When you take notes, you need to filter external information, summarize it in your head, and then write it down.Your brain decides which pieces of information to hang onto for later, partly as a result of how much work you do to them upfront–so the more you mentally manipulate a piece of information, the better you’ll remember it.

Writing helps your memory

Once you write down the tasks you need to perform, you then have to clear space in your day to put some of those tasks onto your calendar.This calendar maintenance is itself a useful exercise for fighting the tide of interruptions you’re always facing. It pulls your brain out of a reactive mode and forces you to think about the long term.

To-do lists and calendars

Planning turns abstract goals into concrete work.For most people, the challenge is making sure we get the big-picture projects done, those that make work fulfilling. And it's hard to achieve them without breaking them into a coherent set of concrete actions you can take on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

Planning your goals

For a long time, I resisted to-do lists. I wanted the flexibility. I felt that if I kept a list, it would tie me down to a particular set of tasks. Gradually, though, I came around. The busier my work life became, the more crucial it was to have some sort of running agenda on hand.

Writing helps your memory

How Writing To-Do Lists Helps Your Brain (Whether Or Not You Finish Them)

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