Keeping your private thoughts truly private is a challenge. Your search histories, location data, and online communications leave behind virtual breadcrumbs that are pieced together to form detailed user profiles.
Benefits of putting pen to paper
Writing by hand, whether in a printed journal or on loose sheets of paper, leaves no digital imprint. As long as the content stays off computers and cameras, it remains untraceable through digital means. Beyond privacy, the very act of writing by hand confers additional benefits that resonant with the human mind and spirit:
- Flow state – Handwriting engages the brain in a more focused, immersive state than typing. The process encourages the fluid expression of thoughts and feelings.
- Retention and comprehension – Studies show we are more likely to remember and internalize information we write by hand versus type. The practice enhances the learning and integration of ideas.
- Stress relief – The slow, methodical process of handwriting counteracts the “fight or flight” stress response and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Overall, the practice has a calming effect.
- Meaning and self-insight – Drawing reflections out by hand, as opposed to instant, digital communication, helps lend more weight and meaning. Journaling shifts perspective, promoting self-discovery and personal growth.
What is a safenote? With so many upsides, it is easy to see why individuals throughout history – from Marie Curie to Charles Darwin to Anne Frank – made use of daily diaries and notebooks to nurture their inner worlds. The question then becomes, in today’s hyper-connected society, how exactly does one keep the content of their notebooks private?
Strategies for keeping notebooks anonymous
For those especially concerned with privacy, there are several precautions one take to ensure their handwritten notes remain confidential:
- Avoid names, dates, locations, or other personal details within the journals themselves that could allow an outsider to connect the writings back to the author.
- When referencing people, use non-identifying descriptions like “my colleague” or “a student I know” instead of specific names, whether first names or initials.
- Purchase notebooks and writing instruments with cash instead of credit cards. Alternatively, opt for widely available, generic varieties that cannot be traced back to a particular buyer.
- Keep written materials out of sight in secure locations like locked drawers when not in use, rather than out on desks or tables. Never leave notebooks unattended in public spaces.
- Properly dispose of pages containing sensitive information through shredding or burning instead of tossing them intact in the garbage or recycling.
- Avoid mentioning to others that you keep a private journal or discussing the journal’s contents openly. The most secure journals are the ones no one is aware exist.
- Use coded language, symbols, invisible ink, or shorthand instead of long-form prose if concerned about others glimpsing pages accidentally. Having to decipher adds another layer of security.
While secure anonymity takes concerted planning, keeping a private handwritten journal is still one of the best ways to safeguard innermost thoughts from digital surveillance. With some conscious precautions to avoid self-identification within the notebooks themselves plus prudent physical handling, personal writings remain confidential indefinitely.
