My memory is very visual, so it's partly that I remember where physically on a page I wrote something. Typing on a computer doesn't provide that way to mentally locate information.
Secondly, I have to pay more attention when I write by hand so that I can write quickly and legibly. There's also the kinesthetic learning style angle, which means that physical movement of the hand aids in learning and in memory retention. (There's also visual and aural learning, although this site offers a few other categories as well.)
The reason I'm thinking about this now is that I've started keeping my project and to do lists on paper again. I used a PDA for several years, and I still use that for appointments and contacts. I'm still experimenting with what works best for me and I always will be!
So far, I'm liking the handwritten list better. I can glance over the whole thing faster, because I recognize each entry instantaneously due to page location, length and letter formation. That makes it easier to quickly pick out my current priorities.
I switched back to paper too, though I do a hybrid hipster pda/d3 (kinkless tiddlywiki) method. My reason was that it was sucking away my life to just simply sync my Treo 600 between my work and home computers... When I lost everything I felt like my stomach got ripped out.
I find that writing does help commit things to memory too. I have a whole step dedicated to writing now, after my revelation that I was spamming myself.
I write everything down on separate sheets of paper (like David Allen says), even if they're on a hipsterpda action card, then proceed to put it in my inbox, then I put it into my d3 tiddlywiki. I find it helps commit things to memory and I actually spend less time scanning my list than I did with the PDA.
Posted by: Erik Mallinson | June 14, 2006 3:02 PM | Permalink to Comment