The Bouncing Science Behind Stress Balls

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Just Squeeze It!

The tips of all your pens are all chewed up. When you’re stressed, you crack your knuckles or play with your necklace and slip your shoes off and on under your desk. In short, you fidget at work when work becomes more work.

For our holiday gift box just this past year, we included our eBook, CMYK ninjas, a sling shot marshmallow game, Field Notes, and a stress ball that read “Greetings from Florida”…we didn’t realize how the stress ball would stick around our own office, and others’.

Minor distractions can help boost productivity by giving the mind a break, making it easier to pay attention to the task upon returning to it. Or just giving the body a thing to do while thinking.

But a key thing that separates a fidget widget from other distractions is that it’s used “for the enjoyment of the experience itself,” not to achieve any particular goal.

But a key thing that separates a fidget widget from other distractions is that it’s used “for the enjoyment of the experience itself,” not to achieve any particular goal. So by that logic, playing an iPhone game to take a break from work wouldn’t provide the same experience as squeezing a stress ball or twirling a pen.

It’s Psychology, Silly

How can a squidgy ball help reduce your stress? Believe it or not, there is some really good science behind the stress ball. Psychological theory suggests that when we are under stress we take information in through two channels. One is the basic, primal sensory channel: the sights, sounds, sensations, and smells of the situation. The other is an intellectual channel: our brains trying to make sense of what’s going on, and put it into words and a context about which we can transform talk.

A stress ball relieves stress simply because it keeps your hands busy doing a simple, repetitive movement which eventually becomes almost subconscious. Your anxiety or stress is redirected to the stress ball. Stress balls are like Baoding balls, where they are designed to help your Chi and balance out your energies. In addition, they’re also great form or therapy for your hands.

Yes, these small, malleable balls filled with gel, clay or foam boost blood circulation and help with the treatment of carpal-tunnel syndrome — and they’re used as a tool for simple meditation, as well as the redirecting of certain senses, thus leading to focus and productivity.

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