Feeling Fidgety? These Accessories Could Help You Find Focus
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If you’re nervous because of current events, or life in general, it’s easy to fall into bad habits like nail biting, which may increases your chances of getting sick. You can curb your reliance on these activities by playing with a fidget spinner or other hand-held toy instead.
Fidget toys can relieve stress and anxiety by allowing you to focus your mind on a repetitive, simple task instead of what’s bothering you. There are no conclusive scientific studies to back this up, but some psychologists suggest that there are benefits to using these tools instead of trying to sit still and quiet your mind.
Fidget spinners became popular in 2017 because they offered a quick, casual way to engage in the same subconscious behavior as nail biting, but they were mainly focused at kids. Alternatives, which are less flashy but just as effective, have become available recently, and we’ve highlighted some of them below. We’ve also included a fidget spinner, because it’s still an excellent choice.
If you’re trying to bite your nails or fidget less, or trying not to touch your face during these heightened times, we’ve collected ten accessories that can give you something else to do with your hands. They’re portable, easy to use, and most importantly, fun. It’s still up to you to change your habits, but everybody needs a little help.
1. A Massage Ball Kit
Posture Magic’s Message Ball Kit can actually help you replace a bad habit with a good one. The kit contains three foam balls, a peanut ball, a firm spiky ball, a smooth lacrosse ball, and a hand exercise ball, which were designed as massage tools to be used after a workout.
But, you can also squeeze or roll them around in your hand at a desk, which the company says can relieve stress in your hand muscles, and even improve your blood flow. The different pressure points keeps you hands and joints activated too.
Buy Posture Magic Massage Ball Set $27.95
2. Slime
Slime, like fidget spinners, has become a global online phenomena over the past few years — and not just for kids. The gelatinous, elastic substance can be stretched, slammed, and shaped any way you want, but it’ll always revert back to its original form. Fans of this Elmer’s slime say it’s very therapeutic to use, and doesn’t make a big mess.
Elmer’s has been in the arts and crafts business for over 70 years, and the company’s “GUE” comes in a two-pack, with eight ounces of slime per container. It’s clear, but you can add “add-ins” like slime dye to customize it to fit your aesthetic.
Buy Elmer's GUE Pre Made Slime $10.96
3. A Fidget Spinner
If you prefer the now-old-fashioned appeal of a fidget spinner, this is a good one to get. Fidget spinners seemed to explode out of nowhere a few years ago, but it’s easy to see why they’re so popular. The pocket-sized spinners, which twirl between your fingers with a little bit of force, provide just the right amount of distraction and relief when you’re starting to get flustered.
This five-pack from FIGROL has LED lights built into each fidget spinner, which you can turn on and off with the push of a button. Each fidget spinner creates a different color pattern when it’s spun with its light enabled, so you can mix and match them based on your mood.
4. A Hot Wheels Car
Yes, Hot Wheels are children’s toys, but the pocket-sized cars are also a simple tool to get your mind focused on something positive. The car — in this case a 1971 Lamborghini Miura — can be rolled around your desk, or fiddled with in your pocket. It worked for me.
Buy Hot Wheels iD '71 Lamborghini Miura…
5. A Thumb Piano
A fidget-device for the musically inclined, Deoukana’s thumb piano is arguably the most productive option on this list. The piano has 17 keys, which you can pluck individually with your thumb. The sound reverberates inside of the piano’s hollow shell to make music.
It’s 9.6 x 7.7 x 3 inches, so you can’t carry it in your pocket, but this is a great accessory to keep on a work desk or bedside table.
Buy Deoukana Kalimba Bag Portable Kalimba…
6. A Mini Zen Garden
While all of the tools on this list can help you channel nervous energy, they might not clear your mind. Nature’s Mark’s Mini Meditation Zen Garden will require more focus than some fidget toys, but that might be a good thing.
The set comes with: a base, four rocks, a bag of sand, a rake, a succulent, and a pegoda statue. You can move each object around, or rake the sand whenever you get stressed out. Taking a couple of minutes out of your work day to focus on something other than the task at hand may help you calm down and increase your productivity when you get back to work.
7. Sport Ball Poppers
Poppers are another small, simple toy that can give you something to do with your idle hands. They’re small, domed toys that pop up and flip inside out when you push them down.
They don’t jump too high, so you won’t lose them when they pop, but it’s still pretty entertaining. This pack from ArtCreativity comes with 25 poppers designed to look like balls from different sports.
Buy ArtCreativity 1.25 Inch Vinyl Sport… $11.99
8. Antsy Labs Fidget Cube
This palm-sized device lets you roll, spin, click, glide and squeeze away your anxiety. The six sides of this cube all contain a different activity to occupy your fingers — and your brain — to give you a little distraction when you need it. Originally launched on Kickstarter, this fidget cube is now one of the most popular “toys” for kids and adults who can’t keep their fingers still. The best part: this tucks easily into your pockets, so you have something to fidget with no matter where you are.
Buy Antsy Labs Fidget Cube $14.99
9. Speks Magnetic Balls
My go-to distraction toy is Speks, a set of tiny, magnetic balls that actually challenge your creativity. Speks come in a neat, cube-shaped case, which you destroy the moment you start playing with them. You can squish the magnets, pull apart each bead, and create any shape of any size.
I love the way the beads feel in my hands, and it’s satisfying to move the whole set around in my hands. I’m also happy that I can use Speks to create mini designs over and over again if I need to divert my effort into a fun game for a little while. I’ll admit I was a Speks skeptic before I tried them, but they’re a lot more fun than I originally thought.
10. A Stress Ball
Sometimes the right solution is the easiest one. If you’re biting your nails or touching your face because of nervousness, it might help to use a stress ball.
This one from Serenilite is made from non-stick fabric and a tear-resistant gel core, and comes in a number of colors. Squeezing the ball may help relieve tension, and the company says it may also help to reduce carpal tunnel and arthritis symptoms.
Buy Serenilite Hand Therapy Stress Ball $9.99
11. A Mini Arcade Game
This keychain-sized version of the 1981 arcade hit Frogger is fully functional, and can be played anywhere you go. The retro aesthetic alone makes this fidget toy worth considering, but the fact that you’re pushing tactile buttons instead of staring at your phone screen can help you separate work from play.
Buy Tiny Arcade Frogger Miniature Arcade…
12. Mini Tin Tops
A simple spinning top is a pocket-friendly fidget toy that requires nearly no effort to use. Quickly twist the small stem, and let it go. Watch the top spin, then pick it up and restart when it’s finally lost momentum
13. Slinky
The Slinky may be the first popular fidget toy ever, and it’s still effective today. The two-handed toy allows you to slowly move the coils from one hand to another. Take a minute, find a rhythmic pattern, and zone out for a couple of minutes.