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Aiming for a work-free holiday break this year? Here’s how to realistically make it happen.

You’re working like crazy to tie up all of those necessary loose ends before you officially say goodbye to your desk for the holiday break.

Ideally, you’d spend your time off relaxing and recharging. But, if the past few years are any indication, you’ll more than likely spend a good chunk of your time glued to your computer or phone instead.

Well, no more. You deserve to actually kick back over the holidays. So, here are six tips to help you seriously disconnect and enjoy this merry time of year without work commitments hanging over your head.

1. Be Realistic

While you should definitely make a strong effort to check out of work-mode over the holidays, it’s important that you’re also realistic with your expectations.

Now that we’ve all become so accustomed to being constantly connected, it’s that much tougher to unplug entirely.

So, don’t enter into your break with the assumption that you won’t even glance at your inbox until your time off comes to a close. You’ll likely only wind up disappointed and frustrated. Focus on being better than normal, rather than perfect.

2. Lay Some Ground Rules

When you’re planning to disconnect for some time, it’s important that you set some clear expectations — both for yourself and the people that you work with.

In regards to yourself, will you allow any time to check in on work-related matters? If so, outline those rules now, such as only letting yourself pop into your inbox once per day for no more than fifteen minutes.

Also, make it known to your colleagues that you plan to be out of touch and for how long, so that they know better than to wait on you for any urgent requests.

3. Prioritize and Work Ahead

A key part of truly being able to unplug during your time off is adequate prep work — after all, it’s tough to relax if you feel like there’s a ton of unfinished business looming.

When you’re a few weeks out from your break, make a long list of all of the things that need to get accomplished before you officially check out. Then take a look to see what can be delegated and what can wait until after you return.

Sort the tasks that are left in order of deadline, and then start chipping away at those to-dos far ahead of time. That way, everything should be pretty close to handled by the time you stroll out of the office for your break.

4. Refrain From Setting Goals

This one can seem somewhat counterintuitive, particularly with the popularity of resolutions during this time of year.

However, if you know you’re going to be tempted to work when you really should be enjoying quality time with your loved ones, refrain from setting any professional goals for yourself until you’re back at work.

Why? Well, outlining those career and business ambitions during your time off will likely inspire you to get moving on those goals immediately — which will ultimately put you right back in front of your computer.

5. Set an Out-of-Office Message

This step seems obvious, but it’s one that far too many people neglect.

Setting an out-of-office responder when you’re on your break will remove much of the pressure from your shoulders, as well as keep your colleagues in the loop.

So, make sure to draft one of these messages before you take your time off. Include your return date as well as the contact information for someone else who can help with urgent matters, and you’ll be able to cut that tether that’s constantly connecting you to your inbox.

6. Abandon Your Electronics

Perhaps you’ve implemented all of these tips and you still don’t feel confident that you’ll be able to enjoy the festivities without a screen in front of your face.

If that’s the case, go ahead and lock away your electronics. Power down your phone and keep it in a drawer for the majority of a day. Put your laptop and your work bag in the back of the closet — where you’ll have to consciously reach for them.

These small changes can make a huge difference in how often you find yourself relying on those devices. When you need to be intentional about their use, you’re much less likely to be attached to them.

You deserve some time to unplug and relax over your holiday break. But, sometimes that’s easier said than done. Put these six tips to use, and you’ll be able to enjoy some (mostly) work-free and guilt-free time off.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

As we enter into the holiday season (yes, brace yourself, it’s that time of year again) we thought this would be a great time to reflect on the importance of kindness.

Kindness in the office, at school, in traffic, or at home, can change a bad situation into a tolerable one.

In a world that moves so fast, and is digitally driven, ironically, we are less connected with one another on a deeper level than ever before. Since we only see the surface (or the highlight reel) we have no idea what another person is going through in their lives. They may have just lost a loved one, or a job, or may be dealing with pain or an illness. Those who treat others poorly or fly off the handle, are more likely to need our kindness than we can possibly imagine.

Being a little kinder than necessary is always a great way to go through life. Even ONE person can make a difference. Will that person be you? Or maybe you will be the recipient of another’s kindness?

We’ve included a few ideas for random acts of kindness here. We’d love to hear some of your ideas.

All of us at Jacobs Gardner wish you a peaceful season filled with goodwill and kindness.

