Fidget to Focus

I used to love getting catalogs from  The J. Peterman Company. They sold these funky clothes and accessories invoking adventure, mystery, and “long ago” and “far away”. The products were shown as sketches. The descriptions were artfully created first-person “accounts” of who had been seen wearing this garment, how wonderful they looked in it, and how you could, by wearing the same garment, step right into that same wonderful life. It was good writing and great reading.

Well, the original J. Peterman Company didn’t make it, but it has since been resurrected at JPeterman.com. And the creative entrepenure(s) behind it are still thriving. You can check out the online store or enjoy the same writing, sensibility, and wide-ranging interests at Peterman’s Eye: A Community of Curious Travelers.

If you check out Peterman’s Eye, you will find a wonderful article about the virtues of fidgeting! You can read all about fidget historians, presidential doodles, and new research in the post called Give Fidgeting a Hand. Check it out! And be sure to read all the fidget stories in the comments. They’re great.

Another diversion that can either get you going again, or suck you in for hours. It is amazing how hard it is to get faster at this, and the research is fascinating:
http://health.ivillage.com/multimedia/0,,90r57fvc,00.html

From the website:

Psychological research has shown that daily stress and feelings of insecurity are in large part due to the anxiety of wanting to be liked, accepted and respected by one’s peers and significant others.

Fear of rejection can make us overlook positive signals from others and only see signs of disapproval. This inclination, or MindHabit, to zero in on the negative, heightens our feelings of insecurity and anxiety – making daily interactions increasingly and more frequently stressful. MindHabits Booster teaches individuals to ignore hostile information by finding the friendly face in a crowd of frowning people. The game allows players to practice downplaying rejection in and non-threatening environment. This software demonstrates the game, for entertainment and educational purposes.

Although the research conducted on this topic thus far is promising, we can make absolutely no claims about the effectiveness of these games for helping any particular individual deal with any particular issue or problem. For treatment of psychological problems, please consult a qualified mental health professional.

Okay, all you Jackson Pollock wannabees, here’s your chance! Have fun fidgeting!

1. Go to URL: http://www.jacksonpollock.org/
2. Move mouse around; you’ll get the hang of it.
3. To change color, left click mouse, another color, left click mouse, another color… etc.
4. To clear, click on “Go” button to right of address box (top of screen)
5. You might be able to do something else that I haven’t discovered?

- N.L. (from email)

Like the Noah’s Arc game, this is also not really a good fidget as it takes too much attention, but it is a nice and educational diversion when you need to reset your brain. Enjoy!

Map game: http://www.rethinkingschools.org/just_fun/games/mapgame.html

This is is not really a good fidget as it takes too much attention, but it is a good mental “coffee break”. Alternatively, it is also a good “pattern interrupt” if you need to disconnect from something or break your hyperfocus so you can, for instance, go to bed. Enjoy!

Noah’s Arc match game: http://milescooley.com/mc/ecards/cards/2

(from email – enjoy!)

Do you keep falling asleep in meetings and seminars? What about those long and boring conference calls? Here’s a way to change all of that.

1. Before (or during) your next meeting, seminar, or conference call, prepare yourself by drawing a square. I find that 5″ x 5″ is a good size. Divide the card into columns–five across and five down. That will give you 25 one-inch blocks.

2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block:

• synergy
• strategic fit
• core competencies
• best practice
• bottom line
• revisit
• expeditious
• to tell you the truth (or “the truth is”)
• 24/7
• out of the loop
• benchmark
• value-added
• proactive
• win-win
• think outside the box
• fast track
• result-driven
• empower (or empowerment)
• knowledge base
• at the end of the day
• touch base
• mindset
• client focus(ed)
• paradigm
• game plan
• leverage

3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.

4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, stand up and shout “BULLSHIT!”

Testimonials from satisfied “Bullshit Bingo” players:

• “I had been in the meeting for only five minutes when I won.” – Adam W., Atlanta
• “My attention span at meetings has improved dramatically.” – David T., Florida
• “What a gas! Meetings will never be the same for me after my first win.” – Dan J., New York City
• “The atmosphere was tense in the last process meeting as 14 of us waited for the fifth box.” – Ben G., Denver
• “The speaker was stunned as eight of us screamed ‘BULLSHIT!’ for the third time in two hours. The Bullshit Bingo Championship will be played at the next meeting.” – Jim O., Portland