Help me entertain my fingers.

November 13, 2008 11:02 AM

My hands get bored easily. If there's food nearby they make me eat it. What can I do to occupy my hands so they stay out of the doritos?

Ideally I'd like something that occupies my hands but not my mind. So far I've come up with two things. Lockpicks/masterlocks and a rubik's cube. Both are excellent entertainment for my fingers, but take a little too much brain power. They're also heavy or bulky so I can't bring them everywhere.

posted by valadil to sports, hobbies, & recreation (32 comments total)

Have you tried to keep your hands from forcing you to buy snacks? Just stay out of the central aisles at the grocery store, where all the snacks are (you can enlist your feet in this effort). Also, make sure you never have change in your pockets, so your hands can't make you put them into vending machines.

I have personally tried to spend time using my hands to type answering questions in the green and elsewhere, but somehow my feet and hands have conspired to supply my mouth with a large bag of m&ms sitting right here next to the keyboard.

Seriously, though, what about knitting?
posted by nax at 11:10 AM on November 13, 2008

Play Doh.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:11 AM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Are you the sort of guy who wouldn't be embarrassed by crocheting? You could learn to make something like this if you were self-conscious about it. Crocheting helps me in situations like visits to the in-laws, as they sure know how to make good desserts and finger foods.
posted by shirobara at 11:12 AM on November 13, 2008

This is what Silly Putty was made for. Just don't bring it with you to the airport.

Also, I came in to suggest a Rubix Cube, before I saw your [more inside]. I have one for this very reason. You can just twist it to keep your hands busy without even looking at it. It's a fun toy to play with even without trying to solve it. They make mini ones. Rubix Snake is even more brain-less.
posted by bondcliff at 11:16 AM on November 13, 2008

knitting
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 11:16 AM on November 13, 2008

nax:

Eating is more of a problem when I go out. I do D&D regularly. It's not uncommon for someone to bring a 6lbs bag of gummy worms to share with the table. I'm liable to eat 2 lbs of gummy worms if my fingers are left to their own devices.

I've tried crocheting but not knitting. I couldn't get the hang of crocheting, but I didn't try it for very long so I could try it again.
posted by valadil at 11:20 AM on November 13, 2008

I use Baoding balls when I'm editing because I tend to fidget obsessively at my desk. You need your brain to knit for the first few months before you can just kick back with a pair of needles and go at it.
posted by zoomorphic at 11:21 AM on November 13, 2008

Pen/pencil twirling and poker chip/coin manipulation are both mindless once you train yourself. They can also be really annoying to others, but those people shouldn't be paying so much attention to your hands, anyway.

You can also learn to play a musical instrument that requires digit manipulation, and then "practice" the fingering for scales or whatever all day while your mind's elsewhere.
posted by aswego at 11:22 AM on November 13, 2008

Komboloi
posted by ghost of a past number at 11:23 AM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'm always in favor of knitting. Knitting hats on circular needles is a good thing to do when you want to keep your hands busy but not engage your mind. You can do a really simple pattern that's basically a few inches of knit 1, purl 1 ribbing, followed by a bunch of inches of just knitting. There are lots of charities that accept donated hats, if you don't personally need a bunch of hand-knit hats.

There was a kid in my class yesterday folding oragami cranes out of notebook paper. He seemed to be paying attention, so maybe oragami would work if you did it enough so that you could fold a few things without thinking about it much.
posted by craichead at 11:31 AM on November 13, 2008

I also tend to eat things somewhat compulsively, and I've found that chewing gum removes the compulsion. It doesn't keep your hands busy, but it helps me avoid eating everything within arm reach.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 11:34 AM on November 13, 2008

i have the same problem. i was going to say knitting, as that's what i do when i watch tv. i didn't start it to cut down on the snacking, but it sure did help (cheeto stains on knitting doesn't seem very fun). but since you give the d&d group gummy worm scenario, i'd also suggest silly putty.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 11:35 AM on November 13, 2008