The way your day starts sets the tone for everything that follows. That’s why it’s very important to be intentional about your morning routine. While we know that you don’t have much time to spend on intricate and unrealistic wellness practices, there are a few short and simple things you can do each morning to ensure you find a better footing to take on the rest of the day with ease.

1. Get some natural sunlight first thing in the morning.

Would you believe that there’s something totally free you can do each day to boost your happiness hormones and energy levels? Get sunlight! Natural sunlight, that is. Our bodies and hormones get a lot of information from the light that we’re surrounded with, and that’s why it’s important to spend a little bit of time, anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, in natural sunlight, without sunglasses, within about 30 minutes to an hour of waking up.

This time in the sunlight will signal to your brain to release serotonin, which is a feel-good hormone that also makes you calm and focused. In addition to that, starting your day with some natural sunlight and vitamin D can actually help you sleep better at night, because it resets your circadian rhythm to follow the natural pattern of light and dark, so your body will be ready to power down in the evening time.

2. Drink 16 to 32 ounces of water as soon as you wake up.

During the night-time while you are sleeping, your body is going through a ton of processes, and it also isn’t taking in any liquid. That means that when you wake up, you are technically dehydrated and in need of fluid intake. In addition to that, when you drink water first thing in the morning, it actually helps to flush all of the toxins through your system that were accumulating over night.

Try keeping a bottle of water next to the bed each night, then you can down those 16 to 32 ounces as soon as you wake up. (Quick tip: Room temperature water is actually a lot easier to drink than cold water, so it’s better if it sits out all night.) From that initial drink, you’ll get a boost of energy from the hydration, your brain will feel more focused — as it’s mostly made up of water and always needs fluids to function — and you’ll also feel full, so you don’t have to run to the kitchen for breakfast right away. Hydrating throughout the day is important for everyone, but that first glass of water is perhaps your most beneficial one of the day, so don’t skip it.

3. Spend a few minutes of quiet time meditating or being mindful.

It’s very common to wake up and immediately check our phones for emails, messages and other incoming requests from other people, thus setting us off in a reactive mode. Yet, focusing on other people’s issues can fill us with stress and worry, and this isn’t the best way to begin a day. That’s why, it’s beneficial to take anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes in the morning to sit quietly and be alone with your thoughts before consuming any technology or social media. If you’re not comfortable sitting alone in silence, you can also try out a guided meditation app, like Calm or Headspace, and let the narrator tell you what to do.

Meditation has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress, enhance self-awareness, improve attention span, as well as a host of other perks. And one thing it definitely does is make sure that you go into the day with a more mindful approach. While it may seem like meditation is a fluffy practice just for those who teach yoga, it’s growing in popularity in the mainstream as more and more people understand its powerful benefits for daily life.

The right morning routine can do wonders for your day, so choose at least one of the above and give it a try tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Our friends at Hammermill have provided a great resource for effective studying, just in time for Back to School season.

When you have many small tidbits of information to memorize, like a list of words and their meanings or a list of dates and events, there are some simple tricks you can use that make remembering easier. We’ve put together some good ideas that can give you an edge when it’s time to study.

Have a test coming up? Check out our Study Guide Templates, and be sure to join our mailing list to receive more tips and ideas.

A Little Understanding; a Big Difference

When it’s time to memorize, knowing a little bit about how our brains work can really help. Our memories are not all stored in the same place. Different kinds of actions are remembered in different parts of the brain. There’s short-term memory, long-term memory, muscle memory and more. Some people remember what they see more easily, while others remember what they’ve heard or what they’ve done.

A good trick to increase your odds of remembering is to use a study method that puts the information in more than one part of your brain. That might sound difficult, but it really isn’t. Here’s the key: don’t just read information and expect to remember; write it down and say it out loud. This simple process ensures that the information is going to several different areas of your brain, making it easier to find later.

Do It Again…and Again…and Again

The next thing to know is that repetition is essential. Repetition is really important. Repetition builds success. To remember ideas or concepts, try rewording them a few different ways to ensure you fully understand them. For simple facts such as names and dates, information that shouldn’t be changed, repetition is the glue that will help them stick in your brain.

You might be lucky and have a super brain that catches everything the first time. But even then, you encounter a ton of information every day, and there are ways to make it easier for you to remember later.

