Man, jobs can be tough. It feels like we’ll sometimes spend entire days on end without seeing a ray of sunshine because we’ve got our noses to the grindstone and our brains at warp speed. But, as we’re sure some of you can relate, sometimes we get stuck. We just need those moments where we can take our heads away from our work, if only for a couple seconds, just to let our brains recharge. Studies have shown that the momentary distractions presented by fidget toys are good for relieving anxiety and stress, as well as helping people re-focus and dial back in on tasks at hand. In a nutshell, they’re the answers to all your problems. Here are the best fidget toys to help you focus:
Think Ink Pens: Fidget for Focus
The Think Ink Pen is far and away one of the coolest fidget toys we’ve ever seen because not only is it incredibly fun and distracting, but it’s also beautiful and useful. It’s a pen, but also a world-class fidget toy that’ll allow you to spin, roll, twist, bend, and twirl your way to some of your best work ever. The pens themselves are highly modifiable and include an array of different kits and pieces that serve different purposes (think Erector Sets). We learned about Think Ink Pens via their massively successful Indiegogo campaign, which exceeded its funding goal by over four times what it had originally set. While the products haven’t officially shipped, people are still free to order them via the campaign, and first shipments are expected to go out sometime in the next couple months. $50
Orbiter
So much of what we love about a good fidget toy is its design. A lot of these toys are neat and distracting, but how many of them would we not be embarrassed to have in plain view on our desks? Well, the Orbiter is one of those toys. Made from titanium and Neodymium magnets, the Orbiter is a simple fidget toy that allows you to spin the trackball around the magnet without fear of slipping or flinging. It’s simple and easy to get the hang of, and the best part is that its tiny size and weight mean it can also fit conveniently and unobtrusively in your pocket. $65
Moondrop
The Moondrop is another excellent fidget toy because it requires zero skill, effort, or dedicated thought, but is still a lot of fun. Scientifically, the toy utilizes principles of physics (see: Lenz’s Law), whereby the copper slider moves down the magnetic shaft and creates electric current opposite the slider’s magnetic field, thereby slowing it down. The top of the shaft unscrews so different sliders with different gravitational values can be switched in and out. More simply, the toy uses voodoo to simulate lunar gravity on different planets—including Earth, the moon, and Mars. It’s great for fidgeters because despite its simplicity, you can twist it, slide it, spin it, and whatever else you can think of. $25
Fidget Cube
A fidgeter’s dream toy, Fidget Cube is a tiny palm-sized fidget toy that includes six separate functions, including a clicker, a switch flip, a joystick glider, a circular wheel, a roller click ball and gear rollers, and a special side modeled after a traditional worry stone—all strategically placed as tools to help you relax and focus on the tasks in front of you. Easily one of our favorite picks on the list, Fidget Cube has something for everyone. $20
Torqbar
MD Engineering really hit it out of the park with their clean, beautiful, and mesmerizingly fun Torqbar. It sounds real boring on paper; the torqbar is literally just a bar that spins in circles. But when you actually see one of these things in motion, it becomes something you simply have to have. They come in several different iterations of polished brass, brushed steel, copper, titanium, etc., as well as in different shapes and designs. But the premise is the same—watch it spin for what feels like forever. The best part is the Torqbar is incredibly compact and sleek, so it’ll look inconspicuous on a desk, but also fits right inside your pocket. $40
Begleri 16.01
What we love about these Begleri beads is that they’re beautifully and modernly designed based off of an old-school toy. Popularized in Greece during the 1960s, Begleri beads are decorative skill toys perfect for the fidgety creative who needs to step back from that bright, constricting screen for a moment and just relax a bit. These beautiful hand-turned Bigleri 16.01s by J. L. Lawson & Co. feature solid brass ends that measure 5/8” in diameter and are slightly shorter than ¾”. They’ll take some real skill to get the hang of, but once you do, the trickery is mesmerizing and the possibilities endless. It’s addicting, to say the least. $55
Braided Gold Chain Spinner Ring
For those professionals among us who need something a little more conspicuous, the Braided Gold Chain Spinner Ring from Stimtastic is literally just a doodad that spins freely (and quietly) around your finger. The ring features a polish stainless steel band and gold-plated chain, and they come in several sizes to accommodate even the clumsiest of fingers. And at $9.50, you won’t have to worry if it goes missing, and we think they’re more than worth trying out. $10
Rizzle
The best thing about so many of these fidget toys is that they—by design—are abstract and wild looking. The Rizzle is a wonderful and beautiful-looking contraption that features aluminum rollers, bands, and connectors that slide seamlessly over palms and fold like waves in an ocean over fingers. They serve zero purpose other than to ease your anxiousness and relax your brain, and we think they do a damn good job. $12
