A decade ago, diaries were for girls. At least that was the assumption. Little ladies would peel back the pink pages and write all about their secret crushes and desires. The digital age has turned us all into little girls, ones who not only keep diaries (we’ve gender-neutralized it as a “journal”), but share them publicly.
This blog post isn’t about private vs. public journals, it is designed to encourage you to start a job journal, one where you share your deepest and darkest thoughts. Or maybe just complain about the boss. Whatever you decide to log, we recommend you keep it simple yet descriptive, honest and unfiltered.
Keep a job journal to…
JOG YOUR MEMORY. We humans tend to forget. We forget how difficult something once was or how good we had it. In the rear-view mirror, bosses become vilified or propped up to heroic proportions, when in reality, they, like most bosses, were likely somewhere in between.
A job journal will give you something to reference in the future, providing important insight into accomplishments, setbacks, and emotions. It’s the ultimate “perspective keeper.”
Another bonus is that when it comes down to annual review time, you will have a reference point for all of your goals and accomplishments. Work late? Log it. Spend four weeks on a project that got shot down? Log it. Call in sick? Log it. Counting on your boss or anyone else to keep accurate records of your job comings and goings is a huge mistake. If you want it done right, do it yourself.
Keep a job journal to…
IDENTIFY TRENDS. You’ve likely heard the axiom, “It can’t be the world, it must be you.” After keeping a job journal for an extended period of time, you will discover it to be true! Whether you find yourself angry with co-workers or organizing walk-outs, patterns will emerge, because the jobs might change, but for the most part, YOU stay the same. Use this information to improve yourself and the way you tackle work situations. Sometimes a little attitude adjustment is all it takes to make a “bad” job morph into an amazing opportunity.
Keep a job journal to…
CLEANSE YOUR SOUL. If done in moderation, bitching about work can be therapeutic. There’s a reason there are so many job vent websites. Rather than share your feelings with the world, why not keep them in your job journal? Keeping all of your work thoughts under one roof will make it easier to utilize this information down the road. Reading your own words will help you accomplish all of the aforementioned benefits, plus, it can make you feel a whole lot better about where you’ve been and where you are going.
Keep a job journal to…
TRACK JOB APPLICATIONS. Many people spend hours applying to jobs, and once they hit “send,” and never get a response, they forget all about it. Knowing where you applied, when you applied and what materials you submitted, are all important things to track. Many organizations will keep your information on file for years. If you end up getting a call “out of the blue” or reapplying down the road, it’s helpful to know which version of yourself you shared.
Keep a job journal to…
BE NOSTALGIC. One of my favorite times of the year is when I receive my annual Social Security statement. The document lists my annual taxable salary for each year dating back to the year I first started working. I never fail to laugh when I see my previous salary. With the death of the office imminent, you’ll be sure to get a chuckle at the “antiquated workplace” in the future. Who knows, you might even be able to turn your job journal into a bestselling book.
SUMMARY
Keeping a job journal is a no-lose proposition. It takes mere seconds a day and is very easy to incorporate into your daily routine. The insight you gain is priceless and keeping a central record of your work emotions/actions, will prove valuable down the road – I guarantee it. There are a thousand ways to keep a job journal, including I Did Work and Memiary.
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