Ever since I can remember I have found solace in pen and paper. It is my safe space, my comfort zone, a place to turn to after the best days and the worst days. This connection was made early for me, I remember fondly spending hours as a child colouring in, scribbling down ideas or writing (terrible) stories.
It's the habit that has followed me all through my life when I have been notoriously bad at keeping habits. There are not a few days that go past without me at least writing a few words down on pen and paper. Cathartic and meditative, yes, but some of my best ideas have come whilst writing. It forced me to slow down, when my mind was often racing or worrying about something superficial. Writing has always been grounding and calming. It has been a space to get worries, concerns, thoughts, dreams and ideas out of my head and down onto a physical page so I can review and see them time and time again. But its also been a place where I can push myself, set goals, keep myself organised and solve the most difficult of problems.
Once I joined the tech industry, I got used to comments about my pen and paper habits. I carried notebooks around with me since my very first job as a developer, and have lost count of the amount of people who have pointed out that they don't often see engineers writing in physical notebooks.
Maybe there is an pre-conception that as a knowledge worker, we should be thinking in logic all of the time. Journalling could be perceived as soft, emotional or creative when engineers often think linearly, logically and tangibly. Engineers are problem solvers, and journalling is often about surfacing questions that are not easy or even able to be solved.
But I will argue that taking time away from the screen just to write has been truly transformative for me, not just emotionally but also technically. Sure, it is a way of being in touch with my thoughts, feelings and emotions – but it has also become one of the ways that I will work through some of the most challenging of problems no matter what they are, no matter how technical they are.
Looking back at my journals for years ago, looking at my extracts on various projects or unknowns at the time is a valued ritual. It's interesting to me, that within the confines of a page I start writing with no clear idea of a way forward, yet finish writing with an answer or clear next steps. I can physically see this happening time and time again throughout my previous notebooks.
Writing is a tool for thought. It is a way of achieving mental clarity. It is a way of thinking deeply without being overcome to digital distractions. It is a way of taping into the "slow" part of the brain that Daniel Kahneman writes about in "Thinking Fast and Slow" - the part of the brain that is slower, more deliberative and more logical.
I encourage all of you reading this, if journalling/writing is not something you have given a serious go, then please try it again. Sure, if you are fully against writing on pen and paper, then pull up your favourite note-taking app and set aside 15/20 minutes of your day to write. I know for a fact that with consistency, this will become the most impactful bit of time of your day.
Of course, this can be very intimidating to begin with, so here are some of my favourite prompts that will give you a good starting place.
When did I feel most “in flow” with my work recently?
How has my definition of “good work” changed over the past year?
What trade-offs did I make in my work this week, and were they conscious or unconscious?
If I had only 4 hours to do my job each day, how would I structure my time?
What is a problem that I have been putting off solving?
If today were my last day at this job, what would I be most proud of leaving behind?
What problem in my field fascinates me enough that I’d work on it even if no one paid me?
You’ve got this, friends.
— The Quiet Engineer