Going paperless. Many see it as the way to finally be free of paper clutter, the bane of homes and offices everywhere.
And why not? There’s nothing you can do with pen and paper that you can’t do on your computer or portable device, including:
- Create a to-do list.
- Take notes.
- Keep a journal.
- Write memos, essays and short stories.
- Send messages via email and text messaging.
Yes, you can do just about any writing task on a computer. And typing is so much faster than writing by hand, isn’t it?
But as fast and convenient as computer programs can be, countless studies have proven that, in some ways, writing by hand is superior to typing.
So don’t go paperless just yet. First, consider some of the benefits of writing by hand.
1. You’re more likely to remember things you write down.
How many times have you typed something into a computer app and realized, just a few minutes later, that you didn’t remember what you just typed? But when you write something down, it seems much easier to recall it later.
The more ways you take in a piece of information, the more likely you are to remember it. So something will really stick in your brain if you see it, say it, hear it, and read it.
When you write down something you want to remember, you move your fingers to shape the letters. The act of writing gives your brain yet another way to absorb the information.
2. Writing by hand can improve your writing skills.
You probably have to do at least some writing every day.
You write for school or for work. And, if you have a computer, you write email messages, forum posts, and blog comments.
With all the writing we do, it’s surprising how many people are insecure about their writing skills.
One easy way to improve your writing abilities is to do more of your writing by hand.
In one study, researchers had a group of kids write essays using a computer. Another group was told to write essays by hand.
Surprisingly, the group that did the work by hand wrote their essays faster. Also, the quality of the writing in the hand-written essays was better than the quality of the writing in the typed essays.
This seems to hold true beyond that study. Students who do more writing assignments by hand develop stronger writing skills than students who mostly type.
3. Writing by hand gives your brain a workout.
As they get older, many people are searching for ways to keep their minds sharp. And writing by hand is an easy way to do just that.
Just as lifting weights exercises your body, writing by hand exercises your brain. And it does so in ways typing doesn’t.
So if you want to sharpen your mind, try to write something by hand every day. Start a journal and write in for 5 minutes every evening. Or you can draft email messages by hand before typing them into a computer, which has the added bonus of improving the quality of your email messages.
4. You learn better when you write by hand.
Many believe that, once you reach a certain age, your brains stop growing.
Fortunately, research has proven otherwise. No matter your age, your brain will continue to grow and develop if you have new experiences and learn new things.
And writing by hand has is one of the most effective learning tools around at your disposal.
In one study, researchers observed the brain activity of a group of children as they interacted with different words. When the children studied a word, their brains were certainly active. But when they wrote the word down, their brain activity increased dramatically.
Other studies have shown that writing things down helps you retain more new information, and acquire new skills faster.
5. Handwritten to-do lists are more motivating.
There are countless to-do list applications available for computers and portable devices. And some of them are very good. But many people find hand-written to-do lists much more motivating.
There’s something so satisfying about completing a task, picking up a pen, and putting a check through the box next to that task. In fact, it’s so satisfying that you’ll want to complete more tasks, check off more boxes, and experience that jolt of satisfaction again and again.
Somehow, clicking a button to check a box in a computer app doesn’t give you the same rush.
Computers are a great invention. And no one is saying you should give up your favorite word processor, to-do list app or note-taking program. But, considering all the benefits of writing by hand, you shouldn’t stop using pen and paper either. In fact, you should look for more opportunities in your daily life to write by hand.
You brain will thank you for it.
Have you discovered the benefits of doing a particular writing task by hand? Or do you think paperless is the way to go? Leave a comment below and let us know.