A Simple Method

Here’s one way to get more from your study time. Take a blank sheet of paper. Make a column down the left side of the paper. Now, inside that column, copy down all of the facts you need to remember. The smaller you write, the more information you can fit on a page, BUT the harder it is to read and check later. Write your information down in a size that is efficient but also comfortable to read. As you write the information down, be sure to say it out loud (NOT in the library).

Now, turn the paper over. Make a column down the left side of the paper. Try to write down as much information as you can from memory. Don’t worry if you can only remember a couple of things. Once you’ve written down everything you can remember, fold the paper over so the completed column on the back is next to the incomplete column on the left. Copy down everything that you couldn’t remember.

Be sure to check out our helpful Study Guide Templates to see how it works!

When you are done, fold that left-hand column back so that you can’t see it anymore. Make another column and try again. You’ll probably remember a little more this time. When you’ve finished writing down everything you can remember, unfold the paper and check the corrected list on the left against the list you just made in the next column over.

Once again, copy down everything you couldn’t remember, saying the information out loud as you write. Now, fold the two columns back so you can’t see them anymore and try again. Keep doing this until you can write the entire column without missing any information. If you really want to be sure you’ve got it, keep going until you can write down all the information without any mistakes three times in a row. It may take a few sheets of paper until you can successfully write everything down from memory. Got it? Cool!

Take a fresh sheet of paper, make a column down the left and write all the information down from memory. Okay. Time for a break.

And Again…

At the start of your next study session, start with the information you’ve “already memorized”. Take the piece of paper you used at the very end of your last study session, flip it over to its blank side, make a column down the left and try to write down everything from memory. Don’t be surprised if a few facts don’t come to you quickly. Try hard to remember as much as you can, but when you get stuck and can’t remember any more, fold the paper over and check your results, copying down all the missing information. Keep repeating the process until you can do it all correctly three times in a row.

Be sure to use a sturdy paper that is thick enough to hide the answers on the back, something like Hammermill Fore® Multi-Purpose. You can also print out our helpful Study Guide Templates to save you some time!

Hammermill paper is available at

Jacobs Gardner 1-800-638-0983 or www.jacobsgardner.com

Do you have a Video Gamer in the family? Need a great gift for them?

Take your gaming arena to the next level with the Ultimate Game Zone Chair Mat by E.S. ROBBINS. Cutting edge style and function combine to create the latest in floor protection gear.

 

Whether your setup is on hard floor or carpet, the hybrid vinyl grip system has you covered. Upgrade your gaming experience with a smooth rolling surface while protecting your floors from scuffs, scrapes and spills.

•   Unique shape fits compact setups and advanced gaming environments

•   Angular design provides maximum space utilization

•   Hybrid vinyl grip technology

•   GREENGUARD Gold certified for low chemical emissions to UL 2818

•   Limited Lifetime “No Crack Mat” Warranty

•   Made in USA

 

To Order, Call Jacobs Gardner Toll-Free: (800) 638-0983 or Email: customercare@jacobsgardner.com

 
 

Our friends at Hammermill have some great ideas for teachers who are busy decorating their classrooms. Decorating shouldn’t be stressful for teachers. It should be a chance to get creative and show off your personality. DIY classroom decorations are easy to make, and they can help add some fun to your classroom. These classroom decorating tips below will help you get your classroom ready for back-to-school.

 

Introduce Yourself

The first day back to school can be nerve-racking for both kids and teachers. You can help make the transition back easier by creating a poster that introduces yourself to your students. Add photos and include interesting facts about yourself. You can include your hobbies, pets and where you went to school. This can help break the ice sooner rather than later.

Encourage the kids in your class to create their own posters that introduce themselves. Put the posters up on the wall so students can get to know one another more quickly. Providing opportunities for you and your students to get to know each other is a great way to create a welcoming environment in your classroom.

Welcome Students Back

One of the easiest ways to decorate your classroom for back-to-school is to welcome your students by hanging a DIY, easy-to-make welcome banner. You can add scholastic imagery to the banner to help add some fun to it. Ready to hang one up in your classroom? Check out our Welcome Banner Template.

Add Some Color to Your Classroom Decorations

Bright colors can help add some pizzazz to your walls. Adding colorful decorations that reinforce your first lesson plans for the year can help introduce students to the subject matter they will be learning. Try printing out a quote and putting it on a bright background to hang on a wall. The quote could be from a novel they will be reading or one from a significant point in history they will be learning about.

