Write Things Down

Creative Commons Photo Credit by lynnfriedman

If you are like me, if you don’t write things down or type it into Evernote, then you will forget it ten minutes later. Personally I’m a fan of Evernote, but if you don’t mess with technology a leather binder will do the job just fine.

If you don’t write or type a to-do list yet, then here are 3 reasons why writing everything down is so important:

1. You waste time trying to think of what you needed to do in the first place.

Your to-do list keeps you on point. It makes you more productive and effective throughout the day. It tells yourself and others that you are on a mission and sets the tone for the entire day. If you don’t give your day the direction that you want, you will end up wandering and getting lucky if you achieve your daily tasks that get you to your desired outcomes. Every day should  have some aspect that moves you towards your goals. Knowing what you are doing gives confidence and pays huge dividends. If you don’t have a lot of time already, why not make the most of it? Make every second count.

2. Writing down memories in vivid details help you remember what things were like, even years after you wrote it down.

Whether it be a handwritten letter to your spouse or a journal that you keep, you can look at it years later and see how you used to feel about any given subject. This is so important when you need to convey your story to others. It brings back those small details that you would have forgotten otherwise.

The same applies with taking notes in meetings, while someone else is presenting or just on something that you find to be an interesting topic. First, it lets others know that you are engaged at that moment. That’s just respectful to the speaker, folks. Second, it keeps you engaged to the speaker. That and coffee my friend. Some meetings need extra activities to keep you awake. I know that you’ve been there. This information will also be a reference later on when you need to bring up that information again, even years later.

This might seem like elementary stuff to you, but I can’t believe how many times I have sat in important meetings and nothing is written down. Nothing at all. If you get this easy step down sooner rather than later, I guarantee that it will help you your entire life.

3. If it is written down, then you are one step closer to what you want to achieve.

Goals that are handwritten are achieved more often than those that just stay in our heads. I’m not really sure if that’s fact, but it seems correct. Writing goals down is effective because these goals stay visible. They stay in front of your face until you achieve them. They keep reminding you that you haven’t quite made it yet. They stare you in the face until you start chipping away at them, one by one. That’s the beauty of it. This concept lets you live life on your terms, not luck.

Keep writing things down. And if just that doesn’t work, add in some focus. Do everything you can to become the person that you really want to become.

So, how do you keep up with everything? You can leave a comment below.