Handwriting may be something of a lost art but it is still a valuable life skill. With technology taking over, typing has become more favourable than writing by hand, but handwriting is actually more beneficial.
Here are six reasons to write by hand:
Your writing style shows off your personality
Although typing may be faster and neater, it takes all the personality out of writing. Everyone’s handwriting is different and reflects their personal character in some way; two people typing out the same phrase on a computer would produce two identical copies, while two people handwriting the same phrase would create two entirely different pieces.
Simplicity of writing means fewer distractions
Doodling in the margin is a typical procrastination trick when handwriting. When typing on a computer, procrastination is fuelled by the internet. The simplicity of pen and paper is much less distracting than having the limitless internet at a click of a finger. Without the option of falling into a YouTube rabbit-hole or your Facebook timeline, the good old pen and paper makes it much easier to concentrate.
Easy to pick up anywhere
All you need to write by hand is a pen and some paper. You don’t need WiFi or an electric socket power point, so you can write anywhere you want to. This is great for inspiration, especially when it hits as you’re in the middle of shopping, or hiking even walking up a mountain. You can scribble down ideas or pen a novel without having to wait for a computer to start up, or worrying about running out of battery.
Inexpensive activity
If you love stationery as much as we do, you might spend more than average on building up your collection, but on a basic level you don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds to get a decent writing pen. Unlike computers, you don’t need to keep upgrading and paying for maintenance or protecting it from pesky viruses – a good pen or pencil will last for ages and serve you well.
Improves flow of creativity
The pace of hand writing is much slower than typing, giving you more time to think about your ideas and choose the words to convey them. Changing or revising sections of hand written work is also much harder than on a computer, so hand writing instils more discipline. Writing by hand will help direct your creativity by giving you time to slow down and manage your thought processes more thoroughly.
Better for learning
The act of rewriting notes is one of the best ways to absorb information. When passively reading text it is easy to reread the same paragraph over and over without taking anything in. By hand-writing notes and creating mind-maps you slow down the process, so your brain is much more focused on the words and is therefore able to retain information more effectively. Writing also engages various parts of your brain, including memory and motor-skills, keeping your brain sharp as your get older.
STABILO TOP TIP: Did you know that writing with colour helps to improve your memory by up to 78%?
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