Have you fallen for the myth of 'I can't draw'? Do it anyway – and reap the rewards

Art-making can reduce anxiety, elevate mood, improve quality of life and promote general creativity. Art therapy has even been linked to reduced symptoms of distress and higher quality of life for cancer patients.

And it can help you enter a “flow state”, where self-consciousness disappears, focus sharpens, work comes easily to you and mental blockages seem to evaporate.

Cultivating a drawing habit means letting go of biases against drawing and against copying others to learn technique. Resisting the urge to critically compare your work to others’ is also important.

Most children don’t care about what’s considered “essential” to a functioning society. They draw instinctively and freely.

Part of the reason drawing rates are thought to be higher in Japan is their immersion in Manga (Japanese comics), a broadly popular and culturally important medium.

Unlike language, we consider it normal for people not to learn to draw, and consider those who do to be exceptional.

Without sufficient practise and exposure to an external system, a basic system persists despite arguably impoverished developmental conditions.

With regular practice, you may find yourself occasionally melting into states of “flow”, becoming wholly absorbed. A small, regular pocket of time to temporarily escape the busy world and enter a flow state via drawing may help you in other parts of your life.

Use simple tools that you’re comfortable with, whether it’s a ballpoint pen on post-it notes, pencil on paper, a dirty window, or a foggy mirror.

Times you’d typically be aimlessly scrolling on your phone are prime candidates for a quick sketch. Doodle when you’re on the phone, watching a movie, bored in a waiting room.

Together with mindful doodling, drawing from observation and memory form a holy trinity of sustainable proficiency