How using a pen and paper can make you more productive - Business Insider

It might sound impractical — archaic, even — but if you're struggling with productivity or creativity, it might be time to grab a pen and paper and let your brain flow out onto the page. I've been using the old-school tools, and sure, they can feel a little clunky. In my notebook, there are crossed-out words, lines, arrows, and mistakes everywhere. My hand cramps up every now and then.And yet, the simple practice of writing longhand has done wonders for me and my work.

. See, there's a reason why your schoolteachers told you to write things out again and again. It probably felt like a never-ending punishment, but the process helped you learn. When it comes to productivity, writing on paper cuts out all of the noise. There are no notifications blinking on a screen, no 67 other tabs fighting for your attention. Author Patrick McLean writes in his: "As much as I love technology, it drives us to distraction. A pen and paper has but one functionality.

What's more, longhand allows for spontaneous expression. When you experience a moment of inspiration, having a pen and paper at hand means you can instantly sketch out the essence of it or jot down the keywords. It's fast and dirty — and highly effective at transferring your brain waves into reality.

Writing on paper is a process of trial and error. There is no chance to highlight and delete or copy and paste your work. It's full flow in free flow. This means ideas form in real time and things take unexpected directions. There are no restrictions on how you follow these tangents. You can write, sketch, and diagram in any way, shape, or form, with no boundaries aside from staying on the page.

Try it for a while. Carry a pen and notebook wherever you go. Use it to do your deepest work. Make mistakes. Cross things out. Write new thoughts. Repeat. Then take a moment to sit back and reflect on the page in front of you.

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