Why I believe handwriting really matters in a digital age

For those who don't know me... By day, I work in the tech sector. I am, without question, a tech advocate. I love the way innovation can transform how we work, connect and live.

And yet, in the middle of all this rapid progress, I have found myself craving something slower. Something more human. Something tactile... like the feel of pen on paper.

The quiet magic of handwriting

Typing is efficient, but handwriting is personal. Your letters carry your quirks — the loop you add to your “y”, the way your writing slants when you’re tired, the smudge from where you paused to think. It’s an imprint of you in that exact moment.

Research backs this up. Studies have found that handwriting strengthens memory, boosts creativity and engages parts of the brain that typing doesn’t. For children, writing by hand improves literacy, fine motor skills and the ability to organise thoughts. For adults, it can slow the mind just enough to help us think more clearly.

Why we still need it in a tech-first world

The pace of technology is only going to get faster. Our communication is becoming shorter, more instant, more disposable. iPads or laptops are in every classroom. That makes handwritten words feel even more meaningful — because they last.

When my kids and I pass our journal back and forth, we’re creating something tangible. Their handwriting today will look different in a year, and in five years different again. My notes to them carry my voice in a way that no text message ever could.

A renaissance is coming

I’m clearly not anti-digital. I use apps to keep my life running, video calls to stay connected, and AI tools in my work. But I believe that as the digital world accelerates, we’ll see a renewed appetite for slow, analogue connection. We’ll seek out the tactile to balance the instant.

For me, handwriting is part of that. It’s a way to anchor ourselves, to create keepsakes and to connect more deeply with each other.

My advice?

Don’t save handwriting for the “special” moments. Use it for the everyday — a note in your child’s lunchbox, a scribbled reminder on the fridge, a shared journal you both add to over time. These little touches don’t just communicate words; they communicate care.