Some of the biggest productivity gains I've had over the years were related switching from "writing code down" to "thinking in code" mentality and abandoning linear, paper-like ways of thinking, which hindered me when I was in college.

For anyone who believes that paper and whiteboards are "good enough" for coding, I highly recommend watching some of Victor Bret's or Alan Kay's talks. Pretty much any of them. They consistently touch on the subject of dynamic media as a way to empower people to... well, think better for the lack of better terms.