Cheat Codes: What to Write When You Don't Know What to Write

You know journaling is great for your mental health. You understand the science, you bought the notebook, and you promised yourself you would start.

But after a gruelling day of back-to-back lectures, intense study groups, or chaotic client meetings, your brain is completely fried. Journaling is meant to be a great way to reduce stress, but when you're already feeling mentally drained, staring at a blank page can make things feel even more overwhelming. You open the cover, stare at the empty white space, and feel nothing but resistance.

When you are already dealing with burnout, journaling feels like just another chore for your boss.

The Good News?

Your journal does not need to be a storybook masterpiece. It just needs to be a pressure valve.

If you are struggling with "the blank page standoff," here are three of my favourite journaling cheat codes to clear your mental clutter in five minutes or less.

1. The Brain Dump (My Ultimate Go-To)

Set a timer for five minutes. Write down absolutely everything bouncing around in your head.

• What to include: Outstanding work tasks, grocery lists, random worries, or people you need to text back, even why the break-up hurts so much.
• The rules: There are none. Forget full sentences. Ignore spelling. Grammar is irrelevant.

Getting these thoughts out of your head and onto paper immediately lowers your cortisol levels. It frees up your brain's working memory so you can actually relax. 

2. The Micro-Gratitude List

Don’t worry about the massive, life-changing things you are thankful for. Zoom in on the tiny details of your day instead.

• Look around: What beautiful colours can you see right now?
• Give yourself credit: What did you handle like a pro today, even if it was small?
• Find the joy: Why did you laugh so hard today that your stomach hurt? 

3. Sensory Anchoring

This is a grounding technique that brings your mind back to the present moment when you feel anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed. Grab a blank page and five different coloured pens or highlighters, then write down what you notice based on shapes:

• Colour 1: Name things you see that are square-shaped.
• Colour 2: Things that are circle-shaped.
• Colour 3: Any rectangles in your room.
• Colour 4: Any triangles you can spot.
• Colour 5: How many straight lines can you identify around you?

Switching colours and scanning your room rewires your thinking patterns, pulling you out of a stress spiral.

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength."  C.H. Spurgeon

 

Your Journal Is Not Your Boss

At the end of the day, your journal is a tool to support you, not a boss you need to please. It does not care about perfect grammar, neat handwriting, or profound, poetic insights.

Patchy sentences, random bullet points, and three-line scribbles count just as much as full pages. On high-stress days, simply releasing your chaotic thoughts onto paper is a massive win for your mental health.

Do not wait for a perfect, quiet, or organised day to start taking care of your mind. You can decompress right now, even if your schedule is packed.

Over to You!

Which of these quick prompts are you going to try tonight to clear your mind? Drop a comment below and let me know your favourite mental cheat code!