Do You Still Manually Write Things Down? What Was It You Wrote?

My girl friend still writes things down by hand. I hardly do that anymore. I use my computer or my iPhone now. I find it easier. And besides, paper gets lost. I always have my phone with me at all times. But from time to time I do write things down on paper.

In spite of all the technology at my fingertips I still find it advantageous to keep everyone's schedule in a paper calendar. It is just easier that way for me to make changes and cross off what has been accomplished. I keep up with all the appointments for myself and my grown son and daughter and there spouses and children. I also keep up with any work I have scheduled and events I want to attend.

This is not the case with me. I write a LOT. I find that the pen to the paper really means more to myself. I will still write out a shopping list, write on recipie cards. Write a note to my kids or my hubs. I write poetry and short stories and these are all first written in a notebook.

Actually, I don't manually write grocery lists anymore. I just have a regular list on my phone which I go through when I'm at the store. Even important appointments just go through the calendar on my phone. I have my email and calendar linked up so that appointments sent through my email is automatically put in my calendar. I don't write a lot of things, but I do sign off a lot of job orders at work.

Just like you, I write down things that I want to buy at a grocery store, but I limit it to a number of items per weekly visit. I've seen someone put grocery list on his smartphone. Since I don't have one(a smartphone), a piece of scratch paper and pen are enough for me. In the future, people may be more reliant on notes function on smart phone, or notepad/wordpad on computer. There is good possibility that you can have voice reminder for any appointment at your home. Pieces of paper will become a rare commodity. Pen may be replaced by a computerized device.

I write down my grocery list. I have one of those magnetic notepads on the fridge so whenever I notice that I'm running out of something it's very convenient to just write it down. I don't use my cellphone for anything except talking because that's all it can do. I have a Jitterbug phone. The phone for old people. I don't want a phone that confuses me. Actually, I like it because I can see it without my glasses on and it's very easy to use. And if I call the operator I get a real person and they never put you on hold. Anyway, I still write things on my paper calendar and I have a notebook to keep track of all the surveys I do. But when I get my printer fixed I won't have to write down the surveys anymore. I have post-it notes that I jot stuff down on, too. And the few checks I write every month for bills. I still would rather write some stuff down, I guess. But after reading the other responses I see I'm not alone.

Though I do use the computer a lot, I find it easier to write things down. It helps me remember better when I do the writing. At work, I find myself writing down the things I need to remember and THEN typing it out on the computer to be passed on. My shopping lists are always written.

Oh... I'm not sure when I held the pen the last time... Wait, I did... To sign the receipt that my cabboe has dropped me home safely... Except that, Janey, I have not held pen for a long time... Guess, I've forgotten writing.. All the reminders etc are updated in my mobile, which dutifully rings at the right time to remind me someone's B'day or some office meeting... All my work is done on a desktop computer in the office... I never need to write things... It is not good, but can't help it. I remember school days now, when we used to write pages. During an exam, it'd be 15-20 pages in 3 hours... You're lucky, my friend, you can experience the joy of writing.. The smell of paper and ink! I miss those Wow moments...

I like to write my stories by hand. I've written a few on the computer, but they just aren't as portable as a notebook and pen. Besides, when I type them, I do my first re-write. I do a certain amount of rewriting on paper, but the first full on is when I transcribe it.

Hello, Janey. I tend to do the same things - write down appointments on the calendar, and shopping lists. I also write 'reminders,' say if I have to remember to call somebody, or look for something. Other than that, it's all on the computer. I have RA, which affects my fingers and wrists, and I find it uncomfortable to write more than a few sentences at a time.

I still write most things down. I make lists of places I need to go, grocery lists, things I need to remember etc. If I don't I would forget everything. I used online calendars for awhile, but it didn't work as well as a regular calendar (I have three) so I changed. Another reason I don't want everything online is, what would you do if the internet was down and you couldn't access the information you need?

Yes, I also write down the list before going to the supermarket. At work, when I recieve telephone calls, this is also a special moment to take handwritten notes through the conversation to remember a name, a telephone number given through the conversation or an email adress... Once a week roughly, I make a list to write down what I will prepare for lunch every day. It's easier for me to know what to prepair every day or to leave it prepaired before. Based on this list, it's also easier to make the shopping list afterwards.

