The science of doodling

Science attests to the power of doodling. In 2009, a psychological experiment showed that doodling helps us remember. Researcher Jackie Andrade played a long voicemail to a set of volunteers. Half were asked to doodle while listening, while the others were asked to simply listen. The doodlers remembered 29% more details than the non-doodling group.

How does doodling help us focus? Focus can be described as a muscle that needs a break now and then to function properly. For example, an hour-long technical conference call requires a great deal of attention. Doodling can provide a respite for your brain, allowing it to focus on the important details.

Info doodles vs mindful doodles

Doodling offers a personalized means of capturing complex information in a visual language format. These ‘info doodles’ are easy to digest pictures representing hard to digest information. For example, bullet journals, university lecture notes, and infographics all stem from the info doodle.

However, while meditative doodling may help your memory, they are not the same as info doodles. Meditative doodling is not about trying to remember, plan or design. Mindful doodling is free of conscious decision making. Free-flowing, spontaneous and open, it is a powerful tool for relieving stress and boosting creativity.

Above all, meditative doodling is as much about the creative process as it is about the end result. The goal of mindful doodling is to engage with your creation in a meditative frame of mind. The doodler slows down, focuses on the pen and paper in a mindful pose. It’s perhaps no surprise that practiced mindful doodlers report increased creativity, self-confidence, and well-being.

Art therapy for all

From simple free-flowing sketching at home to structured group workshops, mindful doodling comes in many shapes and forms. It bridges the gap between explicit narrative and implicit sensory experience, between physical art and hidden emotion. To illustrate this, therapists across the globe attest to the power of mindful doodling.

The positive influence of doodling is catching on worldwide. In fact, a school of doodling thought has even been trademarked. The Zentangle Method® was designed as an easy, relaxing, and creative way to create images by drawing structured patterns. Today non-profit organization The Zentangle Foundation® has over 4,000 teachers in over 40 countries. Its method is used in schools, hospitals, businesses, prisons, wellness centers, and private homes.

Meditative doodling is not just for the counselor’s coach, however. Perhaps its greatest asset is its versatility. Free-flowing doodling holds no barriers in terms of age, cost, or creative ability. Anyone can afford to do it, you don’t need to be a creative expert to give it a go and it’s as good for kids as it is for seniors. In short, meditative doodling is for all.

Are you ready to give meditative doodling a try? Here are five tips to help you get started.

Five tips for getting started with mindful doodling:

1. Prepare

Get your mind and body ready for doodling. Organize a comfortable seating arrangement. You can use a beanbag on the floor with a hardback pad of paper or sit at a desk, as you prefer. Aim to make this space as nourishing as possible. Check your lighting, tidy away clutter, and make a happy space. Take a moment to reflect, be mindful of your present emotional state and when you feel ready, begin.

2. Let it go.

There are no mistakes in meditative doodling, merely happy accidents. Your creation does not need to be neat or ‘Instagram worthy’, but a reflection of you. Embrace the wonky lines, missed marks, and splattered shapes. Recognize these surprises and incorporate them in your doodle as you develop. You may even want to make these surprise gifts a focal point of your doodle.

3. Experiment.

Try using different materials. Ink, for example, flows more easily than a pencil, allowing you to focus on lines, shapes, and the free space. Use different textures of paper, colors, and materials. Switch up your doodling as often as you like.

4. Seek inspiration.

There are no rules to mindful doodling, however, you might like to explore with different patterns, shapes, lines, and forms. Research on Pinterest for specific ideas or seek inspiration in the art, nature, and life around you. Harness all your senses to guide your doodling. Mindful doodling is a wonderful sensory experience. Whether it’s the scent of freshly laundered linen or distant bird song, welcome your surroundings into your doodles as much as your internal thoughts and emotions.

5. Don’t overthink it.

Meditative doodling is free, spontaneous, and organic. It is not an exercise to perfect for the future, but a joy for the present. Draw what feels right to you and enjoy the moment.

