Erik‘s Life Hacks column gives teens advice on adulting.

Journaling is a really great way to keep track of ideas, reminders, emotions, decisions, and goals. Keeping a journal will help you organize your life, relieve stress and remember important events. Here are some tips to get you started and things to write about:

• Buy a cheap notebook, no need to make this an expense early on.
• Keep it with you, or have it easily accessible.
• Set time at the end of the day to write. It’s important to jot things down all throughout the day, but set down time to write longer entries at the end of the day.
• Write down important things to remember, due dates, projects, etc.
• Reflect on your day, think about feelings, things that happened, who you talked to.
• Write down your goals so you will not forget them.

Keeping a journal will improve your memory, improve your writing skills and creativity, and help you relieve stress. So get started today!