The Art of the List (Part 2)

Analog Planning

As I was writing last month’s Substack on lists, I came across a book, Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech, a book about the uprising of textile workers during the Industrial Revolution and how it relates to the power of today’s modern tech.

The term “Luddite” originated during this period in history, perhaps from an unhappy character named Ned Ludd, who takes center stage in Blood in the Machine. I say “perhaps” because rumor has it, Ned didn’t exist. Despite his questionable existence, Ned was a symbol for skilled artisans and their discontent with the movement away from individual skill and artistry and toward mechanized looms.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Luddite (noun): a person opposed to new technology or ways of working.

“Luddite” has migrated beyond its original meaning and is often used as a derogatory label for people who resist progress. Blood in the Machine not only dives into the history of the mysterious Ned Ludd, but also into today’s movement against self-driving cars and AI-generated content.

I am not against progress, but I do want to make a pitch for the simplicity of a handwritten list in the modern digital age. You may wonder why I don’t just use an app or grab the snazziest digital solution to keep my lists nice and tidy and manageable. But as I found myself without internet this morning, my handwritten lists gave me a bit of clarity.

I’ve tried several different list apps, but I always come back to handwritten lists. There is something satisfying about pen and paper. It’s real, in front of me, and not forgotten in the cloud.

In fact, writing things down by hand can give a productivity edge over digital tools. Lots of research has shown that writing your goals by hand makes it more likely you’ll reach those goals.

Writing triggers the reticular activating system—this system sends a message to our brains to pay attention because something important is coming. Writing by hand increases our engagement with the topic and improves memory retention as well.

Writing my top three list at the beginning of the day is important because it keeps me from logging on to my computer or opening my phone and getting lost in emails and text messages—and I can still get my planning (and writing) done when the internet is down.

Writing things by hand has also been shown to increase creativity—as a children’s author, creativity is important to me.

One of my favorite Substacks by Jillian Hess is all about handwritten notebooks. She points out many advantages, like being able to doodle, mind-map, or draw pictures.

I will continue to write my daily lists by hand. First of all, it helps when the internet is down. And second, if writing with pen and paper helps my creativity, skill, and artistry … I’ll continue to channel my inner Ned Ludd.