The Amazing Ways Writing by Hand Is Proven to Be Beneficial
It seems for every note-taking app there is a new journal website. My Instagram is filled with ads telling me to click here for the system that’ll change my life. Mind you, I look at these kinds of sites for my job so I always click. But rarely does the method blow me away. Still, the amount of them cropping up doesn’t go unnoticed.
Why?
Writing and note-taking have been a part of human existence since, well, existence. Before computers and cell phones, we relied on good old fashion paper and pen to hold our thoughts. Despite the convenience of smartphones, tablets, and laptops, writing things down by hand remains the #1 way to remember important tasks.
The science of writing things down
Neuroscience studies reveal writing things down by hand helps us remember better. Because when we write longhand we’re forced to slow down. You concentrate on your thoughts and what you want to say. You also concentrate on your writing itself.
You’re not going to scribble your grocery list. Good luck trying to decipher your chicken scratch while roaming the aisles.
No, you’re going to make sure when you write that oh-so-important list of groceries, you’ll write neatly. Maybe you’ll go one step farther and write the list in order of the aisles. My dad does this. He’s done a lot of grocery shopping since retirement.
Journaling is no different.
Though we’re the only ones — we hope — who will read our past journal entries, you want to be able to read it. Writing fast and messy guarantees you’ll clear your head quicker. But if you’re the type of person who likes to gauge their progress by going back and reading old passages, you’re going to want to understand your words.
How many of you had to learn cursive in school? I did. We weren’t allowed to use a pen until we passed cursive in pencil. Looking back now, it seems unnecessary, but learning to write in cursive forced us to slow down. Growing up, we lose that ability. It’s why so many people are turning to calligraphy and lettering. I’d fail with flying colors if you tested my cursive today.
Law of Attraction
Law of Attraction is the belief of thought. Meaning, if you think positively, positive things will happen. If you think negatively, negative things will happen.
People use the Law of Attraction for things such as vision boards and goal setting.
What does this have to do with writing?
For starters, by writing down your goals, aspirations, and dreams, you retain them more. Retention is big in accomplishing goals. Jotting them in your phone you run the risk of them getting lost in the void. By writing down your goals, you’re more likely to take the necessary steps to work towards them.
Gratitude journaling is a huge practice of the Law of Attraction. By writing down one thing you’re grateful for each day, you’re recalling positive things.
Daily journaling follows the same premise. By removing all negative thoughts from your mind and putting them on paper, you have the ability to “close the book” on them. They’re no longer in your head, weighing you down. They’re tucked away. Once inside something tangible you can shove deep into the back of a closet and never see again.
Cognitive Benefits
I mentioned earlier how retention is a big benefit when you write things down by hand. When you have to write, rather than type, you’re more focused on what it is you’re doing. The deeper attention tells your brain, “Hey, this is important. Remember this.”
I had a Latin teacher in high school who, for homework, had us conjugate a phrase or word three times. It seemed like busywork, but within a week I realized what he was doing. Repeating the step three times gave our brain more time to process the information and retain it. The next day in class I’d be able to recite the phrase from memory.
How many of us have put something in a calendar app on our phones and forgotten about it until the day of said event? Guilty.
I’m not knocking apps and phones in general. There’s a fine line between the benefits of handwriting and typing. Phones are notoriously helpful in the next category.
Capturing thoughts as they occur
We’ve all been there. A thought or idea comes to mind and you think, “I’ll remember.” Then when the time comes to use that thought or idea you can’t dredge it up. Even though you swore you’d remember.
Believe me, you’re not alone. I’ve seen it happen time and again with my family and friends. I’m guilty of it myself. Which is why I’ve developed a system.
No matter where I am if an idea strikes I find a way to write it down the instant it hits.
Have your phone near? Type it in a notes app. Email it to yourself. Put it somewhere you know you’ll look at. Don’t have your phone? Grab the nearest writing instrument and surface you can. Verizon bill? Jot it on the envelope. Napkin? Write on it. Paper cup? Scribble under the rim.
Whenever you can, transfer that strike of inspiration to a place you know you’ll return to again and again. Even if it’s something you don’t need right away. Collecting them in a shared space guarantees they’ll never be lost.
Writing thoughts down as they happen circles back to retention. By getting it out of your head and onto something tangible you’re more likely to remember why it’s so important.
To recap, writing things down by hand:
Helps you remember.
Removes negative and unwanted thoughts.
Reminds you of positive things in your life.
Reminds you of goals and tasks you want to accomplish.
Improves cognitive behavior.
Whether your preference is digital or an actual notebook, writing things down aids us in ways we never imagined. If you find you’re not remembering things as you used to, switch it up and try writing things down.
Your turn. Do you keep a gratitude journal? Have you found it’s easier to remember things when you write them down? Do you swear by your digital calendar and notes? Hit the comments below and let us know.
