After years of relying on digital apps to organize my tasks, I decided to try something different. I switched to paper to-do lists for a month, to see if using pen and paper would make me more productive. The experience was surprising in ways I didn’t expect, and I started to notice a difference in my work style and focus. Here’s why I’m sticking with paper to-do lists. Check out the best AI tools for researchers and educators.
1. It's hard to bulk up a handwritten to-do list.
I love digital to-do lists because it’s so easy to write down every task you need to complete—I’ve even said in the past that Things 3 is the best to-do list app I’ve ever used. But at the same time, I’ve noticed a big problem with digital to-do lists: I always make my lists too big.
These are purely observational, but I feel like you’re more aware of what you’re writing when you use pen and paper. This may be because it takes longer, but I’m less likely to fill my to-do list with tasks that aren’t urgent or can be completed another day.
This has led to two major benefits. The first is that I spread my work out over a longer period of time, which makes it easier to hit my monthly financial goals as a freelancer. The second, which is directly related to the first point, is that I focus more on core tasks. This means I’m more likely to pick interesting projects, and less likely to burn myself out by taking on too much at once.
To be completely honest, this transition wasn’t easy. In the first few days of using a paper to-do list, I felt guilty about not doing more than I could reasonably complete. However, it got easier over time.
2. I feel less stressed.
Every time I use digital to-do lists, I eventually reach a point where I start to feel overwhelmed. This feeling is undoubtedly at least partly due to my list being overly inflated.
There are a number of things you can do to build a more effective to-do list, but sometimes I find that the easiest thing for me is to simply write down what I need to do on paper. Not everyone will feel the same way, but if you do, it may be time to go back to a paper to-do list. Check out how to improve your to-do list to be more efficient.
3. I focus better when I use a handwritten to-do list.
Another big issue I’ve identified with digital to-do lists is that I’m more prone to procrastination when I use them. Maybe part of me doesn’t take tasks seriously, and I also think that being more aware of what you’re writing by hand — as I mentioned earlier — helps a little.
For some reason, I find it much easier to concentrate when I write by hand. It’s the same reason I prefer reading paper books over listening to an audiobook or reading it on my Kindle. Same goes for paper journaling versus digital journaling. While technology can certainly help us simplify areas of our lives, sometimes analog is the better option.
4. Switching between applications is less
I’ve become more aware of switching between apps and multitasking since reading Cal Newport’s Deep Work (and here are some tried-and-tested tips for getting deep work done). I’ve tried downloading desktop apps, using the web version, and using apps on my iPad — and each time, I end up feeling resentful of having to check out another app.
One of the best things I’ve had from my paper to-do list experiment is that I don’t have to endure the same amount of app switching as I did before. Instead, I open my notebook and can just highlight the most recent task I completed. I’d be lying if I said my brain fog has completely disappeared by the end of each day, but it’s definitely less than it was before.
Even if you use all-in-one productivity apps, I still encourage you to try a paper to-do list and see if it makes a difference.
5. I compare my paper to-do lists to my diary.
I’ve been journaling regularly since late 2019, and of all the self-improvement habits I’ve added to my life, none have had a greater impact. I love journaling primarily because I can see what I was thinking and feeling at a specific point in time and understand why it happened.
I didn’t expect this to happen, but paper to-do lists have indirectly benefited my journaling habits. When you use a digital to-do list, you can often see completed tasks in an archive — but to be completely honest, I never check them. So when they’re off my screen, I stop paying attention to them.
This was a problem for two reasons. The first was that I couldn’t tell if I was actually effective. But the second was that it made it much easier to check off items, even if you didn’t complete them. You could do this on paper too, but the fact that you were lying to yourself was staring you in the face.
Now, I can use my to-do lists to look at what’s going on in my life at any given time. Plus, it allows me to work more effectively based on the goals I’ve set for myself.
6. Is there a case for digital to-do lists?
It’s pretty obvious if you’ve read this far that paper to-do lists work best for me (in most cases). However, please don’t take this as a slight on to-do list apps; I actually think digital to-do lists have a place in many people’s lives. Here are the main scenarios where I think you should use digital to-do lists.
1. When you want to create tasks for all areas of your life
One of the reasons I appreciate Things 3 so much is that you can organize every area of your life. This was a huge change compared to many of the alternatives I tried, where categorization wasn’t as straightforward.
If your to-do list isn’t just about work or school, a digital to-do list might be a good idea. Alternatively, you can use a digital to-do list for your personal life and a paper to-do list for your work-related tasks. Organizing your tasks in TickTick is one way to do this.
2. If you are very forgetful
When it comes to getting things done, I tend to forget a lot. In the past, I used to think, “That’s just me.” But at some point, I started to get really annoyed with this and looked for a solution. While I don’t want to use a digital to-do list for work-related tasks, it’s very helpful for getting things done.
If I have a lot of things to do on Saturday (e.g., get a haircut or do some shopping), putting them in a digital to-do list on my phone is the best way to make sure I don’t forget them. I usually put them in Todoist and add the widget to my screen. You can even set up recurring tasks in Todoist for weekly tasks.
Likewise, I don't use paper shopping lists. Instead, I list what I need to get in Apple Notes.
3. If you want to add multiple subtasks
Another limitation of paper to-do lists is that it is difficult to add multiple subtasks. So, if you are working on a large project, you may want to use a digital to-do list.
For example, I recommend using an app like Things 3 to identify what you need to do over the course of a month or long term. Then, you can break those tasks down further each day using paper to-do lists. This should give you a better overview.
While digital to-do lists have their place, I find myself happier and more productive when I use paper to-do lists for my work tasks. This experience led me to a few conclusions I already knew, and it’s something I recommend you do yourself. It may not work for you, but it certainly did for me. Now, read on to learn how to choose the best task management app for you to build a daily routine.
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