Did you know stress drawing is a fantastic natural stress relief activity that also reduces anxiety? With the rush of events the last few years, it can be difficult to navigate daily life, especially when the normal is to stay inside & deal with one’s thoughts. A lot of what has happened recently, can cause anxiety & good mental health to dip. So, how can we help improve our mood during this unknown time? As a professional artist, I find that drawing in my spare time helps reduce my stress. Drawing, or doing something art/creative-related helps me focus on something fun & positive, rather than the negative.

Grab this free 2 PG printable PDF Drawing Stress Relief Cheat Sheet below to instantly soothe your stress & anxiety plus 9 Essential Stress Relief Tips, 12 Stress Relief Activity Ideas + more!

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Table of Contents

1. What is Stress Drawing?
2. How to Make a Stress Drawing
3. 7 Unexpected Reasons Why Drawing Lowers Stress

What is Stress Drawing?

Before we get into the awesome benefits of drawing to reduce stress, you need to know what it is.

So, what is stress drawing?

Stress drawing is when you draw with the purpose and intent to reduce your stress and anxiety.

It’s one of the many stress relief activities that are soothing and very simple to do and no, you don’t need to make a masterpiece. In fact, you just need to focus on the process.

Focusing on the process of drawing and how you feel during this activity is much more important than the end result or final drawing because it’s the shifting of your stressful emotions and mindsets that will get you to a place of mental tranquility and stress relief.

When making a stress drawing, be mindful of every move you make, even your mistakes! You don’t have to correct anything, just notice how your hand is moving across the page and what marks are being made on your drawing surface. Are the marks short and small, or are they long and thin?

Paying attention to these tiny details moves your focus away from worry and into the present.

How to Make a Stress Drawing

All you need is something to write on, something to write with, a timer, and that’s it!

I like using a pen or marker because it forces me to deal with whatever marks I’ve made on a page and not stress about the small things when I’m drawing. When I can’t erase mistakes, it forces me to just keep drawing.

Try drawing with a marker or pen once and see how you feel about using it.

Set your timer anywhere from 5 minutes to 15 minutes. Having a small time frame is perfect because it’s not overwhelming nor takes up much of your time and feels more like natural stress relief than being forced. It’s just enough time for you to hit that reset button and relax.

Just take your writing tool and start drawing on your writing surface. Make whatever marks feel comfortable to you. They can be circles, shapes, lines (thin or thick), or even a simple sketch, whatever you feel like drawing in that moment.

Here’s an example below of me just drawing circles on a page, one of my own stress relief activities. It’s not fancy by any means. But it really helps soothe my stress because drawing takes me out of my head and into a physical activity that I can presently focus on.

Stress drawing doesn’t have a set goal of what an image needs to look like.

It just needs to pull you into the moment away from negative thoughts.

7 Unexpected Reasons Why Drawing Improves Your Mental Health & Lowers Stress

1. IT GIVES YOUR MIND A BREAK FROM FOCUSING ON TOO MUCH

• Drawing can keep your mind from getting too overwhelmed or stressed out. This is because focusing on a physical object or action switches your attention to a neutral setting where it’s neither bad nor good, just somewhere in-between. Basically, a calm reset.
• Stress drawing helps give your mind a break from a hectic schedule and works as a natural stress relief remedy.

2. STRESS DRAWING CAN GET YOU OUT OF YOUR HEAD AND REDUCE STRESS

• When drawing, you’re not spending too much time thinking of (possible) negative thoughts (which increases your stress). Instead, drawing forces you to focus on the now, not the past or future, which is critical in reducing stress.
• It’s one of the few stress relief activities that doesn’t require anything more than paper and a writing tool, making drawing a fantastic way to lower anxiety as well.

3. YOU CAN FOCUS ON SOMETHING YOU LIKE / ENJOY & LOVE 

• Putting yourself in a positive mood is a common natural stress relief method as it directly targets your emotions to help you feel better.
• So, try drawing something that makes you feel happy, stress not-included. I like video games, so sometimes I’ll draw my favorite character or scene. Or if you like outdoor activities, draw something that reminds you of the outdoors.
• When you concentrate on things or people you love, you improve your mood, happiness, & mental well-being. You’re letting go of the negativity & bringing in positive emotions. Doing these types of stress relief activities gives you a feeling of joy, emotional awareness & stability that can ground you mentally & make you feel better prepared for new mental challenges. Think of this drawing exercise as a refresher or fun time-out session from your day or stress. We all need one!
• So, when you’re drawing something you admire or have positive feelings towards, you lower stress because your mind is in a happy mood.

