The Focus Lab Guide to Fidget Tools for Adults with ADHD
Fidgeting and ADHD are often mentioned together.
Leg bouncing. Pen clicking. Doodling. Picking things up. Twisting rings. Moving in a chair. Repeatedly reaching for whatever happens to be sitting on the desk.
For many adults with ADHD, these behaviours will feel familiar.
It's tempting to jump from there to a simple conclusion: fidgeting helps people with ADHD focus.
The reality is more interesting, and more complicated.
Research has explored relationships between movement, attention and ADHD, but that doesn't mean every fidget toy improves concentration or that something which works for one person will work for another.
So this guide takes a slightly different approach.
We'll look at why adults with ADHD might fidget, what research can and can't tell us, the different types of fidget tools available and how to choose something that works with the way you naturally move.
Why do adults with ADHD fidget?
Fidgeting can include almost any small, repetitive movement.
Tapping your foot.
Clicking a pen.
Moving around in your chair.
Doodling.
Playing with your hair.
Turning something over in your hands.
Repeatedly operating a switch or button.
People without ADHD fidget too, of course. Fidgeting is an ordinary human behaviour and can occur for all sorts of reasons, including boredom, nervousness, restlessness and habit.
But movement and restlessness are particularly relevant to ADHD.
Research has explored whether increased movement sometimes accompanies cognitive effort in people with ADHD, and whether certain forms of movement may be associated with attention or task performance.
That doesn't necessarily mean the movement is causing better concentration.
And it doesn't mean buying a fidget toy will automatically make someone more focused.
But it does make fidgeting an interesting behaviour to understand rather than simply something adults should try to stop doing.
We've explored the research in considerably more detail in our Journal article, The Science of Fidgeting.
Does fidgeting help adults with ADHD focus?
This is probably the question most people want answered.
And the most accurate answer is:
Sometimes it might. Sometimes it might not.
Research into movement and ADHD has produced some interesting findings, but it's important to distinguish between several different things.
There is spontaneous movement, such as leg bouncing or shifting around in a chair.
There are deliberate activities, such as doodling.
And there are dedicated objects designed specifically for fidgeting.
These aren't necessarily interchangeable.
Evidence suggesting that movement may be associated with attention or cognitive performance in certain circumstances doesn't automatically demonstrate that a commercial fidget toy will produce the same result.
The task matters too.
Something you find useful while listening to a long presentation might become distracting while trying to solve a complicated problem.
The individual matters.
And the type of movement matters.
That's why we're cautious about phrases such as “fidget toys improve focus all the time.”
It's a much stronger claim than the evidence currently allows us to make.
A better way of thinking about a fidget tool is simply as an object that provides a controlled, repetitive physical interaction.
Whether you find that helpful, distracting, satisfying or completely unnecessary is personal.
Fidget tools, not ADHD treatments
This distinction matters.
A fidget tool isn't a treatment for ADHD.
It isn't a substitute for professional advice, medication, therapy, coaching, workplace adjustments or other forms of ADHD support.
And Focus Lab products aren't medical devices.
They're physical objects designed to provide tactile interaction.
We sometimes use the term focus tool rather than fidget toy because we're interested specifically in how these objects can fit into adult working environments.
But the same principle applies.
They're tools.
Some people may find them useful.
Others may not.
There is no single object that will make everybody concentrate.
What should an ADHD fidget tool actually do?
If you decide you want something to fidget with, it's worth thinking about what you're asking the object to provide.
For many people, the answer isn't lots of features.
It's simply:
Something for my hands to do.
That might mean repetitive movement.
Resistance.
Texture.
Pressure.
A mechanical click.
Something to roll beneath your thumb.
Something to turn.
Something to hold.
Different interactions provide different forms of sensory and tactile feedback, which is why the best fidget is often highly personal.
Different types of fidget tools for adults with ADHD
There are hundreds of fidget designs available, but most provide a relatively small number of basic interactions.