A yo-yo seems to fit your criteria, although I can't recommend it in good faith because it's too hard for me.
posted by syntheticfaith at 11:41 AM on November 13, 2008

Card sleights? I have a deck of cards with me most of the time and will mindlessly do something over and over with them. Or as Aswego said, coin mainipulation.
posted by Wink Ricketts at 11:41 AM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

My brother always had a set of magnetic balls on his desk that kept my hands completely occupied whenever I was fidgety in a meeting. They are loads of fun. He had five of them and I could do cool little tricks with them. It kept my hand out of the candy dish, at least.

Here is an example. That was just a link I found - I have never used that particular website before.

I find knitting to be a fun past time and would be OK to do while watching TV, but if you're at a desk or computer, having to use both hands on something like that isn't quite as ideal. And I've been knitting for a long time and I still have to use my brain a lot. YMMV.
posted by bristolcat at 11:45 AM on November 13, 2008

Gum can keep your mouth busy, or even a hard minty thing that takes a long time to dissolve. Also, drawing, as far as your fingers go. No one will look too far askance at someone who's involved in an intricate doodle. Learn what sort of things you'd like to draw. Elaborate to-do lists? Cartoon representations of your d&d characters? There's almost always a pen and paper nearby...
posted by redsparkler at 11:58 AM on November 13, 2008

Just on the knitting point, apparently Kelley Deal took it up while in recovery from heroin addiction, to keep her hands busy. I definitely smoke, snack and do my anxious fidgeting less often when knitting, so I can believe it.

How about doodling, origami or colouring in? You could actually make 1000 paper cranes to string into a mobile or put in a big glass jar or give as a gift to someone - once you have the actions down, it's not brain-intensive to repeat repeat repeat.
posted by carbide at 12:04 PM on November 13, 2008

What if you wear gloves? I wouldn't pick up a dorito if I had gloves on.
posted by Bunglegirl at 12:10 PM on November 13, 2008

If you're out playing D&D, you won't be able to entertain your fingers for very long before you have to pick up some dice. Moreover if you're in a social setting and food is front and people are eating, you will need tremendous restraint, especially if you're hungry. I think you need a different strategy.
1. Occupy your mouth instead of your fingers. Chew gum. Chain-chew so your mouth is never empty.
2. Encourage or provide alternative snacks. Bring carrot sticks and make sure they are closer to you than the gummy worms.
3. Reposition yourself or the snacks so that the snacks are not within arms reach. If possible, make them out of sight as well.
posted by PercussivePaul at 12:10 PM on November 13, 2008

For someone who is probably looking to IMPROVE their health, this is probably not going to work, but...cigarettes.

It sounds like you have a digital (hand/fingers) fixation...do you possibly have an oral fixation as well? If so, merely occupying your hands won't work. Sure, I'll easily grab a chip out of the bag, but that CRUNCH in my mouth...that's where the real party is.

Anyways, before I foodgasm, let me suggest a few options lamer than smoking:

-Ice cubes (cold, but it covers the bases and even hydrates you)
-Pen flipping (you can become a master pretty quickly)
-Hair twirling (esp. useful if you're a California beach bum, and a girl who chews lots of gum)
-Listening to music and using your hands to mimic the guitar/drums (yeah, that's me you're laughing at on the train)
-MY FAVORITE: some sort of electronic device that occupies you. iPod Touches are ideal, as there are TONS of things to do with your hands (games, take notes, add something to your calendar, etc.).

Sorry if my options don't really help.
posted by Franklin76 at 12:33 PM on November 13, 2008

Oooh, lots of responses. Thanks for the help guys!

Magnets. Already have some but forgot to mention them. Definitely a good choice.

Chewing gum. Not really for the hands. I chew a lot of gum at work to keep from snacking. It works well, but I started getting TMJ inflammation so I'm cutting back there.

