When you’re stuck, pick up a pen and paper.

Computers can improve your execution.

But pen and paper improve your thinking.

5 situations where pen and paper are more effective than a computer: 👇🧵

Feeling overwhelmed by everything you need to get done?

• Make a list on a piece of paper • Cross out the non essentials • Get to work

Pro tip: check out Dean Jackson’s 50 minute focus finder on YouTube if a simple list doesn’t work for you.

Feel your life is going nowhere?

• Picture your ideal day • Write every detail on paper • Place it where you can read it often

Pro tip: Where would you be? What would you do depending on the time of day? What would you eat? Who would you spend time with? What would you wear?

Starting work on a new web app?

• Map out the customer journey on paper • Wireframe each page on an A4 or 8.5 x11 sheet • Brainstorm copy ideas separately

Pro tip: the same logic can apply to recording a song, building a slide deck, or writing a Twitter thread.

Had a bad day?

• Walk away from the computer  • Write down what you would do differently • List 3 things you’d love to do tomorrow

Pro tip: it can be you’d love to do your taxes so you don’t have to worry about them anymore.

Something, you’re not sure what, is bothering you?

• Set a timer to 30 minutes • Write what comes to mind • Don’t edit anything out

Pro tip: look up the concept of “Morning Pages” popularized by Julia Cameron in her book “The Artist is the Way.”

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