How to Fidget

If you're bored or nervous, you may want to fidget with something. Whether it's during class or before an interview, sometimes you can fidget to relieve stress and to keep yourself occupied. [1] Here are some creative ways to fidget.

1

Look around the room.

  1. If you're in a place like a waiting room, you probably don't have anything to fidget with. So, look around the room. Play a mini-game of "I-Spy" with a friend/family member if they're in the room with you or look around yourself. You may find some interesting things, like beautiful pottery or a Santa pencil topper around the room.
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2

Twirl your hair.

  1. If you have long hair, you can play with it. [2] Loop it around your finger (not too tightly) and let it go again. Move your hands through your hair to comb it if your hair's messy. If you have long hair, put your hair into an updo, like a bun, ponytail, or braid. After that, if you want to fidget, fidget with something else.
3

Squeeze your hands.

  1. Sometimes, squeezing something can relieve stress and pressure. [3] Clasp your hands together and squeeze them. Don't squeeze them too tightly, since it will hurt your hands.
    • You can also snap your fingers sometimes. Don't snap them too often, as it will hurt, and it may be loud.
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4

Touch your jewelry.

  1. If you wear jewelry regularly, you can touch and move these around. Twist your rings or take them off. You can touch the various gems on your necklace or bracelet. You can also move beads around in your necklace/bracelet. Additionally, you can touch your earrings sometimes if they're large.
    • If you are wearing a suit, you can move your fingers around your tie's fabric to fidget.
    • Don't do these too often if you want to fidget secretively.
5

Squeeze a squishie or a stress ball.

  1. If you're at home and you're stressed, get a squishie or stress ball to squeeze. These squishy, soft, and sometimes nice-smelling objects are often made in the shape of everyday objects. Stress balls are squishy, smooth objects that you can squeeze to relieve stress. [4] They may have cute faces on them to attract people to play with them. Some are made with nice scents to calm people down. If you are stressed, squish a squishie, or get a stress ball.
    • In case your local store doesn't sell them, you can buy them at online retailers such as Amazon.
    • For travel uses, you can get a mini squishie or stress ball to fit in your bag.
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6

Play and stretch with slime.

  1. Squeeze it to pop bubbles and stretch it. Poke holes in the slime and roll the slime up into different shapes. You can easily make slime at home or buy slime in stores, so it is a cheap option.
    • It's best not to bring slime out in public, as it could be tricky to clean up.
7

Click or twirl a pen.

  1. Many people click and twirl their pens to fidget, so this is an inconspicuous way to relieve stress. If your environment isn't totally silent, you can click or twirl your pen sometimes. You can get multi-colored pens with multiple tips to click many pens.
    • Don't click your pen in quiet environments, such as during a test or in a waiting room.
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8

Play with pencil toppers.

  1. Pencil toppers can be playthings as well as erasers. No matter if your pencil topper has a practical purpose, you can take on and off the top of the pencil to play with it.
    • Just make sure to not lose your pencil topper if you treasure it a lot. Sometimes, your pencil topper may fall off your pencil if you play with it too much.
9

Play with a fidget cube.

  1. These are special cubes with different fidgeting tools on each face to make fidgeting an exciting experience. They usually have a joystick, 5 buttons, a rolling ball, 3 gears, a switch, a spinning disk, and a worry stone. [5] If you fidget with multiple things, having this cube in handy can relieve your tension.
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10

Spin a fidget spinner.

  1. Some schools even banned fidget spinners due to their massive popularity. [6] They come in many colors and shapes, so choose one of your liking. Get a few fidget spinners and spin them.
11

Pop bubble wrap or play with Pop-Its.

  1. These come in most packages, so you will just have to open one and find bubble wrap to pop. These are soothing to many since they make a satisfying "pop" noise when popped. They can also relieve muscle tension and stiffness. [7] Pop-Its are a reusable alternative since you can pop and re-pop the various bubbles on it. They also come in various colors, shapes, and designs.
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12

Take apart puzzle erasers.

  1. Puzzle erasers are meant to erase pencil marks, but you can use them to fidget. Since they have multiple parts, you can take apart and put the eraser back together, which can be satisfying.
13

Take apart your pen or mechanical pencil.

  1. If you have a lot of time on your hands, try taking apart the various parts of your mechanical pencil or pen. Unscrew the barrel and take apart the pencil tip, lead barrel, eraser, and other parts of your mechanical pencil. For some pens, you can unscrew the barrel and get the ink tip and spring out.
    • You can do this in class after you've finished all your work.
    • Make sure to securely store all of the parts to avoid losing them. Put every part back together and keep track of what parts you have.
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14

Do origami.