Knitting. I'll give it a try, but this one seems like more of a time investment than some of the others. I really want to own a hackey sack the size of a basketball though.

Coin and card tricks - I started learning to make a coin dance across my fingers. Never got good enough to do it without concentration. I'll see if I have any better luck with cards though.

Komboloi and Baoding balls - Hadn't heard of the first or thought of the second. Will try.

Jerkin' it - the other D&D players don't like it when their dice get sticky.

Pen twirling and play doh - I'm not sure why but I find something with more resistance to be more satisfying. Taking apart a pen and rebuild it is infinitely more entertaining to me and I wish I knew why.

Drawing - I don't know why I haven't tried this at game. I used to want to go to art school, so you'd think I'd doodle more often. I used to be able to paint miniatures while gaming, so this shouldn't take any more concentraion. I think it may be unsatisfying for the same reason as the last idea.

Instrument - I already finger guitar chords, but this doesn't entertain me for very long if I don't have an instrument with me. Maybe I should roll up another bard.
posted by valadil at 12:36 PM on November 13, 2008

I have the same problem...only resolution I could come up with was to not buy the Doritos in the first place... instead i will cut up an apple or eat frozen grapes.
posted by meeshell at 12:47 PM on November 13, 2008

I've found that some string or paracord and tieing knots is a good way to occupy my hands. It's more portable and less crafty than things like knitting and a lot less annoying than things like pen twirling and magnets.

I've also tried some playing cards and practiced card manipulation.
posted by jefftang at 12:47 PM on November 13, 2008

Hmmmmmmmm...for on the go, maybe pooping keychains? Easy to carry around and fumble with, and they'll keep your brain occupied because maybe you'll be in line at the grocery store all "OOOOH, Cool Ranch Doritos!" but then you'll squeeze it and go, ".....heh, poop." Though I guess the novelty could get thin after a while...heh, poop.
posted by kkokkodalk at 1:44 PM on November 13, 2008

rubber bands or thick string. I carry some in my pocket at all times for just this purpose.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 2:18 PM on November 13, 2008

i'd go with crochet. but, yeah, i've tied and untied knots in strings/paracord.

maybe small tavern-puzzle type puzzles?

some of the tasks associated with making chain mail are pretty portable but manlier than knitting/crochet.
posted by rmd1023 at 2:30 PM on November 13, 2008

Learn to make string figures. The simple ones are easy enough to learn, and can even be done without looking after enough practice, making it a great absent-minded activity. And they usually require both hands, so no one-handed snacking permitted. Plus, it's fun!
posted by Rhaomi at 3:12 PM on November 13, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Once I figured out how to fold ninja stars, I could entertain my hands for hours while doing something else, and would end up with a huge pile of them I'd just throw away.

Try some kind of simple origami that you repeatedly fold and eventually learn to do without looking at it, purely in a back-of-mind visual exercise that keeps your hands busy, and you'd be set.

No scissors necessary, and now I can tear a piece of paper in half with perfect edges, and turn any kind of sliver of paper into a square to work with, without even a second thought.
posted by Quarter Pincher at 4:02 PM on November 13, 2008

Polish your mud balls?

I've been dying to try a dorodango, myself.
posted by peagood at 5:39 PM on November 13, 2008

Worry beads.
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:14 PM on November 13, 2008

Paper football. Any strip of paper will do, and you can easily make a bunch of them. Then have fun flicking them at your D&D playmates. The novelty will wear out though.

Seconding baoding balls. If you get ones with chimes in them, they make a nice tinkling sound when you use them.

Stress balls.
posted by curagea at 8:12 PM on November 13, 2008

Just to follow up on this, I bought some shoelaces and tie them in knots. I find them very satisfying. I even figured out how to crochet by accident, which has definitely piqued my interest in crochet/knitting. I like tying knots best so far though because string is inexpensive, lightweight, and doesn't take much pocket space.
posted by valadil at 11:40 AM on December 5, 2008