I compared handwritten lists to phone notes for grocery shopping and paper crushed it

I spent 6 months using my phone for grocery lists and kept forgetting stuff or getting distracted by notifications. Switched back to a paper list on the fridge last month and I haven't missed a single item since. There's something about physically writing it down that makes it stick in my brain better. Anyone else find tech overcomplicates something this simple?

2 comments

2 Comments

henderson.oscar25d ago

Did you try keeping your phone on actual airplane mode while shopping? I started doing that and it helped me focus way more than paper ever did.

faith_carter25d ago

Airplane mode is a good idea for some people, but it doesn't fix the big problem of grocery stores being designed to distract you. Paper lists work better for me because I can keep my head up and actually scan the aisles instead of staring at my hand. You still have to pull the phone out and turn airplane mode back off when you're done, which is another step to forget. Plus paper lets me cross things off with a pen and feel that little bit of progress.