Stress has acquired a pretty terrible reputation over the pandemic.

It’s important to clarify that some stress can actually be good. 

But it’s the bad stress that we need to worry about. 

The kind of stress that holds on and is repetitive is called chronic stress and it’s damaging to our physical and mental health. 

In the context of a work environment, often stress levels are high because we’ve got a lot of things on the go at any given time. We also have an incredible amount of distractions. When bouncing around between things, this has a direct impact on our mood, energy levels and overall life satisfaction. 

Not to mention the amount of meetings that we are in, also contribute to elevated stress levels, because then there’s not as much time for real quality work. 

So what’s the solution?

A Doodle Break.

This is NOT a distraction, rather an intentional productive healthy break.

The act of doodling, even if it’s for 5 – 10 minutes between meetings, allows us to take a moment to breathe and reduce stress levels. It’s one of the most accessible and effective ways to relax the mind so that it can integrate and process information.

Allowing you to return to the next task at hand in a more focused way. 

Doodling is repetitive. It’s rhythmic. 

The science of why it works is because the act of doodling brings increased blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, which is the front of our brain. There are different studies to show that the act of art-making lowers cortisol levels in up to 75% of participants. When we use our creativity, and use a tool like doodling, it can be really impactful to our overall stress levels.

Want to kickstart a creative habit with your team at work?

Reach out for more information on how mindful doodling can help you and your team manage stress, building positive sustainable change. We offer all types of guided doodle breaks, perfect for team meetings, events and wellness days.

This blog post was originally written and published from our Doodle Breaks page.