5-Minute Gratitude Journal

What Is a 5-Minute Gratitude Journal Template?

A 5 Minute Gratitude Journal Template is a shorter version of a Gratitude Journal Template that an individual can complete in only 5 minutes. It requires the client to take at least 5 minutes of their daily routine to identify the ‘good’ things in their life or people and things they are incredibly grateful for. 

Likewise, to a general Gratitude Journal and our Gratitude Journal Template, the 5-minute version has various benefits for an individual. These may include: 

• Having a deeper appreciation for positive experiences
• Enhanced positive coping skills
• Relationship strengthening 
• Improved mood
• Better sleep
• Stress reduction
• Increased positivity 

The 5 Minute Gratitude Journal is designed to be completed at least once a day for 5 minutes. However, due to the flexibility of these worksheets, they can be molded to fit the specific circumstances. For example, doing it more than once a day or less than once a day during the week. 

The 5 Minute Gratitude Journal Template is designed to be a condensed version of a Gratitude Journal. This means it is an accessible tool that does not require a lengthy time. This version may be better suited for working parents, busy teenagers, or those who want to slowly implement full gratitude journals into their lifestyle.

How Does It Work?

The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal Template works in the same way that the Gratitude Journal Template does. But to make your life easier as a healthcare professional, we’ve created an easy-to-follow step-by-step process for accessing and using the template.

Step One: Obtain the 5-Minute Gratitude Journal Template

You can do this by navigating the template section on the Carepatron website. Here, you can quickly download and print the worksheet for your clients to complete. You can also download and complete this task online and print it after completion.

Step Two: Complete the Template

Once you have introduced your client to the 5 Minute Gratitude Journal, you can either provide this template as therapy homework that you would like them to do, or you might choose to go through the template with them. During this time, further, discuss their answers and what practicing gratitude about those specifications might include.

Step Three: Check-In

Likewise, to other therapy templates completed during sessions, it is a good idea to have a check-in about how the gratitude is going for the client. This time can be used to discuss how they practice gratitude and look for any alterations that need to happen for the client to be more effective.

When Would You Use This Template?

There are various reasons why a 5-minute Gratitude Journal Template could be implemented into therapy sessions with clients. Here are a few:

Stress Management Tool

The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal Template can be implemented into a client's routine as a stress management tool. Individuals practicing a small amount of gratitude may be more inclined to use this skill during stressful times. It can help them focus on a positive part of their life when going through externally stressful situations.

Trauma Focused Therapy

This 5-minute Gratitude Journal Template might be handy for individuals who have experienced trauma. Practicing gratitude may help individuals reconnect with essential and joyous life experiences. Gratitude can also be a positive growth technique to aid them in their recovery from a trauma-induced psychological issue.

Simple Daily Reflection

Taking 5 minutes during the day to express acknowledgment of gratitude experiences can help clients become more mindful and present in their daily routine. Consciously expressing gratitude towards what we may see as mundane experiences can shift perspectives towards a positive mindset.

Coping Mechanisms

The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal Template can be implemented into a client’s routine as a positive coping skill. For example, if an individual is experiencing depressing or anxious thoughts, practicing gratitude for external things in their life can help shift their perspective.

What Do The Results Mean?

The Free 5 Minute Gratitude Journal Template results will display what is most important to the client when they complete the journal. It can help therapists identify themes of importance in their clients' lives and work towards identifying further treatment or journaling options. Results from meeting the 5-Minute Gratitude Journal Template are pretty similar to our other Gratitude Journal Template, which may include:

Enhanced Relationships

5 Five-minute gratitude journals may often include some nice things someone has done for the individual during the day and an excellent quality that made them feel heard during a difficult time. This can help individuals to acknowledge their friends and family, whom they appreciate consciously.

Positive Habits

Practicing gratitude with the 5-Minute Gratitude Journal Template can help individuals form positive habits and use their new gratitude skills in other routines.

Increased Mindfulness

Keeping a 5 Minute Gratitude Journal may increase mindfulness. This is because when an individual consciously practices gratitude, even if it is only 5 minutes each day, they try to identify aspects of their life for which they are grateful. These aspects don’t need to be large either; simply acknowledging their gratefulness for the sun coming out during the day can increase overall mindfulness.

Research & Evidence

Due to the emergence of a patient-led healthcare system, gratitude journaling has been a widely implemented tool during therapy sessions. Continuous research is emerging on the focus of gratitude journal tasks that focus on the benefits, its effects on mindfulness, and other priorities.

A study by Flinchbaugh et al. (2011) focused on students' stress management through positive psychological interventions. The study concluded that mindful stress-decreasing tools were the most beneficial to enhance student engagement in courses.

Gratitude journal activities enhance students' engagement as they help uncover the meaning of mundane activities. When a student practices gratitude, even for classes they may not fully engage in, they may begin to see the purpose in the paper.

Another study completed by Kaczmarek et al. (2015) delved into the differences between the preference for gratitude journaling and gratitude letter writing. Overall, Kaczmarek et al. (2015) state that the participants often found gratitude letter writing difficult compared to gratitude journaling. This is why it may be a difficult task to implement differing types of gratitude tasks in therapy sessions. However, the 5-Minute Gratitude Journal Template may be suitable for slowly implementing the role of gratitude to an individual.

References

Flinchbaugh, C. L., Moore, E. W. G., Chang, Y. K., & May, D. R. (2011). Student Well-Being Interventions. Journal of Management Education, 36(2), 191–219. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562911430062

Kaczmarek, L. D., Kashdan, T. B., Drążkowski, D., Enko, J., Kosakowski, M., Szäefer, A., & Bujacz, A. (2015). Why do people prefer gratitude journaling over gratitude letters? The influence of individual differences in motivation and personality on web-based interventions. Personality and Individual Differences, 75, 1–6..