Whether you scribble stars or sketch skulls, find out what your choice of doodle says about your personality, work habits and career ambitions

We asked you to share what you have been scrawling on your notepad while supposedly hard at work – whether it’s wavy lines, spirals or an artistic masterpiece. Now, professional handwriting analyst Ruth Rostron uncovers what these drawings reveal about your personality, job satisfaction and career ambitions.

Resourceful multitasker

“Think I must have been very uninvolved in this meeting” – MaddyWest

This may look chaotic, but the diversity of objects and shapes shows this woman is resourceful, energetic and loves a full life. The multitude of things going on shows that multitasking comes naturally to her and she thrives on a busy schedule.



Numerous separate doodles make up this crowded scene, reflecting readiness to take in new information and the rapid association of ideas of a lateral thinker, although there is logic, too, in the zigzag lines and angular shapes. However, heavy scribbling is a sign of frustration and retracing numbers suggests concern about costs or perhaps time passing.



The spontaneous creation of this whole unique doodle shows she can think on her feet and come up with new ideas that perhaps challenge accepted practices. Unfortunately, it also suggests she is easily distracted and may not complete what she has started, so achieves best with short-term targets.



Intuitive perfectionist

“All of my doodles are a variation of this paisley, floral pattern. Regardless of pen, paper or situation. I find I concentrate on listening much better if I am simultaneously drawing; the alternative is motionless daydreaming” – ID4474645

There is a beautiful harmony in this paisley pattern with its lively shapes swirling like fish in a pool without ever colliding. It’s a very feminine doodle, full of feeling in the wavy lines and tear drops, and flowers in full bloom creating a happy mood.



This person (probably a woman, but not necessarily) likes to work closely with others and will promote harmony in the workplace by avoiding conflict and creating a pleasant environment. She is sensitive, with an intuitive understanding of people and situations and is naturally accommodating, like the winding flower stems. Her evident delight in tiny decorative patterns shows she has a meticulous eye for detail and is capable of doing repetitive work requiring great precision or manual dexterity. However, being a perfectionist means she is unwilling to take short cuts so may not always be efficient and is likely to get stressed if put under pressure.



Independent optimist

“A reaction to baffling requests or directives from clients. It’s a tough one being told to do something that obviously won’t work by a power crazed client. Politely point out why your study and industry experience suggest an alternative solution and you’re a creative prima donna, comply and you lose the respect of your peers (and self). Commercial activity is a rocky road – sometimes these little fellas help you along …” – JimPOP

Humour relieves tension and doodling a goofy grenade is less damaging than exploding with anger. Rapidly drawn in cartoon style with firm strokes softened by a felt-tip pen, it reflects this man’s warmth and love of life as well as his lively intelligence, spontaneity, good physical coordination and self-assurance in action.



With its grim but boyish humour this solitary, solid object shows he is independent, strong minded and not inclined to be pushed around. Rows of straight lines are a sign of systematic work and self-control, but the pointed tongue shows how rude he would like to be, while the crossed eyes and raised eyeline capture his disbelief and scepticism as he listens with one ear only, ready to pull the plug.



Strong, mature and sensitive

“I’ve always doodled while working. I’m left-handed, so as I’m using my mouse my left hand is forever scrawling a random line and then (usually) an eye and then a face, head and shoulders tend to appear. A youth lost in comic books has resulted in a sketchbook full of random doodles … I should probably be a little concerned by the amount of slightly lost figures that turn up through my sketchbooks” – JimPOP

Working alone can be lonely, so when his pencil wanders it may be expressing feelings not consciously acknowledged. The face that emerged here is that of a strong, mature and sensitive man who appears to be reflecting on his life as he looks down through the years. To the right is a blank space, as if he would rather not think about the future. The expression is questioning and anxious, though the eyes are partially obscured, suggesting he may be reluctant to see this in himself. The lips, too, are shaded and hardly open, as if experience has taught him the wisdom of discretion, especially in business.



Strong men avoid showing weakness but in later life may find themselves more in touch with their feminine side as they have less to prove. Crossed and circular patterns represent opposite personality traits, so the presence of both in the background suggests this process may have begun.



Calm, collected and determined to succeed

“Still thoughts” – elestial

This doodle grew slowly, line by line, creating a form that took on a life of its own, like an exotic plant or strange bird. It took a steady hand to draw this, most probably a woman’s as curves represent typically feminine traits.



