How to use or facilitate:
- Handout 1 blank sheet of paper (8.5” x 11” is ideal) and two writing utensils to each participant.
- Having participants put a utensil in each hand, start by instructing everyone to write their full name simultaneously with both hands in opposite directions, starting at the center of the page. The result should look as if their hand writing is mirrored on each side of the page.
- At first, this exercise will prove to be quite difficult for most people in the room! Stress the importance of completing both illustrations in sync, as this is when the brain will start to fire on both cylinders.
- Want to switch it up or take it a step further? Have participants draw the logo for a brand or super hero that they feel best represents them, and then explain why afterwards during a brief share-out.
The Takeaway:
Pioneered by Dr. Betty Edwards; an American art teacher and author famous for her work in ?Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain?, this quick exercise is a brain hack designed to reawaken both sides simultaneously in preparation for active brainstorming. Essentially, the left hemisphere of our brain controls the right side of our body and specializes in logical, mathematic, and pragmatic thought. The right hemisphere controls the left side of our body and excels in creative, artistic, spatial, intuitive, and imaginative cognitive function. Activating both hemispheres together will enable you to more effectively use lateral thinking and generate a wider range of ideas and solutions that can will not just be more thoughtful, but more impactful too.
