If acute stress is part of the tech workplace, then, increasingly, so is the fidget toy.
“It just centers you,” a psychologist told CBS New York. “And when you’re fidgeting with something, your hands are feeding back to your brain a signal that you’re involved in a repetitive task. That repetitive task frees up your mind.”
We aim to free your mind right now with 25 stress-relieving gizmos that are worthy of you and your cubicle. (Prices noted were current as of this writing.)
Made of titanium, this is the fidget spinner for the discerning fidgeter. Get the black Nucleus model (pictured) from TI-EDC for $52.90.
One of Doctor Who‘s cheesiest aliens makes itself useful as a squeezable aggression-reliever. Available for $24.99 at ThinkGeek. (At last look, ThinkGeek was out of stock, but expecting new inventory.)
The 11-and-a-half-inch-tall, people-pleasing Baby Groot will dance to “Come a Little Bit Closer” (from the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 soundtrack) or to any music that (a) calms you down and (b) the toy detects. Available from Disney Store for $39.95.
Exercise your keyboard-stressed wrist and forearm while you get this gyroscopic device whirring. Available directly from NSD Spinner, the Winner’s Bright Lit model with an LCD counter display goes for $49.95.
Crazy Aaron’s offers more than 40 varieties of stretchy, stress-busting “thinking putty.” Its Real Gold features “not less than one gram” of 24-karat gold. Get a tin for $250.
Density-wise, this is truly a toy of mass distraction. Get these top-of-the-line tops at ThinkGeek for $69.99 each.
Slip your fingers and thumb into the loops, clutch the attached ball, release and repeat to strengthen a hand that’s usually attached to your keyboard. Available via Handmaster Plus in soft, medium and firm strengths for $16.95 each.
With any luck, this toy tribble will be as soothing as the sci-fi version from “The Trouble with Tribbles” episode of the original Star Trek TV series. Available from Entertainment Earth for $19.99 each. (At last look, the item was said to be temporarily out of stock.)
This unicolored, asymmetrical take on the Rubik’s Cube is for when your brain needs a break — and for when it needs a new challenge, too. Get it via Amazon.com for $5.30.
This may not exactly be a toy, but it is a fun way to grab a power nap. Available in Fat Head and the softer Sleepy Head varieties for $33.98 and $27.98, respectively, from KlearGear.
Flip an oil-filled Colordripper on its end, and be treated to four to five minutes of liquid psychedelia. Available via Etsy.com for $12 and up.
Will anyone in the office notice you flying “the world’s smallest quadcopter drone” (just one inch in height)? Who cares? You need a break, and you can get it for $59.99 via The Sharper Image.
This Kickstarter success story offers six sides of rollin’, flippin’ and even mediatin’ fun. Antsy Labs, which has inked a new deal to bring Fidget Cube to retail outlets, sells the in-demand desk toy online for $22.
The wooden yo-yo is an old-school fidget toy. The smooth, aluminum lines of ThrowRevolution‘s Zephyr II is all new-school. Get in the swing of things, in blue, silver or champagne gold, for $120 each.
Watch the Decision Maker’s orb swing to and fro until your mind has calmed — and you’re ready to consider its action-plan options. All this, including a customizable plate, for $40 from Things Remembered.
These polyurethane orbs, which you’ll alternately see branded as Caomaru or Face of the Moon balls, have faces that beg you to mash and smash them. Get one face — or all four (Amazed, Frowning, Smiling, Yawning) — for $45 each at Our Gallery Store.
Let your mind wander as you twist 20 interconnected, rainbow-colored wooden balls into any old shape you want. For $30 from Uncommon Goods.
Watching this hand-controlled, wood-and-brass design whirl itself into the shape of a helix or a pinecone is like witnessing a CGI transformation. Available at UncommonGoods for $65.
Just plug in the cube, enjoy an ever-changing LED light show — and zone out. The spectacle can be yours for $119 from Scientifics Direct.
Drop the metal ball into the magnetic tube. By the time it drops out the other side, you’ll be ready to do it all over again. And again. For $89.99 from The Sharper Image.
As aromatic as they are tactile, these felted wool balls are filled with ground cinnamon, cloves and mung beans. Get the warm fuzzies for $20.08 apiece at Etsy.com.
Turn off your screen, turn off the lights and soak up the bright-green glow of “this irresistibly squishy foam putty.” For $8.99 from Amazon.com.
When in doubt or distress, this durable classic is one you’ll want handy. Available in a variety of colors for $10.99 each from Amazon.com.
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