The Case For Taking Handwritten Notes

How long has it been since you took the time to make handwritten notes? The answer is it has probably been a while, especially if you are no longer a college student where handwritten notes are still just as favorable as digital ones. I get it, we are all young, hip millennial women and this means that we tend to feel naked or unprepared without our phones or other devices.

Our phones have become everything in our lives. In our hands is a device that acts as our day planner, timer, note taker, calculator, and so much more. Even with such advanced and life-altering technology in the palm of our hands we still benefit from doing things the old-fashioned. Today I’m going to share why sometimes thing handwritten notes is a good idea.
Think about college classes and taking notes. Were your notes better and more organized when you wrote them our or when you typed them? Honestly, my notes were messy either way, but at least when I wrote them out I wasn’t able to be distracted by Facebook notifications or checking my email. Maybe writing things out doesn’t feel efficient, seems outdated or you just dislike your handwriting. That’s okay, but there are many times when handwritten notes can be really beneficial. Here is a list of a few of those times.

1. Examining your finances and budgeting. 

I find it much easier to sit down and write out my budget for the month. Sure, it’s easy to type on the computer in a Word document or in an Excel sheet, but when I write it out it makes it easier to remember when things are due, how much they are and that I have remembered all of my responsibilities. Plus I date deep ratification in crossing a bill off my list when it is paid.

2. Handwritten notes make you more thorough. 

Handwritten notes take more time and precision than just typing notes. You can’t write everything down, so while you may be able to type a novel in a minute it doesn’t mean you’re actually getting down what is really important. That’s why with handwritten notes you can get the most important information that you’ll want to refer back to later on.
[bctt tweet=”Handwritten notes still have plenty of perks, more than digital notes.” username=”gingerandcoblog”]

3. It unlocks the creative flow. 

I love journals, especially pretty ones, but I have found that I do my best work in a simple composition book. With the pretty ones I want my work to be its best and neatest, but with a composition book I am able to be messy, which is the best way to be creative. I can make mistakes, change the color of my pen, write in big letters or quick scratches and without worry.

4. Pen and paper never need a charge. 

How often do you sit down and realize your device is quickly losing a charge and you don’t have a charger with you? With a pen and paper, you never have to worry about having a charge or that you’ll have to try and type notes out on your tiny phone screen. I’ve found that I just can’t take notes on my cell phone, not unless it’s just little lists of groceries I need to pick up.

5. You’re less tempted to be distracted. 

When you take notes on a device you have the whole world of apps and the internet at your fingertips, which means that it’s easy to see a text message, email or other notification popup and the urge to see what wins out.
Just like that, you’re distracted by your Facebook or Twitter feed, reading an article on something a Kardashian has done today (you can’t figure out how you always end up reading something about them) and texting your mom or best friend about something that could’ve waited until later.
Are you going to try taking handwritten notes to plan out that blog post or novel, or at your next meeting with a client or coworkers?