It sounds counterintuitive: taking time to color during your workday can actually make you more productive. Here's the science behind it.
The Attention Restoration Theory
Psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan identified two types of attention: directed (effortful, finite) and involuntary (effortless, restorative). Knowledge work depletes directed attention. Creative activities like coloring engage involuntary attention, which actually restores your capacity for focused work.
The Pomodoro-Coloring Technique
Try this adapted Pomodoro technique:
- Work with focused attention for 25 minutes
- Color for 5 minutes (set a timer)
- Return to work for another 25 minutes
- After 4 cycles, take a longer 15-minute coloring break
Why Coloring Beats Phone Scrolling
Most people "rest" during breaks by checking their phone. But scrolling social media:
- Keeps your brain in information-processing mode (no rest)
- Can trigger anxiety, comparison, or distraction spirals
- Provides unpredictable dopamine hits that make it hard to return to work
Coloring provides genuine cognitive rest while keeping your hands busy and mind gently engaged.
Coloring for Creative Problem-Solving
The diffuse thinking mode activated by coloring is the same state where breakthrough insights occur. If you're stuck on a problem, stepping away to color for 10 minutes lets your subconscious work on it. Many colorists report "aha moments" mid-page.
Setup for Work Coloring
Keep these at your desk:
- A small set of 12 colored pencils
- 2-3 printed coloring pages (rotate weekly)
- A timer app for your breaks
Our pattern and mandala pages are perfect for 5-minute breaks - you can easily color one section and stop.