Understanding those interactions can make choosing one much easier.
Clickers, buttons and switches
Clicking is a very definite interaction.
Press.
Release.
Repeat.
Mechanical switches and buttons provide resistance followed by an immediate physical response.
For someone who already clicks pens, keyboard switches or other objects while thinking, this type of movement may feel particularly natural.
The disadvantage is noise.
A clicky fidget can be satisfying at your own desk but irritating to somebody sitting next to you.
Our Focus Switch explores this interaction in its simplest form: a mechanical metal toggle switch housed in a solid walnut body.
It doesn't control anything.
It simply switches.
Rolling fidgets
Rolling provides a smoother and more continuous movement.
A ball or bearing can move beneath the thumb without a defined beginning or end.
This can make rolling mechanisms useful for people who prefer constant movement rather than repeated clicking.
They can also be much quieter.
Dials and wheels
Rotational controls can provide anything from completely smooth movement to distinct mechanical steps.
They're particularly suited to people who naturally rotate rings, knobs, pens or other small objects between their fingers.
Sliders
Sliders provide repeated back-and-forth movement.
Some are completely smooth, while others use magnets or mechanical components to introduce resistance.
They're often compact and can be used without needing to look at them.
Soft and squeeze fidgets
Some people prefer pressure and resistance to mechanical movement.
Soft fidgets, putty and squeezable objects can provide a more physical interaction than a switch or dial.
They're often quiet too, making them potentially useful in shared environments.
Multi-control fidgets
Some fidget tools combine several types of movement.
Buttons.
Switches.
Sliders.
Dials.
Wheels.
This allows you to move between different interactions rather than repeating one movement continuously.
This thinking led to Focus Deck, our analogue desktop focus tool.
Rather than giving your hands one thing to do, Focus Deck combines several tactile controls in an object designed to live permanently within an adult workspace.
Start with how you already fidget
Before buying anything, watch what your hands are already doing.
This can tell you far more than a list of supposedly “best ADHD fidget toys”.
Do you click pens?
You might prefer switches or buttons.
Do you constantly rotate your ring?
Try something rotational.
Do you pick objects up and turn them over?
A handheld fidget might suit you better than something fixed to a desk.
Do you rub textures with your thumb?
Material and surface finish may matter more to you than complicated mechanisms.
Do you bounce your leg?
A hand-based fidget may not necessarily replace that movement at all.
Rather than deciding how you should fidget, start by noticing how you already do it.
Quiet fidget tools for ADHD at work
Sound is one of the most important considerations if you're planning to use a fidget at work.
Mechanical feedback can be incredibly satisfying.
Unfortunately, your colleague might not feel the same way after hearing the same click for the 638th time.
For meetings, lectures, shared offices and other quiet environments, consider interactions such as:
-
smooth rollers
-
silent or low-noise sliders
-
dials
-
textured objects
-
soft fidgets
-
rings
-
thumb stones
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other small handheld objects
The goal is to find something that works for you without unnecessarily distracting the people around you.
For your own desk or home office, you can afford to be considerably more clicky.
Fidget tools for meetings and listening
Meetings are an interesting environment because they require sustained attention while often asking very little from your hands.
The same is true of lectures, presentations, webinars and some video calls.
These are also situations where people often find themselves doodling, clicking pens or picking up whatever happens to be nearby.
If you're using a fidget while listening, simplicity becomes particularly important.
Ideally, you shouldn't need to look at it.
You shouldn't need to solve anything.
There shouldn't be a game to complete.
The interaction should be familiar enough that your hands can do it while your attention remains on the conversation.
There's an important distinction here:
Occupying your hands isn't the same as occupying your mind.
For listening tasks, the first may be what you're looking for.
The second probably isn't.
For more on choosing something specifically for professional environments, read our Guide to Fidget Toys for Work, Meetings and Deep Focus.
Can a fidget become a distraction?
