--- title: The Psychological Benefits of Writing by Hand description: For those of us who spend most days in front of a computer, writing by hand can have refreshing benefits. image: https://blog.solomonpage.com/hubfs/Blog-01-Nov-25-2020-05-11-45-93-PM.png --- - [Home](https://solomonpage.com) - Divisions - Functional Divisions - [Accounting & Finance](https://solomonpage.com/accounting-finance/) - [Administrative & Support](https://solomonpage.com/administrative-support/) - [Creative & Marketing](https://solomonpage.com/creative-marketing/) - [Human Resources](https://solomonpage.com/humanresources/) - [Legal Services](https://solomonpage.com/legal-services/) - [Scientific & Engineering](https://solomonpage.com/scientific-engineering/) - [Technology](https://solomonpage.com/technology/) - Industry Divisions - [Clinical Resource Network](https://solomonpage.com/crn/) - [Fashion & Beauty](https://solomonpage.com/fashion-beauty/) - [Financial Services](https://solomonpage.com/financialservices/) - [Healthcare & Life Sciences](https://solomonpage.com/healthcare-lifesciences/) - [Healthcare Staffing](https://solomonpage.com/healthcare-staffing/) - [Hospitality](https://solomonpage.com/hospitality/) - [Media, Education & Publishing](https://solomonpage.com/digitalmedia-publishing/) - [Specialty Financial Services](https://solomonpage.com/specialtyfinance/) - [Locations](https://solomonpage.com/locations/) - [Contact](https://info.solomonpage.com/contact-us?_gl=1*ffwfay*_gcl_au*MTc3NTM1NDM3MC4xNzI4NjczOTcw) - [Blog](https://blog.solomonpage.com) [![SP_Corporate Global_horiz_lockup_positive_DIGITAL_HIGH](https://blog.solomonpage.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SP_Corporate%20Global_horiz_lockup_positive_DIGITAL_HIGH.png?width=294&name=SP_Corporate%20Global_horiz_lockup_positive_DIGITAL_HIGH.png)](https://solomonpage.com) - [WHAT WE DO](https://www.solomonpage.com/service-offerings) - [AREAS OF EXPERTISE](https://www.solomonpage.com/areas-of-expertise) - [ABOUT](https://www.solomonpage.com/about) - [JOB OPPORTUNITIES](https://opportunities.solomonpage.com) ## Blog # The Psychological Benefits of Writing by Hand November 25, 2020 Filed Under: [productivity](https://blog.solomonpage.com/tag/productivity-2) ![Writing](https://blog.solomonpage.com/hubfs/Blog-01-Nov-25-2020-05-11-45-93-PM.png) - [mailto:?body=https://blog.solomonpage.com/the-psychological-benefits-of-writing-by-hand](mailto:?body=https://blog.solomonpage.com/the-psychological-benefits-of-writing-by-hand) - - - By Aytekin Tank Photo Credit: Unsplash Word processors were met with mixed reactions when they debuted at the end of the ’60s. While they definitely made the task of writing faster, purists were as weary of this new technology as they were enamored of it. The writer John Updike, for instance, said word processing made producing text “almost too easy.” In a letter to his editor at *The New Yorker*, Updike wrote, “I’ve bought a word processor and we’re slowly coming to an understanding. It’s quick as the devil, but has very little imagination, and no small talk.” Updike may have been among the first to have complicated feelings about typing his thoughts out, but he certainly wasn’t the last. Writers from Danielle Steele to Neil Gaiman have shunned computers in favor of composing their works by hand. “To me, typing is like work, Gaiman explained in a 2015 interview with *Tulsa World*. “Writing with a pen is like playing. And you can write on planes when they’re taking off and landing.” The benefits of putting pen to paper aren’t just for famous authors. For those of us who spend most days in front of our computers, writing by hand has a number of psychological benefits, in addition to giving our eyes a needed rest from the glow of the screen. **IMPROVES MEMORY** A 2017 study in the journal *Frontiers in Psychology* found that regions of the brain associated with learning were more active when subjects completed a task by hand instead of on a [keyboard](https://blog.solomonpage.com/talk-more-type-less-real-conversations-build-stronger-connections). Not only that, but the study’s authors also found that writing by hand could promote “deep encoding” in a way that typing does not. In fact, there have been many such studies to arrive at that conclusion. One notable example from 2014 compared students who took notes by hand with those who took notes on laptops. Researchers found that the students using laptops tended to write down what the professor said word for word, while those who took notes by hand were more likely to listen to what was being said, analyzing it for important content and “processing information and reframing it in their own words.” When asked conceptual questions about the lecture, students who had taken notes by hand were better able to answer than those who had typed their notes. Daniel Oppenheimer, one of the study’s co-authors, told Medium’s Elemental that in order to analyze the lecture, “people had to think deeply about the material and actually understand the arguments. This helped them learn the material better.” FORCES US TO SLOW DOWN According to Oppenheimer, the most annoying thing about writing by hand is also what makes it so effective for learning. “The primary advantage of longhand notes was that it slowed people down,” he says. When you write by hand, you write more thoughtfully. Such mindful writing rests the brain, [unlocking potential creativity](https://blog.solomonpage.com/showcase-these-5-essential-skills-to-show-youre-a-standout-remote-worker), says neuroscientist Claudia Aguirre. “Recent neuroscientific research has uncovered a distinct neural pathway that is only activated when we physically draw out our letters,” she writes. “And this pathway, etched deep with practice, is linked to our overall success in learning and memory.” Virginia Berninger, a professor emerita of education at the University of Washington, says the same: “When we write a letter of the alphabet, we form it component stroke, by component stroke, and that process of production involves pathways in the brain that go near or through parts that manage emotion.” Pressing a key doesn’t stimulate those pathways the same way. She says, “It’s possible that there’s not the same connection to the emotional part of the brain when people type, as opposed to writing in longhand.” In the same vein, writing longhand also allows people to really figure out what they mean to say, Oppenheimer says, which may help self-expression. In some cases, putting pen to paper can even help build connections: “A doctor who takes notes on a patient’s symptoms by longhand may build more rapport with patients than doctors who are typing into a computer.” **WHEN HANDWRITTEN WORK IS BEST** The speed at which we type is a blessing and a curse. While there will always be things you want to write quickly, there are others that can benefit from the time it takes to write them out by hand. For me, morning pages are an indelible part of my daily routine, and one I practice first thing when I start my day running my business, JotForm. Writing out my thoughts helps empty my mind and gives me a truly fresh start to the day. I’m an