Write It Down: 4 Reasons For Implementing This Powerful Practice In Your Life
Write it down. I have heard these three words from my mother more times in my lifetime than I can count. She always believed that when you write things down…
Write it down. I have heard these three words from my mother more times in my lifetime than I can count. She always believed that when you write things down you're more likely to remember things, get them done, and make it happen. Turns out, my mother was right.
Old-School vs. New School
The way we take notes and "write things down" has definitely evolved over the years. Gone are the days where the only option was paper and pen or pencil. Newer technology has given us many different ways to write things down including: computers, tablets and "pens," notes apps, voice messages, and more?
So what's the most effective form? According to Research.com, an "educational platform that helps students find the best schools, academic opportunities, and career paths," good old-fashioned paper and pen/pencil is the way to go. They say, "This goes to show that longhand writing potentially slows down the note-taker, giving them extra time to absorb information more effectively. As a result, they can draw conclusions on their own and add side notes of their own."
4 Reasons To Write It Down
While studies have shown that handwriting is more effective, it helps to write it down in any form. Here are some reasons to get that journal or notebook, pull out your computer, your notes app, or whatever you want to use to write it down. Here are 4 reasons why.
- You're more likely to accomplish something if you write it down. According to this study, writing it down "helps you to picture your goal and this, in turn, makes you up to 1.4 times more likely to succeed than someone who didn’t write anything down."
- Journaling and "writing it down" can help with anxiety. According to WebMD's Mental Health Benefits of Journaling, They say that it is linked to decreased mental distress, and in a study, it was found that people with different medical conditions, including anxiety who wrote online for 15 minutes 3 days a week over 12 weeks, had increased feelings of well being. They also has fewer depressive symptoms after a month.
- It makes the complicated, simple. Desmond Tutu once said, “there is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” When you apply this to your overwhelming projects or goals, it makes sense. When you write it down, it helps you to break it down and develop a plan of action.
- You have a record of your progress. So many times we accomplish things, but have a tendency to get negative and think we haven't done anything. When you write things down you have a record to look back on and say, "actually I have accomplished a lot."
These are just some of the reasons to write it down, and there are many more, but hopefully these will get you started. So dust off that journal you bought ages ago and never used, or buy something new, get writing, feel better, and make your dreams come true.
If you're looking for something new, here are some really cute choices I found on Etsy.