Absolutely.
This is another reason we're wary of describing fidgets as universal concentration aids.
A particularly interesting object can become the thing you're concentrating on.
You might find yourself watching it.
Trying different tricks.
Testing the mechanism.
Playing a game.
Thinking about the object rather than whatever you're supposed to be doing.
That's not necessarily bad. Play has value too.
But it's different from using something alongside another task.
For focused work, we tend to favour interactions that become familiar and almost unconscious over time.
Simple movement.
Clear tactile feedback.
Very little cognitive demand.
Your phone is a fidget too
This is something we find particularly interesting at Focus Lab.
Think about how often you pick up your phone without consciously deciding to.
You're waiting for something to load.
You reach for your phone.
A meeting pauses.
You reach for your phone.
You finish one task before starting another.
You reach for your phone.
Sometimes there isn't even anything specific you want to see.
Your hand just knows where to go.
The problem is that a phone isn't a particularly neutral thing to fidget with.
Pick up a piece of wood and it's still a piece of wood.
Pick up your phone and you're one movement away from messages, email, news, social media, videos and everything else designed to compete for your attention.
That's one reason we find physical fidget tools interesting.
They give your hands somewhere else to go.
What makes a good fidget tool for an adult workspace?
For us, there are five things worth considering.
Tactile feedback.
Does the movement actually feel satisfying?
Simplicity.
Can you use it without having to think about it?
Noise.
Is it appropriate for the environment you're in?
Material.
Does it feel good in your hand?
Appearance.
Are you happy having it sitting on your desk?
That last point might sound superficial, but we don't think it is.
Our desks are environments we spend enormous amounts of time in.
The objects around us affect how those spaces feel.
There's no reason a fidget tool can't be designed with the same care as a notebook, keyboard, lamp or piece of furniture.
Why Focus Lab makes fidget tools differently
Focus Lab began partly from personal experience.
I've spent most of my life fidgeting.
Clicking pens. Picking things up. Reaching for my phone. Finding it difficult to sit completely still when my brain is trying to concentrate.
When I was diagnosed with ADHD in my late thirties, many of those behaviours started to make more sense.
It also made me curious.
As a designer, I started wondering whether I could design with that restlessness rather than constantly trying to fight it.
And whether the objects themselves could feel different from the fidget toys I'd seen before.
Less like toys.
More like objects designed for the spaces adults actually work in.
Walnut.
Steel.
Physical controls.
Buttons.
Switches.
Dials.
Objects that feel good enough to leave on your desk.
That's what eventually became Focus Lab.
Finding what works for you
There isn't a best fidget toy for every adult with ADHD.
And there probably never will be.
Our brains are different.
Our working environments are different.
The movements we find satisfying are different.
The tasks we're trying to concentrate on are different.
So experiment.
Notice what your hands already do.
Pay attention to whether an object helps you stay with a task or becomes another thing competing for your attention.
Try quiet movements.
Try mechanical ones.
Try different textures, weights and materials.
And if you discover that you don't need a dedicated fidget at all, that's fine too.
The goal isn't to become better at fidgeting.
It's to understand a little more about how you work.
Tools for restless hands and busy minds
At Focus Lab, we make analogue tactile tools for adults who want something physical to interact with while they work, think and listen.
They're not treatments for ADHD.
They don't promise to make you productive.
And they won't magically fix your attention.
They're deliberately much simpler than that.
They're objects for your hands.
No batteries.
No notifications.
No apps.
No distractions.
For a broader introduction to different fidget types, materials and tactile feedback, read The Focus Lab Guide to Fidget Toys for Adults.
For a closer look at the research behind movement, attention and fidgeting, read The Science of Fidgeting.
About the author.
Will Saunders is a UK-based designer and founder of UK Focus Lab, a studio creating analogue tools for focus and calmer work. He writes about attention, distraction, tactile design, creativity and our increasingly complicated relationship with technology.