advocate for morning pages and journaling regardless of whether it’s on paper or keyboard. But considering the average American spends over 10 hours per day glued to a screen, keeping a journal can provide a much-needed, low-stakes break from our devices. Another great opportunity to write by hand is in a weekly planner. Sure, there are apps and plug-ins aplenty to help you stay organized. But wading through dozens, if not hundreds, of [productivity](https://blog.solomonpage.com/why-serendipitous-interactions-in-the-office-made-us-feel-productive) apps can be counterproductive. In the end, pen an paper may serve you best. Our keyboards are great for a lot of things. But sometimes, there’s no replacing the feeling of spreading out a clean sheet of paper, uncapping a beloved pen, and letting the ink flow. For the original article, visit: [Fast Company](https://www.fastcompany.com/90578555/the-psychological-benefits-of-writing-by-hand). ### related Posts [![Notebook](https://blog.solomonpage.com/hs-fs/hubfs/brainstorming.png?width=861&upsize=true&name=brainstorming.png)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/conventional-brainstorming-doesnt-work.-try-this-method-instead) ### [Conventional Brainstorming Doesn’t Work. Try This Method Instead](https://blog.solomonpage.com/conventional-brainstorming-doesnt-work.-try-this-method-instead) October 07 , 2021 [![Man sitting at desk](https://blog.solomonpage.com/hs-fs/hubfs/autonomy.jpg?width=861&upsize=true&name=autonomy.jpg)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/how-to-make-your-office-days-feel-as-flexible-as-remote) ### [How to Make Your Office Days Feel As Flexible As Remote](https://blog.solomonpage.com/how-to-make-your-office-days-feel-as-flexible-as-remote) October 06 , 2021 ### Subscribe Here! ### ARCHIVES - [November 2020 (18)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/11) - [December 2020 (18)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/12) - [February 2021 (16)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/02) - [March 2021 (16)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/03) - [October 2020 (15)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/10) - [January 2021 (12)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/01) - [April 2021 (12)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/04) - [July 2013 (10)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2013/07) - [August 2013 (10)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2013/08) - [December 2013 (10)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2013/12) - [November 2014 (10)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/11) - [September 2013 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2013/09) - [October 2013 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2013/10) - [January 2014 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/01) - [March 2014 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/03) - [June 2014 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/06) - [July 2014 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/07) - [December 2014 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/12) - [July 2015 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/07) - [October 2015 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/10) - [March 2020 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/03) - [August 2020 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/08) - [July 2021 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/07) - [April 2022 (9)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/04) - [May 2013 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2013/05) - [November 2013 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2013/11) - [February 2014 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/02) - [April 2014 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/04) - [May 2014 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/05) - [August 2014 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/08) - [September 2014 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/09) - [October 2014 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2014/10) - [January 2015 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/01) - [February 2015 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/02) - [March 2015 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/03) - [May 2015 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/05) - [June 2015 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/06) - [August 2015 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/08) - [September 2015 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/09) - [August 2016 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2016/08) - [April 2020 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/04) - [June 2021 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/06) - [October 2021 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/10) - [March 2022 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/03) - [May 2023 (8)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2023/05) - [June 2013 (7)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2013/06) - [April 2015 (7)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/04) - [November 2015 (7)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/11) - [February 2016 (7)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2016/02) - [July 2016 (7)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2016/07) - [September 2016 (7)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2016/09) - [July 2020 (7)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/07) - [May 2021 (7)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/05) - [August 2021 (7)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/08) - [April 2013 (6)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2013/04) - [December 2015 (6)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2015/12) - [January 2016 (6)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2016/01) - [May 2020 (6)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/05) - [September 2020 (6)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/09) - [March 2023 (6)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2023/03) - [January 2025 (6)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/01) - [June 2016 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2016/06) - [May 2017 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2017/05) - [July 2018 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/07) - [August 2018 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/08) - [February 2024 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/02) - [March 2024 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/03) - [November 2024 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/11) - [March 2025 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/03) - [May 2025 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/05) - [June 2025 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/06) - [April 2026 (5)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2026/04) - [March 2016 (4)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2016/03) - [April 2017 (4)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2017/04) - [October 2018 (4)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/10) - [January 2019 (4)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/01) - [March 2019 (4)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/03) - [June 2022 (4)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/06) - [May 2024 (4)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/05) - [October 2016 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2016/10) - [May 2018 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/05) - [June 2018 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/06) - [September 2018 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/09) - [December 2018 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/12) - [November 2019 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/11) - [January 2020 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/01) - [September 2021 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/09) - [February 2022 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/02) - [July 2022 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/07) - [June 2023 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2023/06) - [August 2023 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2023/08) - [October 2023 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2023/10) - [December 2023 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2023/12) - [October 2024 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/10) - [December 2024 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/12) - [February 2025 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/02) - [July 2025 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/07) - [August 2025 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/08) - [May 2026 (3)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2026/05) - [July 2017 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2017/07) - [August 2017 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2017/08) - [October 2017 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2017/10) - [November 2017 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2017/11) - [April 2018 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/04) - [November 2018 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/11) - [December 2019 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/12) - [February 2020 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/02) - [June 2020 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2020/06) - [November 2021 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/11) - [May 2022 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/05) - [August 2022 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/08) - [November 2022 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/11) - [December 2022 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/12) - [April 2023 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2023/04) - [November 2023 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2023/11) - [January 2024 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/01) - [July 2024 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/07) - [September 2025 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/09) - [October 2025 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/10) - [March 2026 (2)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2026/03) - [February 2017 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2017/02) - [March 2017 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2017/03) - [December 2017 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2017/12) - [February 2018 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2018/02) - [February 2019 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/02) - [May 2019 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/05) - [June 2019 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/06) - [July 2019 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/07) - [August 2019 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/08) - [October 2019 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2019/10) - [December 2021 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2021/12) - [October 2022 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2022/10) - [January 2023 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2023/01) - [April 2024 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/04) - [June 2024 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/06) - [August 2024 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2024/08) - [April 2025 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/04) - [December 2025 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2025/12) - [January 2026 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2026/01) - [June 2026 (1)](https://blog.solomonpage.com/archive/2026/06) See all SEARCH ### Most Popular Posts - Solomon Page - [Home](https://solomonpage.com/) - [Service Offerings](https://solomonpage.com/service-offerings/) - [Areas of Expertise](https://solomonpage.com/areas-of-expertise/) - [About](https://solomonpage.com/about/) - [Opportunities](http://opportunities.solomonpage.com/) - Our Divisions - [Accounting & Finance](https://solomonpage.com/accounting-finance) - [Administrative & Support](https://solomonpage.com/administrative-support) - [Clinical Resource Network](https://solomonpage.com/crn) - [Creative & Marketing](https://solomonpage.com/creative-marketing) - [Fashion & Beauty](https://solomonpage.com/fashion-beauty) - [Financial Services](https://solomonpage.com/financialservices) - [Healthcare](https://solomonpage.com/healthcare-lifesciences) - [Hospitality](https://solomonpage.com/hospitality) - [Human Resources](https://solomonpage.com/humanresources) - [Legal Services](https://solomonpage.com/legal-services) - [Media, Education & Publishing](https://solomonpage.com/digitalmedia-publishing) - [Scientific & Engineering](https://solomonpage.com/scientific-engineering) - [Specialty Financial Services](https://solomonpage.com/specialtyfinance) - [Technology](https://solomonpage.com/technology) - Employment Tools - [Search Jobs](http://opportunities.solomonpage.com/) - [Submit a Resume](https://opportunities.solomonpage.com) - [Submit a Staffing Request](https://solomonpage.com/contact) [![Solomon](https://blog.solomonpage.com/hubfs/SP_Corporate%20Global_horiz_lockup_positive_DIGITAL_HIGH.png)](https://solomonpage.com) ##### Solomon Page 260 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10016 Phone: (212) 403-6100 Fax: (212) 764-6003 Follow us [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/solomon-page-group) [Google](https://plus.google.com/+solomonpagegroup/about) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/SolomonPageGroup) [Twitter](https://twitter.com/solomonpage) Copyright ©2019 Solomon Page. All Rights Reserved.   [Disclosure](https://solomonpage.com/disclosure/)