Going paperless is all the rage in the digital age, and in many cases for good reason. It saves money, reduces waste, takes up way less room, and is easier to file and store.
But there’s one area where it doesn’t pay to go digital: when it comes to setting goals and boosting productivity to meet those goals, using old school analog pen and paper is definitely where it’s at.
Famous productivity masters all around the globe – Tony Robbins, Zig Zigglar, Oprah, Napolean Hill, Marie Forleo – all swear by committing all the important stuff to writing. And there’s a great reason for that.
Emotionally, psychologically, and neurologically, writing stuff down works. Here’s why.
- The physical act of writing signals to your brain that this is important information to remember and focus on. It activates the parts of the brain that connect motor function and visualization. Multiple senses are involved. In essence, you are imagining the thing you’re writing about as you’re writing it. This provides a powerful one-two punch for signaling to your mind that this information is important.
- It helps you process emotions and clear the way for higher-level thinking. Whether you’re writing your to-dos, planning your week, laying out your dreams for the coming year, strategizing your next big launch, or trying to wrestle through a complicated personal issue – writing provides a space to get out the most important stuff. You get to see it right there, in front of you. It’s not swirling ambiguously in your head anymore, taking up space, fogging up your thinking. You can filter, organize, prioritize, delegate. Writing is the ultimate tool to bring clarity.
- It connects you more intimately to your desires, which actually increases your sense of commitment. Writing has the psychological effect of hearing your own voice. When you see your goals, in your own handwriting, you are essentially declaring to yourself what you really long for. You hear it in your own voice. And it’s a powerful thing to say something out loud, even to yourself.
Think about it: when your friend comes to you and says, “I am so passionate about this! Would you be willing to help me think of ways I can make this happen?” – what’s your response? Probably something like, “Heck yeah! Let’s do this!” Writing is a way that you assert and engages your own passion (and bonus: it helps you know what to bring to your friends and family when asking for their support).
Even though I LOVE my (nearly) paperless office and my digital organizing tools, I still go back to pen and paper for goal setting, mind-mapping, success planning, etc. for the proven benefits of handwriting vs. digital planning. It’s made a huge difference for me in business and in life!
When we started working with travel agents, we wanted to create a tool that could inspire, streamline, organize, and empower. Because we know the power of writing things down, we developed and designed the beautiful 90-Day Travel Agent Success Planner, just for you.
We’ve gotten great feedback on it so far. You can get yours today by clicking here!
Love & Success,
Heidi and Your Marketing Team
