A concept that's been trending a little bit in productivity circles lately is the idea that handwriting is better for memory and learning compared to taking notes electronically.
This recently gained some attention by means of a
study published by
Frontiers in Psychology, a research and open science platform. That study, along with some older research on the topic, is discussed in the
Scientific American article
Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning.
That latter article states:
"...a steady stream of research continues to suggest that taking notes the traditional way—with pen and paper or even stylus and tablet—is still the best way to learn, especially for young children. And now scientists are finally zeroing in on why."
It's interesting that the findings also promote the use of an electronic stylus (or pen). So those of us who are too attached to our devices can have the best of both worlds, while having the apparent benefits of manual note-taking.
I've recently started jotting down daily notes (which I've somewhat abandoned the last few weeks!) to help get myself get back into the habit of writing things down. I definitely found that even after doing that for a short time I was more prone to remember things without relying on my electronic devices.
True, the studies in this area are mostly focused on helping children, but I do find the general concept can apply to anyone who has to take notes as part of their daily or weekly routine.
Now on to this week's hand-picked productivity links!
