Fidget To Focus - Sensory Strategies to outwit your boredom is written by Roland Ratz, a child and adult psychologist and Sarah Wright, a renowned coach and ADD speaker. Before you jump to the point that ADD/ADHD doesn't fall under Autism Spectrum, read on... as it is common among children with Autism. ADD is a neurobiological disorder that affects our capacity to attend to tasks ( inattention), inhibit behavior ( impulsivity) and regulate activity level ( hyperactivity). In common terms, this results in trouble staying focused on a task, poor planning and timing skills, disorganized, act without thinking, interrupt conversations, trouble sitting still, among others.
The books starts off with historical definitions of ADD and how they have evolved over time, sensory systems introduction and also elaborates how fidgeting to stay focused has been a part of our lives for centuries. One example that stands out is the use of prayer beads when meditating or chanting mantras to help our mind from getting distracted. The next few chapters drive home the way many adults have learned to fidget effectively, some of the sensory strategies employed are interesting and innovative. These strategies are grouped under some well known categories like movement, sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, as well as a couple of new ones like time strategies and companion strategies.
The seventh chapter - Strategies for Living with ADD, lists ideas that can help the individual at difficult times and transitions such as falling asleep, waking up, at home, school, office, etc. The appendix, along with listing good books, websites, magazines, etc., features the Fidget strategies workbook; my favorite part of the book. The workbook encourages us to identify the activity and the primary sensory mechanism used, for example reading uses eyes. So you need a fidget that uses other sensory system, for example listening to music, scented candle, etc. that can help us fidget respectfully and keep our mind focused on the task at hand. The workbook offers many such strategies.
You can purchase the book on Amazon India
