Ever wonder why you bounce your leg, drum your fingers or click and unclick your pen until your colleagues beg you to stop?
Don't fight the fidget! It may be your body's way of telling you that "for whatever reason, you need movement right now," says Katy Bowman, a biomechanist and the author of the books Rethink Your Position and Movement Matters. So get up, switch positions, stretch or do some physical activity.
Scientific support shows it's good for our health. Fidgeting increases blood flow to our limbs, helps regulate blood sugar and reduces the risk of mortality from prolonged sitting. It can relieve stress and anxiety and improve attention, especially for some people with ADHD or other neurodivergent identities.
But as many of us know, it can be a challenge to tear away from our computers in the middle of a workday. Physical therapists and researchers break down our urge to fidget and offer office-friendly ways to satisfy the need for movement.
Change your position (and don't worry too much about the "right posture")
Fidgeting is a sign you need to break out of a stagnant posture, says Bowman. Even a position that feels comfortable at first can begin causing back pain, headaches or stiffness if you hold it long enough.
So listen to your body and mix things up. Alternate between sitting, standing, reclining and moving. That might mean opting to stand in the back of a conference room during a big staff meeting, taking a call while going on a walk or reading a report with your feet propped up in the break room. You might also try a hybrid sit-stand desk. Studies have shown such desks can reduce discomfort in your lower back, neck, shoulder and more.
The goal is to put yourself in configurations that contort your body in different ways. They should be "adaptive and dynamic" and easy to "change in and out of," says Leada Malek, a physical therapist and author of the book Science of Stretch.
Don't worry too much about what is "good" and "bad" posture. Both Malek and Bowman agree on a common phrase among physical therapists: "Your best posture is your next posture."
Anticipate your need for movement
Regardless of how you fidget or move throughout the day, Bowman wants to dispel the idea that movement shouldn't belong in our workplaces.
"There's a big assumption that if people are moving and taking care of their bodies' physical needs, they can't possibly address their mental needs," she says.
In fact, there's ample evidence to the contrary: "If you are someone who needs to move, moving can really help you regulate yourself." And that allows you to do the best work possible.
Schedule "exercise snacks"
Get ahead of your fidgeting by taking a movement break after every task. Do 10 squats at the top of every hour or some jumping jacks every time you cross something off your to-do list or finish up a meeting, says Malek.
Sitting at a desk all day puts stress on your spine, shoulders and hips. Eventually, that can lead to chronic pain. A sedentary lifestyle also increases our risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer and metabolic disorders.
"Doing a three-minute workout, walking or doing lunges up and down your room could help a lot" with any physical discomfort, says Malek.
Done regularly, these short bursts of intermittent exercise, called "exercise snacks," can also increase your metabolism and help you live longer, says Jayne Morgan, a cardiologist and vice president of medical affairs at Hello Heart, a cardiovascular-health tracking app.
Go for a five-minute walk (every half hour to be precise)
If you are averse to getting in your exercise snacks in a crowded office, you could also check that box with short, frequent walks.
Researcher Keith Diaz and his team at Columbia University Medical Center, in partnership with our colleagues at Body Electric, set out to find the least amount of movement you need to counteract the dangers of prolonged sitting.
"We found that a five-minute walk every half hour offset a lot of the harms of sitting," Diaz says. With just five minutes of leisurely walking, study participants saw blood sugar spikes after a meal reduced by almost 60%.
And you don't need to be booking it, either. "Any pace of walking provides some cardiovascular benefit," says Morgan. So take a few minutes to get up and pace around your office or complete a loop around the block.
What about fidget toys?
You might have fidget toys like stress balls, fidget spinners and pop-its at your desk. What role do they play in our impulse to bounce and tap?
The research on these toys is conflicting. Some studies on fidget toys among children and college students in the classroom have shown that these gadgets can negatively affect attention, memory and the ability to focus on tasks.
Other studies suggest they can help regulate emotions or reduce anxiety among children, especially among active fidgeters. They may also be a useful tool for some children and adults with autism who do similar stimming, or repeated self-regulating movements.
So if you want an outlet to help you meet more of your sensory or movement needs, you could try keeping some fidget toys on your desk. But take care — they might be a little distracting.
The digital story was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.
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