Why Writing Things Down Works (Backed by Science)

I was recently interviewed by a journalist from The Times, who came to visit us in the studio. He was inquisitive about paper planning and personally only used digital tools for his plans. He wondered if it was his age, being younger, and that maybe our customer base was older, people who hadn't quite adopted to digital. 

It got me thinking, I clearly know that our community of paper planners spans every age group. But that maybe some people don't realise why so many of us still love to plan on paper, and we always will. 

I revisited the science behind planning on paper and thought I'd share why putting pen to paper is a powerful way of planning. 

If you’ve ever felt the mental load lift just by scribbling a to-do list, it’s not in your head (well, actually, it is — and that’s the point).

Here’s what the science says about writing things down, and why your planner might just be your secret productivity weapon.

1. Planning Makes You More Productive

According to a study from Harvard Business Review, people who write out their daily plans are up to 23% more productive. That’s nearly a quarter more done in the same amount of time — just by being intentional at the start of your day.

Even a five-minute planning session each morning can shift the whole tone of your day from scattered to structured.

2. It Clears Space in Your Brain

The American Psychological Association found that writing to-do lists helps reduce “cognitive clutter” — all that mental noise that makes it hard to focus. It’s like tidying up your thoughts, freeing up 15–20% more working memory so you can actually concentrate on what matters.

3. It Reduces Stress

There’s a reason planning feels calming. Research from the University of California shows that writing down your tasks can reduce perceived stress by 25%. Why? Because the brain stops spinning through unfinished to-dos when it sees a plan it can trust.

You’re not just writing a list, you’re telling your nervous system, “I’ve got this.”

4. It Helps You Sleep

Struggle to switch off at night? You’re not alone. A study by Baylor University found that people who wrote a to-do list before bed fell asleep 9 minutes faster on average. That’s the same as a cup of chamomile tea - I say we do both.

5. You’ll Remember More

Need to remember things better? Write them down. We retain 20–30% more information when writing by hand versus typing, according to the Association for Psychological Science.

6. You’re More Likely to Follow Through

This one’s big, especially for the neurospicy amongst us - A study in the British Journal of Health Psychology found that people who wrote down their intentions were 30% more likely to follow through compared to those who didn’t. Maybe that's what manifesting really means?

Writing it down turns a thought into a commitment. It’s a small shift that makes a big difference.

Let's get planning...

Whether it’s a full, pretty-looking schedule or a scrappy to-do list on the back of an envelope - writing things down gives your thoughts structure, your mind space, and your day a better chance of going well.