Looking to bring a little peace into your lab? Try your hand at origami!

Even though it appears to be as simple as folding paper, origami could actually provide significant health benefits. Studies have shown that taking on tasks that challenge your mind can help strengthen your brain.

Origami is a practice that provides both mental and physical stimulation by helping to develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, mental concentration, patience, and even math reasoning. The art of paper folding also forces both hands to be engaged, implementing motor impulses to activate the language portion of the brain. Origami has been known to be used in various therapeutic settings, like art therapy and stroke and injury rehabilitation.

The folding of paper to create something beautiful challenges a person at the cognitive level. It forces brain activity in both the left and right hemispheres. The tactile, motor, and visual areas of the brain are activated and brought into use, while the non-verbal thinking, 3D comprehension, and imagination come into play in order to complete the origami sculpture.

So, challenge yourself and help strengthen your brain! Build a beautiful lotus flower to display in your lab, so you can enjoy the satisfaction of being able to transform simple pieces of paper, into a wondrous creation.

Watch the video or click on the PDF below to follow a step-by-step process on how to create your own lotus origami flower.

PDF: “Lotus Flower Origami Instructions”

We hope you enjoyed this zen break in your busy day. If you want to bring more peace into your lab, check out our Biozen columns which will bring your analysis to a new state of zen. Once you complete your origami masterpiece, share it to LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and make sure to tag us @Phenomenex!