Need a colorful paper to post important dates and classroom announcements on? Check out our Colors paper. It comes in an array of fun colors to choose from.

Get Creative with Your Bulletin Board

Bulletin boards provide a place for teachers to display important announcements and dates. They are also a great space in your classroom where you can get creative. You can customize your own border for your bulletin board with paint and glitter. Collaging the backboard of your bulletin board with relevant newspaper or magazine cut outs is an easy way to reuse material you already have. Get creative and have fun with it!

We hope these tips will help you decorate your space for the first day of school. Have fun decorating, and be sure to share pictures of your decorated classrooms on social media using #PaperforSchools. We recommend using Hammermill® Premium Color Copy Cover 100LB for classroom decorations.

Call us or visit us online to order yours today!

800-638-0983 or www.jacobsgardner.com

 

 

Our friends at Smead, are masters of organization. All of their products are available for next day delivery when you order with us! They have just come out with their Top 10 list of Time Wasters, and ways you can avoid them to be more productive.

1.   Joining the crowd: According to employees, here are the top 5 ways they waste time at work: Gossip (42%), Social interaction with Co- Workers (32%), Snacks and Breaks (27%), Meetings (23%), In-Office Noise Distractions (24%). (Source: BrianTracy.com) Are you part of this crowd?

2.   Checking email often: Limit checking for email, and responding to it, to once or twice per day, in “scheduled” 30-minute increments.

3.   Lack of motivation: OK, so maybe your job isn’t the best thing since sliced bread, but it’s bringing in the bacon. So, why not make the most of it? Write up a bunch of 5-minute rewards and enjoy one every time you reach a 30-minute work goal. Another possibility: Challenge yourself to do something you’ve always done better, faster, or cheaper.

4.   Allowing interruptions: While some interruptions are necessary, most are nothing more than obstacles to you getting your work done. When you’re working on something important, reduce interruptions: close your door, allow your calls to go to voicemail, and don’t keep checking email and/or text notifications.

5.   Waiting for something to happen: While you’re waiting for something to happen (perhaps you’re on telephone hold or are waiting for a file to download), do something else.

6.   Not organizing your messy desk and filing system: The messier your space is, the more time you’re going to be wasting searching for things. Remove clutter and get things organized!

7.   Going to, or hosting, unproductive meetings: All meetings should have specific goals, only involve key people who will be working on those goals, and ultimately result in positive, measurable changes. If your work meetings are mostly gab sessions (or complaint forums), there’s a lot of time being wasted.

8.   Doing things manually: There are so many digital apps that can help you be more productive at work. If you’re doing tons of things manually with paper and pen, research how you can do those same things automatically instead. It may be worth it for you to call in a productivity expert for ideas.

9.   Never writing down instructions: When you learn something new, take notes. The next time you have to do it, you won’t have to rely on your memory, and you won’t have to waste time trying to figure out how to do it…or waste someone else’s time asking again.

10.   Recreating the wheel: Before you start something “from scratch,” be sure to research first to determine if someone has already done it before. Duplicating work that has already been done is a major time waster, and very common in businesses

Maria Gracia

Visit www.GetOrganizedNow.com?smead for a FREE Organizing Idea-Pak to help you organize your home, your office, and your life!

We work closely with our friends at Kensington who provide the products to make your office run smoothly…and comfortably. Kensington recently shared this study on the correlation between comfort and productivity that we thought you’d find interesting.

Improving the comfort of each employee within their personal workspace is an important part of improving overall wellness and happiness in the office. That’s why ergonomics is such an incredible field; its fundamental aim is to improve the comfort of all (as well as safety, productivity, and accuracy) — by retrofitting and designing workstations and environments accordingly. And an element of our environmental comfort that is oddly overlooked?

Temperature

And it’s about time temperature gets the attention it deserves, for the prominent role it plays in the comfort of everyone in the office. According to the results of a 2016 survey on job satisfaction, the biggest complaint issued about the workplace concerns temperature. And according to CareerBuilder, 22% of workers have difficulty concentrating in an office that is too hot — 11% have the same difficulty in one that is too cold.

It makes perfect sense; when the body has to expend extra energy to stay warm or perspire, less energy is available to concentrate. The good news is, the reverse is also true: when the ideal temperature is met and comfort improved, focus follows.

