Why it’s healthy to make handwritten journals, diaries, notes, and letters a part of your digital existence. As technology gets more sophisticated, it will keep gifting us with options for note taking and writing. But against this backdrop of gadgets and apps galore, more and more researchers are reporting on the benefits of ditching the keyboard and writing by hand instead. And forgive us if we very eagerly grab the megaphone to do our part in spreading the word. You’ll see why as you go over the good things that writing by hand can do for you.

✔  It brings stress levels down and keeps anxiety and depression at bay.

The quiet company of pen and paper, especially if we write in cursive, slows down our racing thoughts, so we can process them like the rational creatures we’re supposed to be, instead of allowing them to bully us. Numerous studies have pointed out the therapeutic value of writing by hand. Being alone with our thoughts, with just the barely audible sound of the pen tip dancing on paper, allows us that increasingly scarce opportunity to really listen to ourselves “speak.”

✔  It boosts memory and retention, which are valuable components of learning.

Learning entails retention and memory. And when we write things down by hand, our hand signals our brain to create motor memory, which influences our ability to recognize letters, and therefore read. Writing by hand, thus, improves our comprehension. For example, let’s say you’re learning how to create brochures and pamphlets using InDesign. When you write down in detail how to do it, instead of just simply watching a video tutorial or reading a guide, you understand the process on a deeper level—to an extent where you might even arrive at some insightful thought and have a lightbulb moment.

✔ It fosters mindfulness and creativity.

“The pen compels lucidity,” Robert Stone, National Book Award–winning novelist, once said. And lucidity encourages creativity. The clarity we get when we write by hand comes partly from the fact that we are moving slower with pen and paper. Our head may be spinning from an onslaught of ideas, but pen and paper forces us to slow down, hunker down, and quiet down. When we’re not rushing through our thoughts, we become more mindful of them and able to make connections that we can mine for creative projects.

✔ It stimulates smarter problem solving.

Writing down the details about a given problem and your ideas on how to approach it may already win you half the battle. The very act of writing about it, which allows you to zoom in on its different angles, may already trigger your brain into coming up with a solution or two, if not the solution at once.

✔ It helps spark and sustain motivation.

When you write down your dreams and aspirations, they become well defined—and therefore hard to ignore. This coherence is what gets you out of bed every morning and on the go. This big-picture clarity gives way to realistic goals and plans.

✔ It’s a great practice for communicating with others.

The link between writing in longhand and improved comprehension leads to effective communication. The absence of distractions allows you to refine your ideas and opinions, and communicate them well, resulting in a healthy back-and-forth in your relationships. So it’s longhand for overall well-being in the long run. When you add up the benefits of writing by hand to sift through your experiences, thoughts, and ideas for otherwise overlooked sparks of insight or inspiration, you get this picture of a person who is in tune with their inner self and has secured their footing in this shifting world, made possible by great relationships forged from meaningful communication and solid accomplishments pursued with a clear vision. Journaling is a great way to start reviving your love affair with pen and paper. Or start one. Journalz can help you get started.  
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