Top 5 Benefits of Doodling: Impact on Mental Health

Do you know about the benefits of doodling for mental health or is it just a distraction? (Image via Freepik/ Freepik)
Do you know about the benefits of doodling for mental health or is it just a distraction? (Image via Freepik/ Freepik)

Are you aware of the benefits of doodling for your mental health? A lot of us would doodle during our lectures or during a break. Is it linked to creativity and concentration or is it just a way to pass time? Psychologists and researchers are now talking about the psychological benefits doodling has to offer.

When your mind is otherwise busy, like during a phone call, meeting, or lecture, or when you want to meditate or relax, it's common to draw aimlessly. This is the art of doodling, which is drawing, sketching, or scribbling without an end goal or product in mind. It is a type of process art, which means that the act of doodling is more important than the finished result.

You don't have to be an artist to reap the benefits of doodling. (Image via Freepik/ Freepik)
You don't have to be an artist to reap the benefits of doodling. (Image via Freepik/ Freepik)

What Is Doodling? How Can We Seek the Benefits of Doodling?

Most of us at some point have tried out doodling. (Image via Freepik/ Freepik)
Most of us at some point have tried out doodling. (Image via Freepik/ Freepik)

Doodling is frequently criticized for being an absent-minded project. If you have ever doodled, you would recognize this feeling of dismissal meted out by others. However, it is now acknowledged that doodling is a conscious and effort-driven process.

It can become a powerful tool to explore your unconscious. Our mind has been theoritically divided into three parts. Conscious level of thinking incorporates the here and now, while the pre-conscious is associated to recall and memory. Meanwhile, the third level is unconscious, the storehouse of dreams and fantasies. One of the key benefits of doodling is accessing material in the unconscious.

But, is it only limited to adults? Parents who want to push their kids to be creative and express themselves artistically can use doodle books and challenges to do so. By doing these tasks, kids can improve their fine motor skills, memory, ability to deal with stress, and ability to be creative. These perks can help kids become more self-confident, creative, and self-aware, which can help them do well in all parts of their lives.


Five Incredible Benefits of Doodling

The incredible benefits of doodling are also for children. (Image via Pexels/ Allan )
The incredible benefits of doodling are also for children. (Image via Pexels/ Allan )

We often put a lot of effort into art. While, the result may be incredible, it is often a long-drawn process. You can enjoy the benefits of doodling if you allow your mind to run free. We often put a lot of pressure and strain while creating something. Doodling, on the other hand, relieves us of that stress. Doodling, or drawing, or writing without a plan, can be helpful in many ways. Here are the five benefits of doodling:

1) Enhanced creativity

Doodling wakes up the creative side of the brain and helps people think of new ideas. By letting your thoughts wander while doodling, you can come up with new ideas and see things from a different point of view. It can help you come up with ideas and solve problems.


2) Improved focus and concentration

Doodling enhances focus, concentration and overall thinking skills. (Image via Pexels/ Alena Koval)
Doodling enhances focus, concentration and overall thinking skills. (Image via Pexels/ Alena Koval)

Many people think that drawing is a distraction, but studies have shown that it actually helps people focus and concentrate. Doodling with simple, repeated movements can help keep your mind from wandering and keep you from getting tired when you have to focus on something for a long time. In a way, therefore, it can also unlock your brain's potential.


3) Stress relief and relaxation

Doodling can help relieve stress and help you unwind. This simple, repetitive exercise can help calm the mind, reduce anxiety, and increase mindfulness. It can be a form of meditation that helps you forget about the stresses of everyday life.


4) Positive correlation with memory

Creativity and benefits of doodling go hand in hand. (Image via Unsplash/ Prophsee Journals)
Creativity and benefits of doodling go hand in hand. (Image via Unsplash/ Prophsee Journals)

Researchers have found that doodling helps people remember things and helps them learn. It can help people see and understand ideas, which makes them easier to remember.

Doodling while taking notes or listening to a lesson can help you understand and remember the information better by making visual connections with it.


5) Emotional expression and self-reflection

It can be a way to express yourself and think about your feelings. It lets you put your ideas, feelings, and experiences into pictures. Doodles can be a personal mirror of your mood and a good way to learn about yourself and express yourself.


It's important to remember that these benefits may be different for different people and that drawing is a personal act. Most of the time, the act of doodling is more important than what you end up with. So, enjoy the freedom of doodling without judging yourself or putting limits on your imagination.

We all have a natural tendency to write in a certain way, but we can learn ourselves to write in other ways. The same is true for how we doodle. Start with the style of drawing that comes most naturally to you, and then build on that. Don't worry about not being able to draw. One of the best benefits of doodling is that you don't have to be an artist.


Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.


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