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The Secret Superpowers of Doodling

Can drawing stars and stick figures when you’re bored actually help you learn

    Picture this: The year is 1988. President Ronald Reagan sits at his desk in the Oval Office. When he picks up his pen, he has extraordinary powers.

    He can sign a bill to make it a law.

    He can send U.S. troops into battle.

    Or . . . he can doodle little horses and cowboy hats during a long, boring meeting.

    Reagan was famous for scribbling little drawings, and he’s not alone. More than half of U.S. presidents have doodled. Big people in business, like Apple founder Steve Jobs, have done it too. How did these powerful people get away with zoning out? Isn’t it their job to pay attention?

    As it turns out, doodling might have helped them do exactly that. It might help you too.

Courtesy Ronald Reagan Library

Famous Doodles   
Cowboys were one of President Reagan’s favorite things to draw.

Doodles Over Daydreams  

    For most of human history, doodling was seen as a silly distraction. Then scientists decided to ask an important question: Why do we do it

    In 2009, a psychologist in England did a study. She divided people into two groups. They listened to a recording of a long list of names. One group doodled shapes while listening. The other half didn’t. In the end, the doodlers remembered 29 percent more information

    “We think of doodling as something you do when you lose focus,” says doodle expert Sunni Brown. “In reality, it’s what you can do to stop yourself from losing focus.”

    Here’s how it works: When you’re learning new information, your brain can get tired. It might want to daydream about scoring a soccer goal or eating delicious, cheesy pizza. You might even fall asleep.

    But if you doodle, your brain stays active. It’s enough to keep you awakebut not so distracting that you stop paying attention.

Feel-Good Doodles

    Doodling can do more than just help you focus. It may also boost your mood. Scientists have shown that it can have the same effect on your brain as laughing or eating chocolate.

    Today, more people are learning about the power of doodling. You can read books about famous people who doodled. You can buy journals just for doodling. You can even take classes on how to doodle to relax

    So the next time you feel tired in science class, try doodling. Sketching while you listen could help you learn.

    And who knows­—it might even be the mark of a future president

Leveled Articles (2)
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Weird But True

Higher Level: The Secret Superpowers of Doodling

Read or print a 800L-900L version of this article in magazine view.

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Weird But True

Lower Level: The Secret Superpowers of Doodling

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