Sharing because I can see this community having thoughts to share. :)

cross-posted from: https://wayfarershaven.eu/post/182136

With so much note taking apps nowadays, I can’t understand why does anyone still write notes with pen and paper. You need to bring the notepad, book or that paper to retrieve that information, and most of the time you don’t have it in hand. While my phone almost always reachable and you carry when you go out. For those still like to do handwriting, there’s many app does that and they can even convert it to text notes.

So, if you still write notes with pen and paper, why?

  • @kentucky444English
    3•1 year ago

    Tons.

    I apply the Getting Things Done methodology my personal task management. Additionally, I employ the Zettelkasten method, as described by this: https://www.soenkeahrens.de/en/takesmartnotes

    In case that you might be familiar with those methodologies, there is a mandatory temporary or previous stage of everything that I process that I do in paper. As such, I use pen and paper for capture and for meeting notes. Afterwards, I process those into the right places using digital tools for later review. I could not fathom capturing these snippets of information using digital tools. Pen and paper is simply faster and more convenient.

    I work in IT, specifically managing projects and coordinating teams. They always give me weird looks when I wipe out my notebook and pen and start taking notes. I am unyielding in this matter. Additionally, I always prefer using a whiteboard when discussing something with other people, instead of using some kind of bloated online app. It is faster, and future-proof.

    Also,

    There is scientific evidence that taking quick notes with pen and paper has cognitive advantages over keyboard typing.

    For instance, the Amazon AWS CTO always takes notes in pen and paper. Here he briefly talks about it: https://www.allthingsdistributed.com/2023/06/a-few-words-on-taking-notes.html

    I would say that the biggest difference between taking notes in pen or keyboard is that, using pen and paper I’m able to synthesize and draw information in a more free-form and unstructured manner. While taking notes with a keyboard feels more like I’m an stenographer, merely transcribing word by word what is being said.