When you’re under pressure, your brain wants to default to what it already knows. That’s fine for autopilot tasks. But what about when you hit a wall? Or need to solve something no one’s cracked yet?
That’s where divergent thinking comes in the kind of mental flexibility that allows you to connect dots that don’t obviously belong together.
And guess what boosts that?
Yep. Coloring.
What’s actually happening:
Coloring opens up the default mode network the part of your brain linked to daydreaming, reflection, and insight.
It triggers a state of play, which research shows is vital for exploring novel solutions and unblocking stuck thinking.
It also gives your analytical brain a rest, letting subconscious connections rise to the surface.
This is why people say they get their best ideas in the shower… or while sketching something silly in the margins of their notes.
Scientific Proof:
A 2017 study in Thinking Skills and Creativity found that engaging in simple visual art activities, like coloring, improved participants’ ability to solve open-ended, complex problems.
The journal Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts published research showing that visual art practices enhance cognitive flexibility, which is directly linked to creative innovation.
The American Psychological Association lists creative play and art-making as resilience builders and problem-solving enhancers especially under stress.
“When we shift into creative modes, our brain starts asking: What else is possible?” – APA Report on Creativity & Cognition
Why It Matters in the Boardroom:
When the path forward isn’t obvious, coloring gives your mind a detour a safe space to wander until the answer reveals itself.
It’s not about escaping the problem. It’s about inviting new answers to show up.
So next time your team’s stuck in an endless loop of “We’ve always done it this way,”
hand them some colored pencils and ask, “What if we didn’t?”
Ready to Try It?
You’ve read the research. Now it’s time to color like your leadership depends on it.
Because it does.
Before your next strategy session, sales sprint, or “we need a miracle” meeting, try this:
Download one of my Troalkind-inspired coloring pages
Grab a pen, pencil, or whatever you’ve got lying around
Set a timer for 5 minutes
And let your mind slow down so it can speed back up, clearer, calmer, sharper
Want some background magic while you color?
Listen to this week’s Troalkind Tales podcast episode, where fantasy meets focus and the trolls might just teach you more about leadership than your last webinar.
Get your free coloring page, explore the Color Story Packs, and unlock a more creative you:
Come for the trolls. Stay for the stress relief.
Because sometimes, the boldest move you can make…
is to pick up a crayon in a world of clickbait and chaos.
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