Nina edits The Expater, a lifestyle blog for women living abroad. The Expater features life coaching tips and personal stories on all things international lifestyle, including relationships, careers, travel, wellbeing and beauty. Follow Nina on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.

A headache comes on and you can no longer go back to sleep, feeling anything from mild panic, to an overwhelming sense of fear. You can’t sleep due to anxiety from watching the news, and the cycle of worry continues.

Most would agree that 2020 has been unusually tough. And in a world of 24/7 news updates, it’s impossible to escape this hard reality. For many, this intense barrage of information no longer nourishes the mind but drains it. Anxiety from watching the news is a common problem.

In 2017, a study by the American Psychological Association showed that US citizens were monitoring the news more closely than previously, with one in ten checking the news on an hourly basis. More than half of those surveyed (56 percent) stated that while they wanted to stay updated with current affairs, doing so caused stress.

It’s normal to feel anxious during a crisis, but there are simple steps you can take to look after your mental health. How do you deal with anxiety from watching the news?

Here are eight habits if you’re suffering from anxiety from watching the news:

1. Congratulate yourself

It is not a sign of weakness to stop watching, reading, or listening to the news if it is causing you distress. Contrary to hiding away from reality, you are taking positive, proactive action, enabling you to be the best version of yourself.

Just as you need to fit your own life jacket before securing that of others, you need to take care of yourself first if you want to serve others.

A self-imposed break from the news is an opportunity to recharge and become the person you want to be.

2. Try a digital detox

News is presented not only on the television but also via our laptops, radios, and mobile phones, often indirectly and subconsciously. A detox does not need to be a longterm total blackout; even a morning off every week can make a huge difference to your mental health.

Start with a short, one-off break from the news, then consider scheduling in regular and wider digital breaks throughout the week.

3. Schedule pull, not push, news updates

Be mindful of when you are accessing the news and your sources. Seek updates at the times you feel you strongest. Whether you’re more resilient in the mornings or weekends, make a plan when you will access the news and stick to it.

Seek out information, rather than letting unsolicited news updates drip into your life. Censor the websites that cause you distress, and opt for sources that you can manage more easily. For example, the Good News Network features positive, uplifting stories across current affairs.

4. Make a news shopping list

Seek out practical, essential information as opposed to mindless scrolling through online magazines. If you want to support a cause, reach out to a relevant organization, rather than wading through online news and social media.

If you’re feeling anxiety from watching the news during the day, jot down your concerns. Then, at a planned time slot, take the action you feel necessary, whether it’s donating to a charity, signing a petition, or reaching out to a friend in need.

And don’t feel you need to complete your ‘to do’ list in one sitting. It’s about creating a manageable, long-term action plan.

5. Opt for words over video

Reading a newspaper is a less sensory, more controllable way of accessing the news compared to a video. Watching the news on a television or a computer can create longer-lasting negative memories than reading a newspaper or speaking to a friend.

Avoid overloading your senses with distressing scenes and instead focus on accessing the practical information you need. If you can no longer cope with news in any measure, consider asking a friend or family member whom you trust to update you with what you need. Asking a trusted third person is a great way of accessing the information you need while caring for your mental health.

6. Fix a daily routine

Sticking to a routine that includes daily exercise and socialization is vital for your mental health. Make a holistic self-care plan, including creative, relaxing and social activities. Whether it’s a morning of prayer, a revitalizing bath, hanging family photos, a phone call to friends, or a self facial, it all helps boost your mood.

7. Nurture yourself in nature

While it might not be possible to go for a long walk in the countryside right now, you can still seek solace in nature. Whether it’s taking in the fresh air at the window while reading a book, keeping houseplants, or opening your windows to the sounds of nature, a taste of the outdoors can help lift negative feelings, in turn strengthening your resilience to the stress of today’s world.

8. Notice the difference between anxiety, a diagnosable mental health condition, and feeling anxious because of current affairs.