  1. Folding paper into different shapes is a relaxing art activity that people of all ages can enjoy. You can fold however simple or advanced you want. Find a nice design that you want to fold and find the instructions for it to start folding!
    • An alternative is to fold paper airplanes. Folding fortune tellers is another option.
15

Stretch rubber bands.

  1. If you have a supply of medium to large rubber bands, you can stretch them. Stretch them as far as you can or put them around large objects. In the gym, you can try exercise/resistance bands. These are satisfying to pull, as well as great at training your muscles.
    • You can twist the rubber bands into different shapes on your fingers.
    • If you are using resistance bands, don't pull one too hard if you are unable to pull the band apart.
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16

Doodle.

  1. [8] Doodling forces you to use your imagination, as well as use daily events to draw. Think about daily situations and how to make them more interesting with vibrant colors or variants of things, such as 6-wheeled cars or huge bugs.
    • Drawing zentangles can be soothing to many.
17

Fidget with your shirt.

  1. Play with the designs on your shirt. If you have added decorations sewn on your shirt, touch these things. If you have glitter on your shirt, you can move your hand back and forth on the shirt. Some shirts have flip sequins; you can move your hand up to reveal a design, and down to reveal another design.
    • Your shirt may have different textures like ruffles. You can play with these too.
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18

Play with buttons and zippers.

  1. If you are wearing a jacket, you can button and unbutton your jacket or zip and unzip your jacket. This type of tactile sensation is satisfying to some people. Some people with sensory processing disorder find that sensory fidgets such as touching buttons and zippers helps them calm down. [9]
19

Chew gum.

  1. If you're in an informal setting (e.g. a bus stop, the park, lunch tables), you can try blowing bubbles too. If you have a dry mouth, there are special gums that can help increase your saliva production.Additionally, there are gums of many flavors (usually fruit).
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20

Eat crunchy foods.

  1. If you can, eat loud, crunchy foods. These can satisfy your urge to chew. Eat foods like apple slices, potato chips, or vegetables. If you're in a public setting, make sure to chew with your mouth closed. Avoid eating entirely in quiet settings, like a classroom during testing or a library. Some crunchy foods to try include:
    • Apple slices
    • Potato/nacho/dried fruit chips
    • Saltine/cheese crackers
    • Cereal (without the milk)
    • Breading of baked goods (e.g. fried chicken, bread)
    • Granola bars
    • Popsicles
    • Cookies
    • Carrots
    • Cabbage
21

Suck on a food.

  1. Sucking on something can also relieve stress and tension. It's more socially acceptable for kids, teens, and adults to suck on food rather than objects like pacifiers. So, you can buy some foods to suck on.
    • Ice cream bars
    • Popsicles
    • Lollipops
    • Hard candy (e.g. Jolly Ranchers)
    • Liquids through a straw
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22

Stretch your body.

  1. When you've been in a position for too long, your muscles will get sore. Stretch your body occasionally. You can stretch in your seat too- extend your legs slightly and your arms to the back of your chair to loosen up your muscles.
23

Slightly rock in your chair.

  1. You can rock back and forth in your chair to relieve pent-up worry. Avoid making any noise with the chair if you're in a quiet place.
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24

Switch positions in your chair.

  1. This also relaxes your muscles. Cross your legs and put them down every few minutes. Spread your legs out if it's appropriate. Put your hands on your lap or in your pockets.
25

Tap your feet.

  1. Tapping your feet is considered normal in most places, so feel free to tap your feet if you are bored or impatient. [10] Avoid doing this in places where you would offend people (e.g. during a parent's lecture or a friend's conversation).
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26

Squeeze your toes.

  1. This is a less obvious way of fidgeting, since, if you have slightly larger shoes, you can do this while wearing shoes. Flex and unflex your toes gently.


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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cravings/202309/why-fidgeting-is-not-just-for-the-young-and-the-restless
      2. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/what-to-know-about-fidgeting
      3. ↑ https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/do-stress-balls-work
      4. ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/do-fidget-toys-help-with-adhd
      5. ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/review-all-six-sides-official-fidget-cube-ranked-from-worst-to-best-2017-6#1-click-6
      6. ↑ https://apnews.com/article/united-states-c167e7ec8cc6d00afbab6bedb9dc3c1a
      7. ↑ https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/Why-Do-People-Like-Bubble-Wrap-So-Much
      8. ↑ https://www.additudemag.com/focus-factors/
      9. ↑ https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-sensory-processing-disorder-260517
      1. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/adhd/fidgeting-strategies-that-help-people-with-adhd-focus

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