4. DRAWING GETS YOU IN A CREATIVE MOOD and MINDSET THAT HELPS BUILD INSPIRATION

• Drawing something opens the gate for being creative while forgetting the stress. Some of our best most innovative ideas come from a state of being calm & relaxed, where you can think clearly & calmly.
• When stress drawing, you can explore whatever ideas come into your mind. You can freely doodle whatever you want or however you feel.
• Making a drawing from one continuous line or just letting your hand freely wander around the page are fun stress relief activities you can do easily.
• Your creativity acts as a form of natural stress relief because you’re more likely to explore new ideas & things that will spark curiosity, while also shifting your attention away from unnerving thoughts.

5. YOU CAN DRAIN OUT THE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS & EMOTIONS YOU HAVE BY TRANSFERRING THEM ONTO PAPER 

• When you put your negative feelings out on paper (either through words or an image), you are giving them a physicality or identity. When you do this, you have a visual representation that you can associate with those thoughts. Draw anything, it can be lines, scribbles, etc. as long as you feel better. It’s just like brain dumping (one of the most common yet effective stress relief activities) but using drawing instead of writing.
• Being physical with your thoughts & emotions in a calm way lets you be productive & creative. This is another form of natural stress relief, like yoga and meditation.

6. IT’S FUN & DOESN’T NEED A CLEAR PURPOSE OR GOAL 

• Without a clear goal, you’re not focusing on anything specific, just the motion & action of drawing. Stress relief activities like this allow you to be physical in a way that exerts minimal energy.
• Try focusing on the process, not the result! You don’t need to feel bad about making or not making a masterpiece. Instead, go with the flow & action of your hand. Let your hand take the lead & move it around the paper. Try playing with different colors. Stick with colors that you like & that make you feel happy & calm.
• The more you’re drawing in a positive mindset, the faster your stress will go away.
• Remember that the action of drawing is fantastic for stress relief and that you don’t need to make a masterpiece for that to happen!
• Don’t box yourself into anything. Let your stress fade by allowing yourself mental freedom & expression to make a drawing of whatever you want. No judgment, just fun. Consider this your personal playtime on paper!

7. IT CAN GIVE YOU A FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT & SENSE OF SATISFACTION

• When you try something new, you’re getting out of your comfort zone. Try experimenting with no repercussions. This takes off any stress or pressure on you to make a good drawing.
• Go into this process with no feeling of guilt or disappointment if something doesn’t turn out as expected. Instead, focus on the process and motion of creating a drawing, not the stress of what the final image will look like.
• Start stress drawing with no expectations! This takes off the burden of trying to be perfect. With a feeling of satisfaction, you’re more likely to feel better about yourself. This in turn, puts you in a better mood because you’re more at ease & can think clearly, an amazing natural stress relief benefit for sure. So, say yes to drawing without stress!

Now that you know how drawing lowers stress, here are a few more helpful resources and guides for natural stress relief plus some soothing stress relief activity ideas. Click the links below to find out more and keep creating!

Other Resources and Guides for Reducing Anxiety & Stress:

• 7 Relaxing Yet Simple Zen Doodle Design Ideas to Help you Unwind From Your Day | post
• 15 Soothing Art Therapy Activities for Anxiety & More to Help You Feel Calm Now | Post
• 10 Effortless Art Inspiration Ideas for Drawing to Get You Started Now When You Need a Pick-Me-Up or Boost Your Mood | Post
• 9 Soothing Art Therapy & Anxiety Drawing Activities + Free Printable Drawing Sheets | Freebie
• Why Creative Burnout Causes Stress & Anxiety for Artists + How to Beat It | Post
• Free Stress Relief Cheat Sheet With 12 Drawing Activity Ideas, 9 Essential Stress Relief Tips & More | Freebie

Ultimately, creating a stress drawing can act as a wonderful way for some quick natural stress relief while sparking your creativity.