Cool, calm and collected is how she is likely to appear, judging by this beautifully smooth and self-contained drawing. The exceptional control and finesse in this elegant, formal design shows she has high standards and likes to be in control, so takes great pains over preparation and presentation. The sharp points and fine lines dissecting the interior indicate that she has a keenly critical, analytical mind and demands much of herself. And the exterior beak-like shapes, with their dark shading hinting at underlying aggression, show she is determined to succeed.

High intellect introvert

“It started with the central square when I started my working life 27 years ago and has developed since then” – joybranigan

A highly developed intellect is indicated by this constellation of triangles and stars that appears to float in space. It shows exceptional clarity of thinking, ability to understand abstract concepts and good powers of reasoning, analysis and organisation. The straight lines and heavy infill indicate she also has strong willpower, but can lack flexibility.



The integral spaces reflect the active inner life of an introvert who must have space to think and work. Dealing with people is not her strong point, but the growth of an outer ring to her doodle suggests she has widened her social circle.



Triangles show energy and drive being channelled into work and achievement, but compression in the top right “onwards and upwards” area shows tension associated with her career. Whether she is being held back or is holding herself back is unclear, but a clue may lie in the inner square which suggests security is still a concern for her.



Cheerful, confident and proud team player

“This doodle was during a recent, long telephone conference call. When I doodle, it’s either boxes, flowers or butterflies” – hcoleman1066

Several common symbols appear in this doodle. Flowers relate to people and rings of petals to social circles, so these groups of three and six may represent her family or team. The cheerful mood, upright stems and rising shape of the arrangement reflect self-confidence and pride in her family or achievements, while the balanced spacing is a sign of good teamwork.



The orderly line of waves shows deep feelings kept well under control, persistence in the face of adversity and a strong sense of responsibility, but the butterflies suggest she would also like to be free to enjoy herself.



Squares relate to material security and boxes to organisation and planning, so this tier of boxes suggests her career is very much part of her plan for the future. The variety of shapes they contain shows some mixed feelings, but her high hopes are reflected in the largest flower that resembles a shining sun.



Stressed and hungry for more rewarding work

“I work in a call centre for a health insurance company. I doodle while I’m speaking to clients with regards to repetitive queries. Obviously the subject matters are mostly due to ill health and sometimes terminal illness. It’s strange that I feel so emotionally detached from some very harrowing stories from clients” – thenewbritish

This cadaverous head ghoulishly embodies the fears we all share of growing old and conveys the sadness, anxiety and anger voiced in the calls this person takes. The roughly crossed mouth expresses their frustration and rage, the drooping moustache their despondency, the stitched-up cuts their scars and the haunted eyes their pain.



Their pen goes round and round in circles as this person listens to the same sorry stories, but it helps their concentration as they diligently persist with repetitive tasks. Nevertheless, the large head with eyes looking up suggests they have confidence in their abilities, so are setting their sights on a higher position for themselves. Drawing off the top of the page shows they feel limited and want to break into something new. At the moment this stress is finding an outlet in this disturbing doodle, but it may also be prompting them to take action to find more rewarding work.



Optimistic but frustrated and looking for new challenges

“The most common thing for me to draw is an eye or pair of eyes. They’re all over my notebooks” – DefenceGal

Eyes in doodles have two aspects: seeing and being seen, so the doodler may be observant or enjoy attention, have her eye on someone or fear the watchful eye. There is optimism in this bright eye, but sadness in its dark colour and lines beneath, frustration in the roughly drawn upper lashes and anxiety in the peripheral shading. She may feel overlooked and want the opportunity to shine.



The rapid, simple sketch of a broad nose and closed mouth shows her intelligence, discretion, drive and efficiency in being able to recognise what is essential and prioritise. The holly with its cluster of berries, soft prickles and extended leaves suggests she has an affectionate nature as well as a sharp mind, and may be looking out for something more challenging and enjoyable to do.

Diligent but restless

“This doodle started small and simple, but grew little-by-little with every client call. It’s still growing” – nikitakou

Like a strange sea creature this doodle emerged slowly from the depths of the unconscious, growing ever larger and invading the space. This carefully worked drawing with its smooth unbroken lines shows great concern over presentation and correctness, with close attention to finer points and details. Patterns of checks and parallel lines indicate that routine work is approached diligently and tasks carried out in a disciplined, methodical way.



However, the movement in the waving tentacles and lively variety of patterns suggest this person is also restless and finding work dull, so is putting out feelers and considering options. The horn shape rising to the edge of the page shows ambition and desire to move on, but the coils turning this way and that reflect mixed feelings and uncertainty as to which direction to take.

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