Modern-day life moves at the speed of light; at each moment, it’s likely that we have an extensive thought catalogue of both personal and professional ‘to-do’s’ and ‘must remember’ that causes us to lose concentration extremely easily, impacting our productivity in the workplace. Yes, it’s true, we are in an epidemic of being overwhelmed, and our brain can only take so much, and when a tool comes along that is reported to aid concentration and improve mental health by reducing anxiety and stress – it needs to be embraced.

From checking our phones, clicking through our open tabs, scrolling through social media, or irritating colleagues with shuffling about, we all fidget, and the humble fidget spinner does exactly what it says on the tin – it ALLOWS you to fidget, rather than trying to suppress the urge altogether.

It is reported that each year, almost 800 hours are lost to distracted employees, with the average employee wasting 60 hours a month. While some of the blame can be placed on noisy environments, chatty colleagues, and uncomfortable chairs, much of it also falls at the feet of the aforementioned personal distractions.

There is a science to show that the act of fidgeting itself occupies part of your brain that would otherwise cause you to become distracted further, so by using a specific tool that enables you to focus your fidgeting, individuals are prevented from becoming unproductive. It has been said that using tools such as fidget spinners, can aid the decision-making process and critical thinking.

Body movements are an intrinsic part of the process of thinking and expression. Remaining still for long periods of time is unnatural; imagine giving a presentation, having a conversation or sitting at your desk while remaining almost completely motionless, it’s hard to contemplate. Studies have uncovered that moving our bodies supports our cognitive behaviors such as physically writing something down; for instance, the physical motion of writing something down with pen and paper is more beneficial for our memory than simply typing notes on a computer or smartphone, which requires less movement.

With this in mind, fidgeting could actually help us to think and express ourselves – ultimately meaning that productivity soars as employees become more efficient, and Branded Fidget Spinners could be the tool that enables us to perform better as indirectly, it forces the brain to focus on the task at hand.

Another positive attribute is that the act of fidgeting is ritualistic, and offers us comfort, predictability, and structure, that may be absent from the frantic workplace of today. For many of us, ritualistic fidgeting includes tapping a pen or using stress balls and it has been reported that this type of fidgeting can help us to keep calm.

When we begin to feel stressed, the brain secretes our ‘fight or flight’ hormones designed to help us in the event of a short-term emergency, but in the long term can create performance hazards as we focus our attention on the cause of stress rather than the task we are required to complete. The key takeaway here is that a relaxed mind is a productive mind, and fidgeting habits serve to keep us relaxed, and focused.

With all of this in mind, it surely makes sense that both employees and employers recognise that by forcing ourselves to stop fidgeting, we are acting in a way that is not only unnatural but also detrimental to our mental well-being and productivity. By providing employees with branded fidget spinners, you are offering them an outlet for their fidget habits that give them comfort but also enable them to be more productive – positive attributes that they will associate with the brand, deepening their connection and loyalty.