Q: Matt, I’ve heard that using a pen for at least 15 minutes per day can prevent Alzheimer’s. What’s your opinion of writing by hand compared to writing digitally on a computer? Does it make a difference when writing out your goals?
A: If you want to ramp up your cognitive abilities, you will want to write with a pen in hand as much as possible. To go a step further, put a pen in your non-dominant hand as well. And if you really want to glow your mind, write cursive forwards and backwards.
I first learned to write cursive with either hand (forwards and backwards) from Michael J. Lavery over 10 years ago. Turns out that this practice causes neurogenesis, sparks creativity and pushes dementia and Alzheimer’s away. There are plenty of studies, from 90-year old nuns to the elderly in Japan, that confirm this.
Manual writing in print or block letters doesn’t come close to writing in cursive, or what people in the U.K. and Australia refer to as “joined up” writing.
Cursive handwriting gets you into the Zone or flow state. Printing is “start-stop” thinking – not flow.
As for the writing of your goals, cursive is KING, just make sure you use a blue pen. The color blue is much more friendly to the brain.
The above does not mean one should never type. I do both – but much of my writing each day is done with a pen in hand, especially note taking and idea generation.
Always keep in mind that the pen is mightier than the word – which includes those written with Microsoft Word.
Matt Furey
