Feeling blocked after breakfast? Or tapped out by 10?
There’s a quick and easy practice you can add to your morning that will give your creativity a real boost.
Surprise…. Yes, it’s doodling!
There are lots of studies and loads of research that show how doodling is helpful, beneficial and linked to creativity. Take up doodling during your freshest morning hours and you can kickstart a whole day of creative thinking.
What does doodling have to do with creativity?
Doodling – even for a couple of minutes – provides a break for your brain.
During any long stretch of thinking, our cognitive capacity gets exhausted and we stop being able to make those creative connections that produce original ideas. Our brains go numb with constant stimulation; we’re unable to continuously treat a task as important and our concentration eventually fizzles out. Studies have shown that people who choose some kind of diversion or distraction for a few minutes each hour perform better than those who keep at a task without a break. Taking a break – doodling is a perfect example – wakes up the brain, refreshes our thinking, and returns us to the job with renewed focus and mental energy.
Doodling does more than just distract, it turns “off” your concentration for a few freeing moments. Because it’s a task without a goal and you don’t have to worry about making mistakes, doodling provides a very rare break from “trying” to do well. The power of doodling is in the process itself. It pulls your attention into the movement and into the moment. It’s easy, judgement-free and the outcome, the result, the ‘product’ is irrelevant. It’s a quick and simple way – accessible to anyone — to just BE in the moment. It’s not a task on your list, or an artistic endeavour you feel you have to “get right”. Those moments of real freedom often result in new patterns, designs and ideas – the definition of creative thinking!
If you ever get stuck trying to solve a problem… if you’ve hit a block, can’t find that fresh approach, feel like you’ve run out of ideas… try doodling. When you doodle, you’re allowing your mind to wander, giving it the space to connect new thoughts, generate new ideas and uncover new insights.
Does it have to be in the morning?
It doesn’t have to be – doodling for a few minutes any time of day gives your brain time and space to think more creatively… but giving yourself a few minutes in the morning can really change your day. And here’s why.
The most successful leaders and entrepreneurs swear by their morning routine. It’s their chance to build up their energy, focus on the positive, think deeply, and set the tone for the day – before the world comes crashing in.
Any morning routine that gives you a few fresh, free, peaceful minutes before you’re catapulted into the demands, worries and stresses of the day will help you manage your whole day better. You don’t need to be an EARLY morning person to set up an empowering morning routine. Your routine can start whenever you wake up – the idea is that you build some space for yourself BEFORE the day grabs hold. Which means before email. Before news. Before social media.
Creating a buffer between your restful night and frantic day lets you enter the day with joy and calm. You have a chance to focus your mind, set a positive mood and invite creativity, which will boost your productivity and energy all day.
Doodling, as part of the morning routine, has huge benefits. It’s a wonderfully calm, simple, meditative process. It’s a very effective way to centre yourself in the moment. Taking pen to paper to doodle is more concrete than pure reflection and many people find it similar to, but easier than, meditation. And it’s creative – for all those reasons mentioned above, so it gives you a chance to start your day with play, opening up your creative mind, kind of like stretching, in preparation for a joyful day.
Welcoming creativity, play and joy into your life every morning (before the whirlwind begins!) is a great way to tame stress, increase energy, and enjoy life more. Engaging in more creativity makes life infinitely interesting and fulfilling. Imagine that – with just a doodle a day!
Not sure how to start? Try a Free Doodle Tool!
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