by Cheryl Vargas of Studio 928

How do I take a break? I schedule a 10 minute meeting with myself, by making time for art.

The moment I pick up a pen, pencil, marker, watercolor pen, a soft pastel chalk or a paint brush, my mind forgets everything that exists externally in my world.

I think only about visualizing an idea. Putting tool to paper or canvas, I move slowly and freely as the idea that lives in my head takes form.

Some people would call this doodling, square making, line building, color pushing or just putting pen to paper. My eyes follow the colors and the lines and I enter a meditative state.

I don’t judge what I create I just let it evolve.

Just focus on the tool. Making dark marks, then lighter marks, then willy-nilly marks! And when my timer goes off, I’m done.

I don’t always love it. But I’ve cleared my mind. Back to my to-do list. Back to the grind.

Try it. Set your phone timer for just 5 little minutes. Pick up a pen or pencil or whatever you have handy. REPORT BACK, post your doodle.

Don’t judge!

I believe that engaging, connecting and delighting teams with art is a foundational step towards humanizing company culture, which undoubtedly supports employee retention. And our super fancy art kits ship internationally. I’d love to hear from you if you try this out.

This artwork: Off the Grid, a 2 hour doodle by artist Cheryl Vargas

Cheryl Vargas is the Artist in Chief at Studio 928, a top-shelf creative painting experience for leadership and their teams; she is also an active member of the La Grange Business Association and the committee chair of the West End Arts Festival. Reach out to Cheryl on Facebook.

#business #humanresourcedevelopment #personaldevelopmet #creativity #innovation