Delete Your To-do App
There is something revealing about seeing your own words on a page. We should write more long-form notes , about everything from what we’re feeling to the things that spark our curiosity. Even work-related notes are valuable, as long as they’re written in long form. I feel more connected to my work when I write in my spiral notebook. Even when ink stains my hands, I feel better after putting my thoughts down.
The act of writing on paper seems to trigger something in the brain’s chemistry, it not only helps us remember more clearly but also sparks fresh solutions. I begin my day with pen to paper, jotting down essentials: tasks to check, conversations I’ve had, tactics I need to shape. During client calls, I take notes longhand, capturing both the facts and the thoughts running through my mind.
Typing on a keyboard is efficient, but it doesn’t activate the same problem-solving part of the mind. I sometimes worry that to-do list apps will turn me into a zombie. Ticking off boxes gives a false sense of accomplishment, you finish tasks like a robot, without much thinking behind them.
Writing in long form awakens your thinking mind in a way typing cannot. Maybe it’s because handwriting forces you to slow down, or maybe it’s the sight of your own words staring back at you that sparks deeper thought. Start simple: buy a small notebook and begin each workday by writing down your priorities. Let writing on paper become the space where your thinking actually happens.
You don’t need to write essays. A few keywords are enough to capture a topic. Write what’s on your mind, and soon you’ll notice new ideas begin to take shape.