When you’re struggling to pay attention during a long (or, dare we say, boring) phone call or meeting, it can be almost impossible to resist the urge to start doodling.
You begin with a few absent-minded squiggles while you gaze out of the window and before you know it your page is scattered with hearts, swirls, stars, geometric shapes or little cartoons. It’s as though your inner creativity is trying to burst out while you’re distracted.
Many of us can recall being told off at school for doodling in the margins of our exercise books when we were meant to be listening to the teacher, but doodling isn’t actually as distracting as we might think.
The science of doodling
Studies have shown that doodling while listening to a phone call can actually improve your memory.
Psychologist Jackie Andrade conducted an experiment where people listened to a dull phone recording. Half of those taking part were allowed to doodle, while the other half just sat and listened. Afterwards, they were tested to see how much they remembered, and the doodlers recalled significantly more information than the non-doodlers – around 30%.
Researchers believe that doodling helps your brain to stay focused when you might otherwise become bored and switch off. By letting yourself doodle, you’re stopping yourself daydreaming and letting your mind absorb information – even if you’re not fully aware of it.
Sunni Brown, author of The Doodle Revolution, believes that we shouldn’t look down on doodling or discourage people from drawing at work.
She believes that doodling isn’t a time-waster at all; it’s actually “an incredibly powerful tool. And it is a tool that we need to remember and re-learn”.
According to Sunni, doodling can help us to make decisions by taking in more information in one go, because it allows us to use different areas of the brain at once. This helps us to make creative leaps to solve whatever problem is at hand.
The great stress reliever
Doodling can also have real benefits when we’re experiencing stress or anxiety. If you are feeling tense, keeping your hands busy can help you to feel less on edge – this is a mindfulness technique called ‘grounding’.
When we’re grounded, it helps us to focus on the present moment and set aside our worries for a short time, leaving us feeling calmer and more relaxed.
For some people, a colouring pad is the right tool, but there’s no reason why you can’t simply pick up a pen and draw when you feel the need. We don’t always have a colouring book with us, and getting hold of a pen and a scrap of paper is usually a quick solution.
Your doodling session can provide the opportunity for mindful focus too. Wendy Ann Greenhalgh, author of Mindfulness & the Art of Drawing, says: “Doodling actually shares the same process as meditation, leading us into a process of focus, concentration and absorption. This gets us into a ‘flow’ state; a state of mind where everything feels calm, effortless, immensely relaxing and also very clear and awake. So basically, doodling is a naturally mindful activity.”
We can bring mindfulness into our doodling process simply by being aware. “For example, we can bring awareness to our body as we draw or doodle, noticing if it’s tense or relaxed, how we’re sitting, and whether we’re feeling the ‘flow’ in our body too,” says Wendy Ann.
“We can bring mindfulness to our breath, noticing if we’re holding it or breathing very shallowly, and noticing how this changes as we relax and just doodle.”
Art without judgment
When you doodle, there really is no need to worry about what other people might think of your drawing or how it looks – it’s essentially a way for you to let go.
Wendy Ann thinks of doodling as essentially drawing without a destination in mind. “We just doodle, don’t we? We’re not thinking about an end result, we’re not comparing it to someone else’s doodle, or the one we did last week!”
The very act of drawing without expectation allows us to let go – to make marks without any inhibitions. “This learning to let go, to draw uninhibitedly, allows us to get out of our own way and let our natural creativity and intuitions shine through. When that happens the creativity just flows,” Wendy Ann says.
If you are feeling tense, keeping your hands busy can help you to feel less on-edge – this is a mindfulness technique called ‘grounding’.
Many of us find drawing intimidating, perhaps having been told at school that we’re not ‘good’ at art or that it isn’t our best subject. But when you’re drawing for your own pleasure, there is no such thing as being ‘good’ – it really is a practice that everyone can do.
The simplest way to get started? Just relax and enjoy making marks. Wendy Ann believes that you don’t need training, fancy art supplies or confidence to find calm in mindful drawing.
“We can all make marks, it’s a totally natural way of being. Children do it as soon as they can hold a pen. And doodling is a great way to access that carefree, uninhibited, playful way of drawing that we had as kids. Try to reconnect with how you felt when you drew as a child. Back then, you didn’t worry about making it look a certain way or what anyone else would think – you just made whatever marks came to mind freely and easily.
“It’s a great way to realise that we are all naturally creative – that absolutely every one of us has that potential. So many of us stop ourselves from realising this as we’re in the habit of telling ourselves that we’re not a creative type, or that art isn’t for us. Mindful doodling is a great way to see beyond those limiting beliefs, build confidence – and then anything’s possible.”
Doodling prompts
Read on to find some creative doodling exercises and discover what your drawings can reveal about your personality.
Tip 1. Drawing feelings
Doodling is a great way to get in touch with your emotions. Expressing yourself on paper can help you to understand how you feel, and express that to others.
Tip 2. Join a community
Find Wendy Ann Greenhalgh on Insta @zenoftheredthread. She also runs a Facebook group for mindful doodling: facebook.com/groups/stoplookbreathecreate
Tip 3. Further doodling
Gwen Burn’s lovely pattern book Mindful Doodling – Pattern Your Way to a Stress Free Day (Amazon, £2.89) is filled with ideas to get you started.
Pebble doodling
Mindful doodling not only helps us to step back from our worries – it gives us the chance to create something beautiful.
- Let go of your anxious thoughts and allow your mind to drift while you work on your stone. You don’t need to have a plan or a design in mind, simply follow your imagination and see where it takes you.
- Spend some time choosing a pebble you want to decorate (in the UK, it’s actually illegal to take pebbles from the beach, but you can find where to buy rocks to paint here). Roll the stone between your fingers and examine it – what colours can you see within the stone? Does it have veins? Think about how it feels between your fingers. Don’t rush the process. Take the time to look for stones that are a pleasing shape and colour, and think about how they will look together.
No reproduction without permission.
- What you use to decorate your pebble is up to you – here, we’ve used white gel pens to make intricate designs but acrylic paint also works well. Allow your mind to wander as you decorate your pebble. Don’t think too much about designs, just start drawing or painting and see what happens.
Discover pebble decorating ideas
Need some inspiration? Check out our collection of easy rock painting ideas.
- If you plan on keeping your finished pebble outside, it’s a good idea to cover it with clear varnish first to protect your patterns.
What our doodles can reveal
Ruth Rostron, of the British Institute of Graphologists, explains how to interpret your doodles
Hearts, circles, spirals & clouds
Rounded shapes reveal an emotional personality and a desire for peace.
Stars, arrows & zig-zags
People who draw angular shapes are determined and looking for an outlet for their mental and physical energy.
Houses, boxes & towers
Drawing rectangular shapes shows that you’re a practical person who needs to feel secure.
Lines
If you draw regular lines it shows that you like order and being in control, while people who draw more messy lines have a tendency to get side-tracked.
Location, location, location
The position of your doodles is also telling. The top of the page is associated with dreams, while the bottom of the page is linked to security.
Size matters
The size of your doodles reflects your personality. Larger shapes mean that you’re more outgoing, while smaller ones show a desire for a quiet life.
Try doodling for some mindful me time
Picking up a pen and drawing whatever comes to mind can help you to be more relaxed, focused and creative. Find the perfect sketchbook for your doodles with our guide to the best sketchbooks.
