more serene overall life.

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Lisa Illman is the president and founder of Kritter Kommunity. Born in 2009 out of her passion for pets, Lisa’s vision for Kritter Kommunity was inspired by her kitty cats, Madison and Abigail. With very little cash to start her business, Lisa and her cat Abigail started blogging and tweeting to gain product exposure. They were able to take 100 orders before their new product was even available. A social media enthusiast today, Lisa and her cat Abigail still post and tweet regularly; they have over 15k pet loving followers on Twitter.

This was just the beginning of Lisa’s journey as an entrepreneur, inventor and writer for the pet industry. Coming out of the gate with no experience starting a business, Lisa took bold steps without knowing which would be mistakes, and which would take her to the next level of success. Tenacity and passion gave her the courage to pitch her own products to media contacts and landed them on many media outlets like Good Morning America. Relationship building and writing put her in a position to develop a solid reputation with the social media world of pet lovers; her furry muses cheering her every step of the way!

Hands on experience, a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Pennsylvania State University, more than 15 years of sales and marketing experience, and numerous professional awards, Lisa has a strong foundation as she continues her journey as an entrepreneur, inventor and writer. She inspires others to capitalize on their interests through coaching and writing.

Lisa Illman

Lisa Illman is the president and founder of Kritter Kommunity. Born in 2009 out of her passion for pets, Lisa’s vision for Kritter Kommunity was inspired by her kitty cats, Madison and Abigail. With very little cash to start her business, Lisa and her cat Abigail started blogging and tweeting to gain product exposure. They were able to take 100 orders before their new product was even available. A social media enthusiast today, Lisa and her cat Abigail still post and tweet regularly; they have over 15k pet loving followers on Twitter.

This was just the beginning of Lisa’s journey as an entrepreneur, inventor and writer for the pet industry. Coming out of the gate with no experience starting a business, Lisa took bold steps without knowing which would be mistakes, and which would take her to the next level of success. Tenacity and passion gave her the courage to pitch her own products to media contacts and landed them on many media outlets like Good Morning America. Relationship building and writing put her in a position to develop a solid reputation with the social media world of pet lovers; her furry muses cheering her every step of the way!

Hands on experience, a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Pennsylvania State University, more than 15 years of sales and marketing experience, and numerous professional awards, Lisa has a strong foundation as she continues her journey as an entrepreneur, inventor and writer. She inspires others to capitalize on their interests through coaching and writing.