Insights / Research
Doodling for Success:
Doodling In The Workplace
The Doodle Challenge Team
February 8th, 2019
"Research has demonstrated a solid correlation between the act of doodling and a healthier, more focused mindset that is free of stress and other negative moods. This research even goes so far as to state that, “If doodling can lower chronic stress levels, then it has the potential to be a self-care form of art therapy that is accessible to all individuals…[making it] a universally available form of therapy for chronic stress.”
Illustration by Dhedy Arwanto
Are your employees stressed out? Do you find that your business is frequently making schedule adjustments to compensate for employee sick days or employees who have quit? Are you struggling to attract and retain top talent for your company? Does your business seem to be falling behind when it comes to developing innovative methods for your industry? Is your company struggling to improve its bottom line?
If you answered yes to these questions, you are not alone. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 61% of Americans are significantly stressed out by their work.[1] The effects of job related stress are felt by employees and employers alike. High employee stress levels lead to poor psychological employee health and a high potential for burnout, which can devolve into monumental costs for employers. A 2018 Gallup Poll states that burnt out employees are:
These factors can cost employers countless dollars. Not only do high levels of employee stress lead to costly issues such as employee burnout, they can also inhibit creative problem solving, make it difficult to retain good employees, slow down or prevent innovation and foster difficulty when it comes to improving a company’s bottom line. Employers seeking to combat these potential expenses must find effective methods of decreasing the stress levels of their employees.
By managing issues related to employee stress, The Wellness Council of America states that employers will be in a better position to:
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A surprising method of solving this pervasive employee burnout problem is through the art of doodling. Research has demonstrated a solid correlation between the act of doodling and a healthier, more focused mindset that is free of stress and other negative moods. This research even goes so far as to state that, “If doodling can lower chronic stress levels, then it has the potential to be a self-care form of art therapy that is accessible to all individuals…[making it] a universally available form of therapy for chronic stress.”[4]
In addition to its stress-alleviating capabilities, doodling also has the power to increase a person’s abilities to be engaged, problem solve in a creative manner and effectively communicate in the workplace. In fact, career news author, Gina Belli points to doodling as a common practice among highly successful people that aids in focus and creativity.[5] In noting the practice of doodling by the most successful among us, Belli keys in on an important point that combats a common misconception about doodling: that it is merely a distraction for the doodler.
This idea couldn’t be further from the truth. The BBC has also explored the misconception of doodling as a simple distraction for those who aren’t paying attention. They even state that, “far from being a distraction, doodling can prevent our minds from wandering into daydreams about the past or future, boosting concentration and memory: groups given a drawing task recalled about 30% more information from a recording than those left to their own devices.”[6]
The Doodle Challenge (TDC) seeks to help employers bridge the gap when it comes to employee mental health and creativity. The Doodle Challenges provides tools and workshops that provide regular opportunities for employees in organizations to think creatively, focus wholeheartedly, and de-stress mindfully.
Based in Neuroscience, Psychology and Design/Art theory, every TDC solution utilizes research-backed methods that can have a profound effect on employee wellness and productivity levels while simultaneously enhancing their sense of focus and creativity.
Setting up a TDC workshop or instituting the Doodle Challenge as a common employee practice as part of an employer’s ESPP (Employee Stress Prevention Plan) can help employers to foster a work environment that promotes employee focus, creativity, productivity, communication and wellness.
To learn more about our solutions for business visit us at:
www.thedoodlechallenge.com/forbusiness
[1] American Psychological Association (2017). Stress in America: The State of Our Nation. Stress in America™ Survey
[2] Gallup, Inc. (2018, July 12). Employee Burnout, Part 1: The 5 Main Causes. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/237059/employee-burnout-part-main-causes.aspx
[3] The Benefits of Stress Management for Employees. (2018, April 26). Retrieved from https://www.welcoa.org/blog/benefits-stress-management-employees/
[4] Simmons, M. (2015). Keep calm and doodle on: A relationship between doodling and stress reduction. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 1-87. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/openview/dd67626283312dd8c91e3430f58e0d0a/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
[5] Belli, G. 4 Great Reasons to Doodle at Work. (2017, September 13). Retrieved from https://www.payscale.com/career-news/2015/02/4-great-reasons-to-doodle-at-work
[6] Robson, D. (2014, October 01). Future - Are we hard-wired to doodle? Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140930-are-we-hardwired-to-doodle
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