Whether you work in the office or at home to start 2022, work with paper. It can enhance your work environment and your productivity.
Experts give paper the nod over digital alternatives in these four areas:
Writing on Paper Helps You Get Stuff Done
Writing your goals and to-do lists is a smart move, according to multiple studies. Taking time to write out goals increases motivation and helps you focus on what steps are needed to achieve them.
Taking notes by handwriting during a meeting or Zoom call is better for your brain than typing, according to University of Tokyo researchers. Their recent study showed that handwriting notes is not only faster, but also is better for memory retention. The exercise challenges your mind to think in different ways and use multiple areas of the brain.
Inc.com tech columnist Jason Aten shared, “If I write down something I have to do, my brain processes it differently as my hand moves across the page leaving behind words and ideas. The physical act of writing on paper actually helps me think in a way that’s different from typing on my iPhone or laptop.”
Use a Planner or Printed Calendar to Manage Your Schedule, Tasks
Despite technological alternatives, paper still wins when it comes to planning.
Take it from Joanna Howard, a business technology teacher who takes a hybrid approach to calendars. “Our family calendar is kept on Google so it can be shared, and it keeps everyone up to date on activity schedules and appointments. But at work, a paper planner is much more efficient,” she says.
“I typically have six windows open on my computer at any given time. The jumble of screens can become tedious if I need to make a quick note, look up a meeting time, record a parent interaction, update a grade, etc. So paper is faster. I also like the convenience of looking down at a planner and instantly being able to see what needs to be done for the day. Plus, paper is portable and doesn’t require Wi-Fi or a charging cable.”
In the market for your 2022 planner? Some of Franklin Covey’s Franklin Planners use Domtar paper – and include goal tracking pages and journal prompts in addition to daily, weekly or monthly calendar planning pages. Or, print your own 2022 calendar and planner pages using templates in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, or from How Life Unfolds.
Printed Documents, Books Help You Retain Knowledge
Need to read and review something? Print it out.
Reading printed documents and books is generally faster, less fatiguing to your brain and eyes, and improves comprehension and focus.
Plus, if you are proofreading a document, experts recommend printing the file. Print helps you catch more typographical, grammatical and formatting errors.
“A detailed or complicated document is often easier to read, pass around and make notes on if it’s printed,” says Paige Goff, vice president of sustainability for Domtar.
New Year, New Job? Printed Resúmés Still Impress
If you’re one of many people seeking a new career opportunity in 2022, now is a great time to update your resúmé and portfolio.
Though the process may begin with an online application, having an easy-to-read, nicely formatted printout of your resúmé and portfolio can help you stand out when it’s time to interview. If the interview process is handled virtually, be sure your files maintain formatting when printed by saving the file as a PDF.
According to Indeed.com, you should have a printed or printable copy of your resúmé available if the job posting requires a physical copy, you have an in-person interview, you are going to a career fair or expo, or you are asking your network to help you find a job.
Wherever you work, paper can play a critical role in managing your time, improving your productivity, helping you focus and making you stand out. How will you use paper to enhance your work environment – or your career – in 2022?
