The beauty of blogging is that it can be about whatever you choose. Unlike exercise, travel, or other brain-boosting activities, writing doesn’t require training, finances, or physical abilities. All you have to do is pick your subject—or lack thereof!
Here are some of the top reasons blogging is good for your brain:
1. It can help clear the mind
Sometimes, writing can take a minute to settle into. Like leaving the house to go for a run, the simple act of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and getting started can be the hardest part.
But you can easily get lost in the flow once you’re going. In this way, writing gives you a break from anything else that’s weighing on your mind and helps you focus on the single task at hand.
2. It’s a great creative outlet
Whether you’re writing down your own thoughts or coming up with a work of fiction, writing can be a brilliant way to get your creative juices flowing. Applying yourself to creative tasks activates different parts of your brain that might be underutilized—especially if you don’t work in a creative field or have another outlet.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative person, you might be surprised by the joy you find in undertaking a little creativity for your own benefit. You don’t need to invent something entirely new or special. Simply writing in your own way about the things that spring to mind can be a great way to let off steam and release endorphins.
3. It can help you make sense of issues you’re working through
If you start writing about a subject that you’re struggling with, you may find that the process of getting the thoughts out of your mind and onto the page actually helps you see the matter in a new light, find clarity, and come to new conclusions.
4. It’s a recognized tool for the management of depression and anxiety
Mental health experts often recommend journaling as a tool for the management of depression and anxiety. There are a few reasons for this.
Firstly, writing can help you increase your self-awareness and discover new viewpoints and perspectives on your personal issues and situations. And blogging, in particular, is a positive hobby for people suffering from depression and anxiety because these illnesses can withdraw us from our friends, families, and communities.
Through blogging, you can connect with others—who may not know you or your experiences—without even leaving the house. And, if you decide to be open about what you’re going through, blogging is also a great way to find communities of people who have similar life experiences or challenges—something that many people lack in their real-life social circles.
5. It gives you dedicated time to yourself
The world can feel busy and stressful, especially if your mental health isn’t at its best. So taking the time to write can offer valuable and much-needed “me time.” This is especially important for people with high-stress jobs or dependent families, who can often fall into the trap of neglecting themselves in favor of others.
Even writing for 10 minutes each day can be enough to help you feel like you’ve really taken some time to do something just for yourself.
6. The process of writing is soothing
Keeping a journal is known to bring a sense of order and routine to your life. Since the world can often feel chaotic, even for those who aren’t struggling with their mental health, finding hobbies that soothe us is useful for everyone.
Letting the thoughts flow freely from your mind onto the page offers a sense of release without judgment or pressure. Of course, if you choose to publish your work, you can always go back and edit it afterward. But the feeling of letting everything out is the real endorphin-boosting element of blogging.
7. It can help you tune into and better understand your emotions
It can be easy to suppress or ignore our emotions and go into a kind of survival mode. But minimizing our issues and pushing them to one side rarely makes them go away. So, if you’re struggling to confront your emotions, writing might be the answer.
Sitting down to write encourages us to take focused time to reflect on how we’re feeling. And once the thoughts are flowing, it’s much easier to fully process those emotions. It might be difficult. You might even need to take breaks. But one thing is for sure: you’ll feel a weight lifted once you’re done.
8. It gives you something to do each day
For people struggling with mental health issues, it can be hard to follow routines or get things done. Sometimes just getting out of bed, let alone leaving the house, can feel challenging.
Dedicating yourself to writing each day can improve your mental health by promoting a sense of purpose. It doesn’t have to be for long—though you might find that once you’re started, you don’t want to stop.
9. It can help improve your productivity in other areas
Sometimes, getting on with your first job of the day—however simple it is—can feel like an overwhelming challenge. But, once we’ve done it, we realize it wasn’t so bad after all and are able to crack on with the rest of our duties.
Once you’ve been able to achieve one thing, it makes it easier to get on with other tasks too. So starting your day by blogging can be a great way to inspire you.
You can even do it in the Notes app on your phone: just write down how you feel in the moment or what you can remember from your dreams. You might find that the rush of endorphins you’ll get from completing that small task will drive you to tick more off your to-do list.
Once you’ve established the routine, you can decide whether you want to publish what you’re writing or keep it private. Some bloggers find that making their work public gives them more of a drive to produce content, while others prefer to keep their private thoughts and feelings that way. Either way, your brain is sure to feel the benefit.