I’ve always been a fan of writing, the act of writing with pen. There were notes I took in class, diaries stuffed with anguish and thoughts, and numerous notes, including birthday party invites and boys I loved.
Some things are constant (though my notebooks now contain daily tasks, notes made at the checkups of my daughter as well as packing list). Perhaps the sight of my work coming into existence on paper represents my own physical representation of ASMR.
I’m old-fashioned or weird and I might be on to something. It turns out that handwriting leaves an indelible impression upon the brain’s cortex, especially in relation to learning. Studies have shown that paying close attention to the precise hand movements required to write have a greater impact than typing has on brain’s connectivity patterns that are related to learning and memory.
I’ll write about the many potentialities that the pen has.
It assists us in processing information more thoroughly
“When we generate notes, we are engaging in a deeper level of processing than if we type everything we hear word for word,” adds Julia Phelon, Ph.D., co-founder of an educational consulting firm specializing in methods based on research to enhance learning experiences. “It requires us to summarize, condense, grou,p and reword things, and as we do so we are engaging in much more active processing, which helps foster encoding — storage of new information.” Personally I’ve noticed it easier to use a pen that can flow with a steady and precise tip, such as that of the Pen Precise V5, makes the process much easier.
It enhances creativity
Pens in the hands stimulate many brain cells, researchers believe it boosts creativity. For instance, studies have shown that children’s writing was more expressive and also wrote longer pieces of writing that had faster word production when writing with a pen, rather than with a keyboard. Additionally the slower speed of handwriting allows for more reflection on what’s written and how it’s written.
Writing with a pen can also help our minds more imaginative while we write. Consider, for instance, writing a thank you note, journal entry, or a note to place in the lunchbox of your child using an coloured rolling ball pen, such as this one from the Pilot Precise V7 pen in Harmony. It’s redesigned in six vibrant shades that bring each word to life.
It increases memory
“Generating handwritten notes is more cognitively taxing than copying text or typing verbatim/transcribing what one hears,” Phelon says. This is due to the higher process (or encoded) that leads to an increase in retention, she states. Studies have shown that taking notes with your hands instead of typing them makes you analyze information and put it into your own language and improves retention.
It could be a relaxing sensory experience
It is important to take a moment to reflect on what we’re saying and the focus required to write each letter may not only be calming, but also makes us focus on the present and slow down. “Writing by hand offers unique sensory experiences: the sound of the pencil or pen on paper, the feeling of your hand moving, the touch feedback as you write on the paper all of these are beneficial to cognitive health,” is psychologist associate professor James M. Hyman, Ph.D.
It can help boost your mood
Writing your thoughts down on paper is like opening the floodgates all in a single stream of consciousness there’s a reason for that. Researchers have discovered that journaling only 15 minutes every day, 3 days a week for 12 weeks, can reduce stress and boost general well-being, as it helps better manage emotions. Researchers believe that that one of the main reasons for journaling’s benefits is related to cognitive processing and the process of reorganizing information. “It forces us to take moments and recall experiences,” Hyman claims. “Re-experiencing what’s recalled can give us a new perspective outside the heat of the moment.”
