Why Writing by hand Helps You Remember, Process & Do More
Have you ever taken a screenshot of something interesting… only to forget it exists a day later? Or typed a note into your phone with the best intentions, but never quite remembered where you saved it or what it was for?
You’re not alone.
In a world full of apps, notifications and voice notes, it’s easy to forget the power of good old-fashioned pen and paper. Yet research, and real-life experience, shows that physically writing things down helps us not only remember more, but think more clearly, feel more focused and actually do something with the information we collect.
If you’ve been hoarding notebooks and never quite using them, this is your sign to start.
Writing by hand
Do you write anything by hand any more? Or did you leave that behind at school?
I used to write a lot - all the way through my school years, university, MA and diploma. It was just the norm.
I also taught myself to touch type when I was about 13 so I actually type faster than I write, sometimes faster than my brain has time to catch up with. Over the past few years I've got out of the habit of writing with a pen - so much so that I forget how to sign my name sometimes (anyone else?)
However, I've been diving into how and why writing by hand is beneficial to us, how it helps our productivity, our memory and our ability to process information.
It's all there in the research, but I remember it from personal experience too. When I used to go to lectures and when I used to revise, I would take notes. I would take notes of notes and sometimes not ever go back to them. The notes themselves weren't necessarily the thing - it was the listening, the processing, the summarising and the writing down (all engaging different parts of the brain) that helped.
The science behind writing by hand
Let’s start with the brainy bit.
When we write something down by hand, we engage more parts of our brain than we do when we type. According to a 2021 study from the University of Tokyo, participants who took handwritten notes processed information more deeply and remembered it better than those using phones or tablets. Why? Because the physical act of writing forces the brain to slow down and pay attention.
The same goes for learning. A well-known study from Princeton and UCLA found that students who wrote notes by hand understood concepts better than those who typed. The typists wrote more, but the hand-writers processed more. They had to summarise, think critically and engage with the information as they went.
It’s not just about remembering. Writing helps us make sense of things. Thoughts that swirl around in our heads often become clearer when we see them on paper.
There’s a growing body of research highlighting the benefits of writing by hand:
A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that students who handwrote notes had greater neural activity in areas associated with memory and language processing than those typing.
The Journal of Educational Psychology noted that handwriting encourages what’s called “generative note-taking” – rephrasing, summarising and reflecting – all of which enhance understanding.
According to Psychology Today, writing things down increases the likelihood of achieving goals. In fact, people who write their goals down are 42% more likely to achieve them. It’s not just writing – it’s a form of commitment.
Why I started a commonplace book
I used to take photos or screen shots of passages from books I found inspiring – or highlighted them in my Kindle app. I have hundreds on my phone, but once I’d snapped it, I forgot it was there.
Then I learned about common place books. Simply put they are a collection of ideas, quotes, observation, bits of information brought together in one place. It’s a very personal creation, but very powerful. The likes of Virginia Woolf, Leonardo da Vinci, Francis Bacon and even Napoleon kept one.
Whilst I admit, I found a very pretty notebook for mine, the inside is less pretty, but the aesthetics are not the point. By writing things down I’ve become more able to remember what I’ve read and go on to use it.
That’s the thing: when you write, you’re not just recording information. You’re processing it, responding to it and deciding what it means to you.
Why phones and screens don’t always help
Phones and tablets have their place. Setting reminders, scanning documents, or voice-noting a passing idea while you’re on a walk? Brilliant. However, when everything’s digital, it’s easy to feel like our thoughts are scattered across a hundred apps and folders.
Screens invite speed and distraction. You might open your Notes app with the intention of writing something down, but within seconds you’re checking your emails or scrolling social media. With a notebook, there’s no ping, no pop-up, no push notification. Just you and your thoughts.
What you could write (and yes – you can use more than one notebook)
Notebooks aren’t just for to-do lists or big journalling sessions. They can be as specific or as scribbly as you like – and having different ones for different things can actually make life feel clearer, not more chaotic.
Here are just a few ideas to get you going:
🖊 Novel Planning – character notes, plot twists, snippets of dialogue that come to you in the shower.
🖊 Commonplace Journal – a space to collect quotes, thoughts, things you’ve read or heard that you don’t want to forget.
🖊 Book Journal – jot down reactions, ratings, and takeaways from what you’re reading.
🖊 Media Journal – films, podcasts, TV shows, documentaries. What stood out? What did it make you think about?
🖊 Bullet Journal – a more structured system for organising your time, habits, and tasks in one place.
🖊 Part-Time Job Scribbles – tracking hours, notes from meetings, things to remember between shifts.
🖊 Pocket Book for Ideas on the Go – the scrappy one you keep in your bag for when inspiration strikes in the supermarket queue.
🖊 Test Bullet Journal – try out layouts, spreads, and formats before committing them to your main planner.
🖊 Memory Keeping – little moments from your day, photos, ticket stubs, snippets of conversation.
🖊 Book of Handy Info – phone numbers, logins, Wi-Fi passwords, go-to recipes, seasonal routines.
🖊 Everyday Journal – a space for whatever you need it to be that day: venting, dreaming, listing, reflecting.
🖊 Research Notebook – if you’re learning something new or deep-diving into a topic, this keeps all your findings in one place.
Getting started without the overwhelm
You don’t need a perfect system. You don’t need to write pages every day. You don’t even need the ‘right’ notebook (though let’s be honest, a pretty cover does help). The trick is to start and to make it easy enough that you’ll come back to it.
Here are a few ways to ease in:
Make it stand out
Keep it visible: Leave your notebook somewhere you’ll see it (on your bedside table, next to your kettle, by your work bag).
Pair it with a habit: Five minutes after your morning coffee. Two minutes before bed. Find a natural rhythm.
Make it yours: Scribble. Doodle. Write in bullet points. Use coloured pens if it helps, or don’t if it doesn’t.
Don’t aim for perfect: This isn’t for anyone else. It’s not being marked. You can miss a day, write sideways, or only manage one line. It still counts.
We spend so much time trying to remember everything – what we need to do, what we’ve read, what inspired us. Your brain isn’t a storage unit. It’s a thinking machine and it works best when you give it space to process.
Writing by hand is one of the simplest, most effective ways to do that.
It helps you see your thoughts clearly. It creates a gentle sense of accountability. And over time, it becomes a practice that supports your focus, your learning and your peace of mind.
So, if you’ve got a notebook that’s been gathering dust, consider this your nudge to open it up. Start with one thing – a to-do list, a quote, a question and see where it takes you.
Your brain will thank you for it.
