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For people who have trouble concentrating, the ability to focus must seem like a superpower.
Surprisingly, one way to control your attention is by intentionally doing something that usually gets a bad rap: fidgeting.
Even better, learning to control your fidgeting is a skill for everyone: people with ADHD, students who need extra focus, or anyone going through a busy time in their lives.
You can do anything, but not everything.
Why Fidgeting Is Good for You
You can direct your brain’s overflowing energy deliberately through fidgeting activities to help yourself focus.
Quiz
The school library has only two open rooms for students to study in. A student who fidgets might study more productively in the room with:
The room with furniture and office supplies might be better for this student because it has the potential for productive fidgeting, with its small objects and furniture. While the other room is plain and free from distraction, there seems to be no outlet for productive fidgeting there.
How to Be Deliberate in Your Fidgeting
Match a fidget toy to a specific unproductive fidget habit. If you pick your nails or can't keep your hands still, look into hand toys and techniques.
Choose fidget toys that aren't visually or audibly distracting. If you find yourself more interested in the toy than the task, it’s a distraction!
Be discreet around others. The idea behind fidgeting is to minimize distractions both for you and for everyone else.
Fidgeting with Hands and Feet
There's no one way to fidget!
With Hands
Fidgeting movements:
Pressing each fingertip into your thumb in sequence
Tapping each individual fingertip on or under a tabletop
Fidgeting with objects:
Knitting
Pen manipulation
Fidget cube
Fidget tangles
Squishy ball or toy
With Feet
Fidgeting movements:
Toe wiggling
Foot tapping or circling
Fidgeting with objects:
Foot rollers, pads, and rests
Exercise band movements
Desk bike
Quiz
During a math lecture, Jerry struggles to listen and crosses his legs noisily or spins in his chair. Which two techniques would be the most productive and discreet for Jerry?
Wiggling his toes and timing his foot taps channels Jerry’s restless leg energy well, and they can also be done quietly. Pen manipulation can be similarly discreet, but, as a hand movement, it may not be as productive as leg and foot movements in Jerry's case. Knitting is too distracting to the teacher and other students, so it's unsuitable in a classroom setting.
Other Ways to Fidget Productively
With Your Body
There are many more ways to fidget productively, too. You can find what works for you!
Take Action
This Byte has been authored by
Robin Sulkosky
Composition Lecturer
MA