The Stats: Our Environment Affects Our Productivity and Well-Being

• When office temperature is increased from 68 to 77℉, errors can be expected to fall by 44%, while output can be expected to increase by an incredible 150%
• The highest productivity level occurs around 71.6℉
• An office of 100 people will have between 8-18 hours wasted each day, due to temperature; the equivalent of 2% of the team’s staff never showing up to work that day
• Improving temperature conditions can save employers as much as 10% in extra labor per worker, per hour, that was previously spent on mistakes made due to a “too-cold” office

In short, it is easier to think when you’re comfortable — and, thus, easier to do your job. Too hot, too cold, or too fluctuating a temperature compromises the focus, efficiency, accuracy, and, ultimately, output that make for a good, happy day’s work.

“…raising the temperature to a more comfortable thermal zone saves employers about $2 per worker, per hour…” – Professor Alan Hedge, Cornell University

And temperature affects much more than productivity. Colder temperatures cause our muscles to tense up, creating pain and discomfort. This “chill” can disproportionately affect women, as females tend to have less muscle mass than their male counterparts. Adjusting the temperature appropriately thus improves physical comfort. There is even research connecting warmer temperatures to a more friendly culture among colleagues, as temperature influences our mood and general openness to others. Because we are biologically wired to seek warmth from day one, our ability to stay present during, say, meetings or conversations with colleagues in passing (where important relationships have the opportunity to develop), is benefited greatly when we’re physically comfortable, and hurt when we’re cold.

“The indoor temperature affects several human responses, including thermal comfort, perceived air quality, sick building syndrome symptoms and performance at work” – Seppänen O, Fisk WJ, Lei QH

Why Turning the Knob on the Thermostat Hasn’t Solved the Problem

Aiming for a number on OSHA’s recommended temperature range (68-76℉) hasn’t cut it because the number picked will be both arbitrary and, unfortunately, satisfy some while dissatisfying others.

“Whether temperatures soar or plummet, unbearable office conditions can have a serious impact on employee health and well-being. Unfortunately the law is left open to misinterpretation by simply stating that employers must provide a ‘reasonable’ workplace temperature.” – Helen Pedder, head of HR for ClearSky HR

The fundamental problem here is that there is no universally-preferred temperature; we all have a different idea of what feels “just right”. Our physical perception of thermal energy is influenced by individual, changing factors of weight, age, gender, clothing choices, season, and even stress levels. Consider this: why is the same 63℉ ideal in the summer while frigid in the winter?

The kind of work we perform in the office even has an impact on preference; those performing more creative work generally prefer to work in a warmer temperature. What’s more, our perception of temperature itself is actually fickle and fussy, being largely informed by psychological factors. Put simply: our bodies don’t make accurate reads as thermometers, and a large extent of our supposed “preference” is, in fact, all in our head.

Moreover, turning the knob will only do so much if part of the problem is temperature fluctuation on account of the building’s design or cooling/heating system. And such big problems tend to make for expensive fixes.

The Alternative: Personal Desktop Solutions

A promising alternative to tinkering with the thermostat in the hopes that comfort for all will be relatively realized is to narrow the focus. And equip each employee with the right tech that gives them control over their personal workspace (think space heaters and fans) — so they have the tools to achieve their own version of “comfortable”.

In addition to giving employees power over the temperature of their workspace, this kind of focus is economical. Energy-efficient heating and cooling desktop solutions decrease overall reliance on the not-so-energy-efficient HVAC systems. Take the CoolView Monitor Stand with a built-in fan, for instance — it powers via USB computer charge and runs quietly at a chosen speed — for an efficient way to get the air flowing in the desired direction. Additionally, it elevates your computer to the ideal height for a comfortable, healthy posture through the back and neck.

A desktop fan like the CoolView is a great product for those of us that tend to “run hot”. As is a cooling seat cushion that reduces the body’s temperature. An ergonomically-designed one will also promote a healthy posture, improve circulation, and relieve spinal pressure; making sitting for long periods of time even more comfortable.

For those of us who work from home, the heating bill is, of course, as top-of-mind as it is for businesses. And a quality space heater built specifically for your desk gives you the option of setting a lower temperature on the thermostat and simply warming your small workspace to a comfortable level. Just note that the most important features to look for in a space heater are safety features that eliminate the risk of fire hazard. Consider, for instance, the WarmViewTM Wellness Monitor Stand with Heater which passes a Certified 10-Point Safety system. And note that a space heater should never be plugged into an extension cord.