Either way, if anxiety is negatively impacting your daily routine for a prolonged length of time, speak to a qualified mental health counselor or therapist. It’s normal to have up and down days, it’s normal to get stuck in the funk now and again, but if you’re unable to get out of bed, get dressed, shower, work or socialize (including virtually), get help from a qualified therapist.

Nina edits The Expater, a lifestyle blog for expats and globally-minded women. The Expater features expert advice and personal stories on all things international lifestyle, including relationships, careers, wellbeing, and skincare. Follow her on instagram and Facebook.

You’re not alone. Losing deep, long-term friendships to an overseas move can be hard. It can create a sense of loneliness, which healthcare experts reckon can be as dangerous as chronic disease.

Perhaps you’ve experienced great friendships, but struggle to keep them alive.

Friendships may grow organically, spontaneously, and despite all odds, but keeping in touch with friends from overseas needs a little more forethought.

A good friend is a connection to life – a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. – Lois Wyse

Here are 10 habits for keeping in touch with friends from overseas:

1. Set a regular date.

It’s normal for the novelty of a long-distance friendship to wane and the humdrum of daily life to get in the way. So communicate with your friend and agree on a regular, easy to remember catch-up time. Whether you speak on the first Friday of the month, or every Thursday after work, put the date in your diary. Eventually keeping in touch will become automatic, and something to look forward to.

2. Plan short chats.

It’s normal for an initial catch up to take more time, but if you’re looking to maintain a friendship, then make it clear to your friend that a short ‘hello’ is always welcome. Little and often is more manageable than hourly calls on a long term basis.

You shouldn’t feel wary of getting in touch or accepting a call because you’re too busy. Neither of you should dread a call from each other and neither of you should have your call rejected because you just don’t have the time or energy.

3. Get creative.

Keeping in touch with friends from overseas is so much more than social media messages sent back and forth. Watch a movie together, go for a coffee, or just hang out. Just don’t forget to turn your phone off when you shower!

4. Reach out spontaneously.

It’s always heartwarming to hear from a friend out of the blue. Planned catch-ups are great, but feel free to reach out in between if they cross your mind. If something made you think of your friend, let them know.

5. Make the most of technology.

With social media and apps, such as Whatsapp, Skype, Instagram, House Party and Zoom, it has never been easier to communicate across borders. Explore the different options and find the right fit for you and your friend. If you’re living in an area with poor access to the internet, then email chats might work better than FaceTime calls. Find the app, website, service, or provider that works for you both.

6. Pick up the phone.

And we don’t mean for a Facebook post. Sending a funny meme may brighten someone’s morning for a fleeting moment, but a phone call will always be so much more personal. Take time to listen. The nuances of body language are largely missed, even on a video call. Meeting in person is the best way to communicate, but speaking on the phone is a close second.

7. Start a club.

If you’re keeping in touch with a group of friends, why not start a group together? You could even make this a pact with just a single friend. A book, movie, wine, or fitness motivation club are all great reasons to stay in touch. Schedule monthly calls to discuss your findings, swap ideas, empower each other, and keep in touch.

8. Respect schedules.

You might be wanting to call every week, but your friend might not have the time. If they have kids, a demanding job or other issues in their life, don’t be offended if they can’t accommodate you as much as you’d like. Equally, you might be happy to chat all night after work, but in their time zone, it could mean a horribly early start. Try to find a schedule that works for both of you.

9. Reach out with a reason.

If you’re reaching out to your friend for the first time in a while and it all feels a little daunting, do so with a reason. Maybe you’ve read an article that made you think of them, perhaps you came across a photo of them from a long time ago or it could be that you just want to share a funny meme. Having a reason to get in touch can make the first reunion feel less awkward.

10. Send personalized birthday wishes.

‘Happy birthday’ written hastily on social media walls doesn’t make anything like the same impact as a personal message. A handwritten birthday card wins every time. And if that’s not possible, how about scheduling a birthday postcard, gift, or flowers with a personal message included?

Nina edits The Expater, a lifestyle blog for expats and globally-minded women. The Expater features expert advice and personal stories on all things international lifestyle, including relationships, careers, wellbeing and skincare.