Discover how we, as busy moms, can sharpen our focus with a quick doodling exercise—simple, colorful techniques to stay present and creative.
In the whirlwind of daily tasks and responsibilities, finding ways to maintain focus and stay present, especially during long meetings or phone calls, can be challenging. This simple yet effective doodling exercise, which you can do with just a pen and paper, not only helps enhance your concentration but also offers a moment of creative relaxation. Plus, adding a splash of rainbow colors brings joy to this mindful activity.
Why This Exercise Works:
Enhancing Focus: Engaging in a repetitive yet creative task like this doodling exercise can help anchor your attention, making it easier to listen and stay focused during meetings or calls. The rhythmic nature of drawing these lines can turn into a meditative practice, calming your mind and reducing stress.
Stimulating Creativity: The use of rainbow colors not only makes the exercise visually appealing but also stimulates your brain creatively. Switching colors requires you to stay present and mindful of the pattern, enhancing your focus and creativity.
Simple Relaxation: Unlike complex art projects, this doodling exercise is simple enough to do without overwhelming your brain, making it a perfect mini-relaxation technique during busy days. It’s an accessible form of creative expression for anyone, regardless of artistic skill.
Have fun with this quick doodling exercise! Please let me know if you’ve tried this one; I would love to see it.
You can find a small video of this exercise on my Instagram @thecreativecooldown
Supplies used:
Dot paper (Archer & Olive), brush pens (Tombow Fudenosuke).
Alternative supply suggestions:
You can use any material for this exercise, such as colored pencils, crayons, or a pencil.
As paper, you can use lined or graph paper as well. If you don’t have any of those, use blank paper, and don’t worry about exact straight lines. This exercise is not about that.
Instructions for this quick doodling exercise:
Step 1 – Doodle the first line
Before you start, slowly breathe in and out a few times to clear your head. Then, bring yourself to the present, away from all the day-to-day stress.
You can use just one color for this exercise, but I decided to use rainbow colors to spice things up. Do what is convenient for you or what you’re in the mood for. There is no wrong way to do this exercise.
Using a red pen, begin on a horizontal line near the top of your paper. Then, add small vertical lines along this horizontal line at regular intervals.
Step 2 – Doodle the following line
Below your first line, go to the following horizontal line and grab an orange pen. This time, place your small vertical lines in the spaces between the vertical lines of the first line.
Step 3 – Continue drawing lines
For the third line, use yellow and draw your vertical lines aligned with the first row. Following the rainbow sequence, continue adding colors and switch positioning with each subsequent line.
Keep repeating this pattern, moving down the page. You’ll notice a captivating zigzag pattern emerging, filled with the vibrant colors of the rainbow.
Next time you find yourself drifting off during a meeting or struggling to pay attention during a long phone call, try this straightforward doodling exercise. It will help you stay focused and provide a brief creative escape, adding a little more color and calm to your day. Who knew a simple pattern of lines and colors could be such a powerful tool for mindfulness and concentration?
You might also like my simple pattern drawing exercise if you enjoyed this exercise.