Desktop tech like these products should achieve physical ergonomic benefits without adding to the footprint (clutter) of your desk — the heater for the WarmView, as an example, is built right into its home monitor stand that elevates the computer to that ideal ergonomic height; its modular design doesn’t take up any more space than a typical monitor stand does.
The WarmView is a great solution for those who suffer cold hands (which compromise dexterity and speed) and haven’t found success with fingerless gloves, which can hinder movement.

Additional Tips for Comfort in the Office

• Learn hand exercises. For those of us who type a lot, taking preventative measures against carpal tunnel syndrome is highly recommended, especially if your hands tend to be cold.

• Check the ergonomics of your workstation. Cold hands could be a result of an unhealthy typing posture that is restricting blood flow. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor at a 90° angle to your upper arm when typing. Maintaining an ergonomic, healthy posture is also key to protecting against other work-related MSD’s (tendonitis, thoracic outlet syndrome, tension neck syndrome…).

• Layers, layers, layers. Whether you run hot or cold, having the freedom to take off and put on layers throughout the day = adaptability, when the temperature fluctuates in the office.

• Move more throughout the day. Taking stretch and movement breaks throughout the day improves circulation by getting your blood flowing and increasing your heart rate. And more movement, in general, delivers long-term health benefits far beyond simply warming the body temporarily.

• Exercise more. If you have poor circulation, pains and strains in the body from sitting too much, or bad posture, exercise will treat both the cause and the symptom at the same time — you will, to put it simply, feel better.

Comfort in the workplace is an important factor influenced by every element of our office — from the height of the desk, to the style of lighting. And as the field of ergonomics has expanded to include environmental considerations such as temperature, it is exciting to see such versatile solutions brought to the market that help all achieve greater comfort, regardless of from where they might be working.

A cubicle-bound work week is no longer an excuse for a sedentary lifestyle. The key is to keep moving whenever you get the chance.

1. Go for a walk during your lunch break to get energized

2. Incorporate a sit-stand desk into your work routine to keep active throughout the day

3. Start deskercising during your downtime. Perform these simple, low-impact exercises at your desk and feel the difference in your energy level, flexibility and personal productivity.

Now that you’ve had your work out, call us to order your Sit-to-Stand Desk Today! Fast, FREE Delivery.

Writing is not a lost art. In fact, it’s becoming more artful.

Many find it surprising that even in the digital age, people are still writing by hand.

This is no surprise to our partner, Pilot Pen. They’ve discovered the many benefits of handwriting, and explain that the brain fires in a fundamentally different way when you are handwriting versus keyboarding.

• Enhanced Memory

The benefits of hand writing have been observed and measured in the classroom. Recent studies of learning and memory in college students concluded that in-class note takers who used a laptop retained significantly less information compared to those using pen and paper. The students who handwrote their notes had to process and reframe the information, actively engaging more areas of the brain. This process led to deeper comprehension and greater retention of the information versus the verbatim transcription the students employed when using a laptop.

• Enhanced Creativity

Handwriting can also have an important effect on our creative processes and abilities. Creative ideas need time to take shape. The multiple strokes required to form each letter, paired with the more complex brain engagement, appear to give the brain valuable extra time to process and create.

• Enhanced Sense of Well-being

The modern world is fast-paced and stressful, and we are always connected by our digital devices. This has resulted in a sense of digital overload. Many have begun to embrace the idea of ‘digital detox’ – refraining from using electronic devices and embracing physical interaction and analogue communication. Journaling and expressive writing, whereby a person writes down their thoughts, feelings, aspirations and details of their emotional state, have been linked to reduced stress, enhanced mood and even faster healing when done regularly.

There has also been a resurgence in hand lettering and calligraphy. The unhurried process of creating hand-drawn typography causes the brain to work in a complex manner, combining writing and illustration and tapping into both sides of our brain. The results for the writer include beautifully drawn letters, a sense of accomplishment and, often reduced perceived stress levels. Decreasing stress has been shown to increase serotonin, the body’s natural mood-enhancing chemical. With these benefits in mind, it seems clear why this form of writing is core to the digital detox trend.

Handwritten is best!

Personally, I love getting a hand written note in the mail. It’s the very first thing I open. I’ve found when leaving a digital note on a co-workers desk, a handwritten note on top it always gets more attention.

Let us know what you think, and you could WIN a collection of Pilot Pen products for yourself!