“My brain is fried,” I said, as I walked through the door of my friend’s flat last week.
“Same,” she replied. “All I’ve done is look at a screen all day.”
We laughed, but the reality is no joke. Between work emails, group chats, Google Docs, and the near-irresistible pull of TikTok, research suggests that the average person now spends over seven hours a day online.
If you’ve ever closed your laptop at 6 pm only to immediately open your phone, you’ll know just how easy it is for the hours of screen time to rack up. And you’ll also be familiar with the consequences of this chronic connectivity: that eye-glazing, thought-muting flatness that leaves you feeling exhausted, overstimulated, and yet somehow bored.
There’s even a name for this feeling: internet brain. A product of our always-on digital lives, research suggests that our excessive screen time could be contributing to cognitive fatigue, stress, and the kind of burnout that comes from never truly switching off.
So, why does too much time looking at screens create this rotting feeling inside our heads? Well, it all comes down to the way our brain is organised. In order to process this constant stream of content, our brain has to stay in its focus network, the system which helps us to tick off tasks and process information. As a result, we’re spending less time in the equally vital “default mode network,” - the part of our brain which is active during periods of rest, and where creativity sparks and memories form.
”The brain needs periods of under-stimulation to generate novel connections,” explains Psychotherapist, Lauren Young. “Digital overwhelm interferes with this quiet mental space, reducing our tolerance for boredom and decreasing the deep processing which fuels reflective thinking and leads to creative insights.”
There’s good news, however. Because science suggests that "Internet brain" can be remedied with just small breaks from the mental treadmill. In fact, one study found that just 20 minutes of doodling can lower stress and boost creative thinking for up to 48 hours.
As someone who spent most of secondary school doodling in the margins of her exercise books, I was curious to put this refreshingly simple and nostalgic habit to the test. So, for one week, I put down my phone, picked up a pen, and committed to doodling for 20 minutes a day, to see if it really could make a difference to my wellbeing.
Interested? Read on. And if you’re searching for further brain-boosting habits, look no further. We’ve got guides to managing stress, mastering your emotions and even how you can train your brain to enjoy exercise.
I Added Doodling Breaks to my Calendar Everyday for a Week - and My Creativity Has Gone Into Overdrive
What is doodling?
Defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as “drawing pictures or patterns while thinking about something else,” doodling can be anything from tiny sketches to patterns, shapes or scribbles.
Generally simple in nature and with no specific outcome in mind, doodling is often used to relieve boredom, manage stress or spark creativity. And the beauty is that there’s no skill involved, and therefore you can’t be a “bad” doodler, as art therapist, Polly Miskiewicz, explains. “You don’t need talent, training, a plan, or even any special tools to doodle. In fact, the less pressure there is, the more effective doodling becomes.”
According to Miskiewicz, all you need to start doodling is:
- Something to make a mark with
- Something to make a mark on
- A willingness to let your hand move without judgement
What are the benefits of doodling?
The idea of doodling might feel like a throwback to your school days, when teachers would tell you off for drawing hearts, flowers and stick-people on your whiteboard, but the practice has genuine cognitive benefits, even in adulthood.
“Creative expression of any kind has incredible impacts on mental health, promoting cognitive, emotional, physical, and social well-being, while influencing emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and social connectedness,” says Young. “It’s essential because our creative health directly connects to our sense of agency and self-efficacy. When we create, we move from passive to active participants in shaping our experience, which can be key to mental resilience and recovery.”
So far, so good. But what exactly is so great about putting pen to paper?
1. It soothes your nervous system
“Doodling is a deceptively simple form of self-regulation,” says Miskiewicz. “The repetition can soothe the nervous system, much like slow breathing or knitting. Psychologically, it works that in-between space between the conscious and unconscious, where surprising thoughts can emerge.”
2. It anchors us to the present
According to Miskiewicz, the use of physical materials, rather than a screen, is also important (so try not to doodle on your iPad, and go for pen and paper instead).
“In an increasingly digital world, the analogue, tactile quality helps anchor us in the present moment,” she says. “It’s a small act of re-wilding for the senses; a reminder that not all our marks have to be pixels.”
3. It helps with concentration
”Studies show that people who doodle while listening to information recall 29% more detail than non-doodlers,” says Young, “because doodling prevents the mind from falling into a complete daydream, maintaining just enough engagement to enhance attention and memory.”
It’s a point which Miskiewicz echoes, adding that “for some, doodling while listening may also increase concentration by giving restless energy somewhere to go.”
4. It relieves stress
“The creative process of doodling helps calm the amygdala, reducing fight-or-flight responses and lowering cortisol levels,” explains Young.
How to build a doodling routine, according to top experts
The experts are clear that there’s no right or wrong when it comes to building a doodling routine, and that the key is to find what works for you. “Doodle in a meeting, at the end of the day, or as a way to arrive in the moment before starting work. Like walking without a destination, the value is in the wandering,” says Miskiewicz.
That said, consistency is the key to reaping the creative health benefits of doodling, which is why building a doodling routine can be helpful.
1. Start small and be consistent
“Even 30 minutes of doodling helps us to remember information and provides mental reprieve from intensive learning,” says Young. “Based on this research and clinical experience, I recommend doodling for five to fifteen minutes daily, or whenever you feel mentally stuck or overwhelmed.”
2. Find a time that works for you
Young suggests “doodling during passive activities like listening to podcasts, in meetings, or during phone calls,” if you’re looking to enhance attention and retention. And if you’re in search of social connection, then “joining creative communities such as art classes or writing groups can help,” she adds.
What’s most important, though, says Young, is that you “treat creativity with the same importance as other self-care routines, which is why blocking out specific creative time can be helpful.”
