I’m constantly “doodling.” Ever since I was a kid I would find myself aimlessly drawing designs on my notebooks and papers while listening to a story, lecture or now during a meeting. Was I not paying attention or distracted? I think it actually helps me focus and there’s data to support that theory. The current research in the fields of neuroscience, psychology and design are all touting its value in the workplace. Doodles, not to be confused with notes, can be abstract patterns or drawings of actual people, places and things. Here are 3 ways doodling can help you at work:
Doodling can help you pay attention. We’ve all been there. It’s the 2nd hour of a department meeting and it feels like there’s no end in sight. You find your mind wandering as you mentally check out of the room. However, if you were to catch yourself pre-zone out and start to doodle, you’d not only prevent your brain (and potentially you) from falling asleep, you’d be able to retain 29% more that your non doodling counterparts says TIME Magazine. The simple act of doodling can help your brain remain in the present and be receptive to new information.
Doodling can help you grasp new concepts and refine your ideas. Nowadays most of my doodles are to help me work through or communicate a process, layout or design at work. In fact there’s been many a time where I’ve either handed over one of my “doodles” to a colleague to follow up on a discussion or snapped a quick pic of my latest whiteboard “masterpiece” to save for myself as a reference point. I’m not alone, this is how many of us process information and concepts. By drawing a picture of what the end result or inputs would be instead of writing out notes, I’m working though connecting the individual pieces of information together and understanding how they work as one system. Sometime these doodles look very formal like a flow chart and sometimes they take on a life of their own in an organic design. Either way, it’s a tool I rely on to help me learn. Additionally, doodling help me to think outside of the box and solve problems. I can work through something far easier visually that through text and in the process come up with new ways to address the problem.
Doodling can help you to retain information. I’m sure your familiar with students who listen to music while they study, you might have even been one of them. This is the same concept. Just like the music will trigger a memory of the information they were studying when listened to at a later date, viewing a doodle can make the connections to the information provided during the meeting, lecture or event that was happing as it was being crafted.
So in conclusion, seemingly mindless drawing can keep your head in the game. Next time you’re in a meeting or need to figure something out, don’t fight the feeling, put pen to paper and doodle!!
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