Note-taking tools look exciting, but many can be unhelpful. In fact, using a note-taking app can actually hurt your learning. Not convinced? Here are five reasons to ditch your note-taking app.

1. Typing Hurts Memory

If you use a note-taking app, you must type your notes. Writing with a pen or pencil involves more parts of your brain than typing does. Frontiers in Science showed this in a study, as reported in NOW.

The study found that using a pencil also makes you more productive. Pencil users were also more stimulated, and remembered the information better than keyboarders. This was partly because taking notes with a pencil requires more focus.

You need to think about the shape of the letters as you make them. Even more so if you are trying to write neatly. You also engage more with the material if you skip the typing. This is because you can’t passively copy and paste with a pencil, you have to process and summarize as you go.

2. More Screens, More Eye Strain

Most people spend more time looking at screens than they should. The blue light from screens hurts our productivity, and there’s only so much that a light filter can do. Note-taking apps have to work through a screen, so they only add to this strain.

Even note-taking apps that offer a dark mode are still not as healthy as a break. The best thing you can do for your eyes is to point them at paper, instead. Adding to the problem, you will not be as effective when you are tired from eye strain. This is because you are more productive when you are rested.

3. Feature Bloat Causes Distraction

Unlike your paper notebook, app developers must always update. This is especially true if you pay a monthly subscription. Because of that, note-taking tools often get feature bloat.

Feature bloat is when an app gets overburdened with features it doesn’t actually need. For example, offering hundreds of font and color choices. This fine-tuning distracts from the actual note-taking.

When it comes to note-taking, simple is better. Instead of looking through menus to find special features, turn the screen off and use paper. Then, you can focus on what you are reading or listening to, and get more effective notes.

4. Screens Limit Your Space

Say you want to take notes on a slide deck or document. You will have to squeeze your material and your notes onto the screen together. The cramped space makes it hard to manage the materials, and may force you to use smaller text.

Research by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society shows the benefits of larger text. When the researchers used larger text, productivity and accuracy increased. The subjects also felt their tasks were easier.

Healio reported another study by Optometry & Vision Science, which showed that 10-point font works fine in natural light. But, on a computer, the glare brings productivity back down. So to get more done, we need natural light and large letters.

This is easier to achieve on paper than on a computer. On computer, the backlight and limited screen size work against these priorities. On the other hand, writing on a college-ruled paper is about the same as a 20-point font.

5. Computers Are Difficult to Doodle On

Many note-taking apps do have a doodle function. But pasting or importing images doesn’t help you remember them. This is because this action doesn’t force you to focus on the image the way drawing does. It’s too passive.

Drawing with a mouse is also difficult. Even tablet pens are hard to use if you aren't used to them. And if your picture doesn’t look how you wanted, it doesn’t work well as a memory aid. Even if you’re not an artist, you’ll get better results with a pencil and paper. And don't think you can stick to text, either. Doodling is an important part of taking notes.

The more variety you add in your notes, the better you can recall them. This is because it gives your brain more ways to access the information later. It also allows you to use faster note-taking strategies, such as mind-mapping.

Ditch Your Note-Taking App

Sometimes, for productivity, the answer is to simplify. Delete your digital note-taking tools today, and invest in a pack of note paper and a refillable highlighter.