3. Don’t worry about the outcome
“This is about pleasure and enjoyment, not achievement,” says psychotherapist and yoga therapist at MoreYoga, Veena Ugargol. “Focus on being in the moment and enjoying the process. It can be helpful to note brief reflections on how you feel after doodling, as this helps your brain strengthen the connection between what you do and the positive effects it has, which can boost motivation to continue.”
I Spent Time Doodling Every Day for a Week - and Noticed a Big Shift in Energy
Days one to three
It’s Monday and I've been at my laptop for four hours straight when I remember my doodling challenge. I’ve been staring at the screen for the last twenty minutes, which makes this the perfect time to pull out my notebook and give doodling a go.
After checking the time, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb and closed my laptop. And then I stop. Because I don’t know what to draw. My thumb itches to open Pinterest, but that’s the point of this experiment: it’s not about getting it "right" or copying someone else’s style. It’s about letting my mind wander. I realise at that moment how little free creative thinking I’ve done in the last few years. I’ve been living in such a structured way that spontaneous creativity feels hard to summon on demand.
My own limited imagination is quite confronting. So, I start looking around. The kitchen, the garden outside, and gradually, inspiration starts to flow. I draw a flower, then birds, clouds, bumblebees, and butterflies. Soon, I’m sketching houses, families, dogs, planes, swimming pools, cowboy hats, cocktail glasses, and croissants. When I look up, fifteen minutes have flown by. My mind has wandered to so many different places, all while my hand moved across the page.
When I reopen my laptop, the words come easier. By the end of the day, the task I’d been struggling with was finished.
While Ash initially found her own imagination limiting, she was pleasantly surprised by how much inspiration she found.
On day two, I’m feeling a little stressed by the time I sit down for my doodling session. It’s late in the afternoon, and my eyes are tired from too much screen time. I decide to move from my desk to the floor, where I doodle for twenty minutes before a short yoga session and a walk outside. It’s amazing how just 45 minutes of winding down changes my perspective. My heavy mood lifts, and I’m able to connect with friends at dinner more than I would have had I gone straight from my laptop to the table.
On day three, I’m on the move, so I use my commute to doodle. I feel that familiar block again, but instead of trying to make "perfect" drawings, I let the pen move freely, creating patterns and spirals. I don’t pay attention to what I’m drawing at all, and my mind drifts to a conversation from the day before. It’s the kind of chat that might have bothered me for weeks, and which I’d usually try to distract myself from by scrolling. But by letting the thought linger whilst I doodle, I feel better and clearer about what I need to do.
Days four to seven
On day four, I’m feeling quite creatively charged and actually, doodling is the last thing I want to do. But by now I know the importance of screen breaks, so I dutifully close my laptop and pick up my pen. The twenty minutes drag on, and it makes me realise that making space for creativity also requires discipline, especially when you’re busy. To stay accountable, I set a daily calendar reminder, just like I would for meetings or deadlines, in the hope that it will train my brain to prioritise it as part of my workday.
Over the next few days, my doodling habit becomes more second nature, and my drawings get more abstract. Some days it even leads me into journaling, and others I dive straight to my laptop, full of ideas which my time doodling unlocked. I do notice, however, that there’s a guilt which comes with taking time for creativity and mindfulness. Though I’m seeing the benefits, I often can’t help but feel I "should" be doing something else, which makes me question how successfully I’ll be able to keep up the habit long term.
At the end of the week, Ash feels full of ideas and inspiration - the space to recharge made her happier, healthier, more productive and creative.
At the end of the week, though, the effect of my daily doodling is marked. I’ve hit all my deadlines and feel full of ideas and inspiration. My social battery is higher, and the temptation to scroll in the mornings and evenings has taken a noticeable drop. The irony is that, whilst I felt guilty for taking the break, the space to recharge actually made me happier, healthier, more productive and creative.
In short, if this were a TripAdvisor review: 5*. 10/10. Would recommend to a friend.
Shop The Best Notebooks For Doodling Now:
Is there anything more satisfying than new stationery? And if you're kickstarting a new doodling habit, then a fresh notebook is essential. They don't come cuter than this one from Papier, which can be personalised with plain, lined or dotted paper.
If you're looking for something simple, this A5 blank notebook from MUJI is your answer. Created using recycled paper, it's affordable and minimalist. Perfect for slipping into your bag for doodling on the move.
For those who prefer something more guided, an adult colouring book could be your answer. Mindful and relaxing, this one is themed around the Danish concept of hygge, with a selection of cute animals and scenes.
How do I know if I have internet brain?
“Internet brain is a scattered, restless state born from too much fractured attention,” says Art Therapist, Polly Miskiewicz. “Our brains evolved for rhythm, pattern, and embodied interaction, not for the constant acceleration of the feed, with its constant notifications, mindless scrolling, and dopamine-rich microbursts of novelty. Our mental health depends on depth, slowness, and lingering, which are qualities hard to come by when we are constantly skimming.”
In other words, if your brain feels like a browser with too many tabs open, you’re not alone.
According to Miskiewicz, some of the telltale signs you might be suffering from internet brain include struggling to stay with one task without checking your phone, feeling irritable or restless when offline, choosing screen time over human connection, or even losing patience for long-form reading or creative work that requires stamina. It can also span to a sense of being overstimulated yet bored, trouble accessing a flow state, or a low hum of anxiety, as though you’ve forgotten something important.
Sound familiar? If so, psychotherapist Lauren Young offers this reassurance. “It’s important to honour these periods rather than forcing productivity. Give yourself permission to rest, as sometimes creative blocks signal the need for psychological restoration,” she says.
“Return to childhood creativity by reconnecting with activities you enjoyed, such as colouring, building, singing, without adult self-consciousness. And remember, practise self-compassion by treating creative struggles with the same kindness you'd offer a friend. Harsh self-criticism deepens those creative blocks.”