I used to take down pressing things on my notebook.Now I do it on the "memo" in my mobile phone. I have been retired,so there is no pressing thing.I Mostly key in my relatives' birthday.Mind you,here both lunar calendar and solar calendar are used and most people celebrate the birthday according to lunar calendar.

Just like you...I also manually write and list down my grocery list, and I also have a small notebook I carry around in my purse for when I need to take down notes. And since my daughter is already at that age where she practices holding pencils and crayons and doing strokes, we also get to practice writing too. I do not really make full use of my mobile phone's features like Lists and Calendars, and the like. That way, I remember things more and exercise my brain as well.

Yes, I still do and I collect as many notebooks as I can get hold of to do that! I am also trying to keep my daily journal online, but nobody organizes things the way I like, as there never seems to be enough space to write what I would like to set down. Short lists however are better written down, so one can access them when one needs them.

Hi Janey, Yes, I physically keep a diary and an appointment book. My appointment book is for... well.. appointments! My diary is my journal of what's going on with me. As a therapist I have learned the value of writing and "externalizing" whatever the mind is preoccupied with and causing stress. It's a page-a-day diary, but I have noticed sometimes that I need more space! I have diaries on my phone and computer, but they are always empty! They don't feel the same as there is something about using a pen that feels psychologically good. I have recommended many clients do this in the past and they have always found benefit from it, but less so from electronic devices. I think it is because we are not always near our computers and if something comes up it is far easier to reach for a pen and paper, even if our diary is not around. The subconscious mind likes to resist exposure and what better excuse can it have than the computer is switched off, or I can do it tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes! When we write something that comes up from the subconscious, it is no longer subconscious, it is subject to awareness, and awareness reveals what is going on in the weird and sometime chaotic world of the subconscious mind. _Derek

Nice questions since the presence of hi-tech gadgets, people find it convenient enough to just type anything down directly at computers - but I guess manually writing things via hand is still useful! Sometimes I hand write my new post for my blog, I list them down and draft the full body. And one important purpose of manually writing down things are my work deadlines, the tax dues and sort of things. I write important tasks and events on a piece of paper and stamped in front of my table with label "important"! When I encountered computer trouble too, I list down instructions from a technician on a clean sheet of paper so that when same trouble happens again, I don't need to call him, fix it myself and I found it effective till such time most of my office mate rely on me when they encounter technical trouble because I have a couple list of trouble shooting. When I am out of town, it helped also because they can see it at my table, they can simply follow the step by step list I clearly wrote for the purposes! Regards...

I always write things down by hand like this. Calendars, appointments, events, etc. I get on my computer randomly so I can't be certain I'll get a notification when I need it. Also, I have a terrible memory. Once, I tried to use an online calendar program, and it gave me an update, which I promptly forgot once I shut down the computer. There have been times, too, where I've lost so much due to a broken down computer. I've found out the hard way that unless you back information up with a hard copy, technology is dangerously unreliable. I've lost fully written and completed novels, job resumes, real estate paperwork that I create for my business, etc., all because I didn't back them up. There is no way I would leave the planning of my life to anything other than paper! So...anything professional, I type. Novels, I type. Anything else, from love notes to my husband to appointments to random phone numbers, I write by hand. Technology is too unreliable for me to allow it more control over my life then it already has ahold of.

I often have this list of things to do before me, in which I add or delete by hand. I dont use online calendars though that would be wiser. I write checks regularly to pay bills. Other than that, believe me I had tough time writing a letter a couple of months ago. I couldnt believe my fingers had become so bad. :)

I still physically write in my diary. I prefer to write on a book/ diary than pressing buttons on computer (except when I am mylotting and blogging) or write on ipads. I do my work better this way. I will list down things-to-do and bills-to-pay. I will mark it done or kiv, things like that. I can also freely scribble here and there if I remember something important. But I keep important dates or appointment using free calendar apps in my handphone. My handphone's alarm will ring off a day before the important date.