Lauren's List: Benefits Of Handwriting

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Today, January 23rd, is National Handwriting Day.

So put down your phone and step away from your keyboard. Grab a pen or pencil and some paper and start celebrating!

While typing can be more convenient, and legible in the case of some of the handwriting I've seen, today's "Lauren's List" breaks down the benefits of writing things out by hand.

Brain Workout
Handwriting exercises a complex cognitive process involving neuro-sensory experiences and fine motor skills. By feeling the writing surface, holding the pen or pencil, and moving your hand with thought, you give your brain a full workout.

Child Development
My kid can swipe a screen with ease, but he had trouble learning to grasp a pencil. But research shows that children who practice their handwriting have higher levels of literacy and cognitive development. It's believed children learn how to quickly translate mental images of letters into a physical form, they begin to understand how letters form sentences and meaning.

Increased Creativity
Who is guilty of doodling on the margins of their notebook?! I know I am! You don't really have that sort of creative outlet with a blank word document. Writing and drawing by hand increases creativity because we are forced to slow down, consider the big picture, and come up with creative ideas.

Better Retention
If you want to remember something, write it down by hand. Though a little more time consuming, longhand notes allow for better short- and long-term memory recall. Handwriting activates parts of your brain involved in thinking and memory and allows you to store and manage information.

Do you write things down by hand?

Is your handwriting as terrible as mine?

Tell me on Facebook or Twitter.

If you have an idea for a future "Lauren's List", send it to lpastrana@cbs.com.