Sometimes the best ideas are new ideas. See the latest on Kickstarter and you’ll read about doodads and thingamajigs that will make your head spin. But when it comes to work, past the kooky stressball or two, what are really the best ways to improve your day? We think these four might do the trick, and make work a bit less icky.
As with all Kickstarter projects, there’s a bit of caveat emptor (buyer beware). Read their About page and the terms and conditions. PayScale isn’t endorsing any of these, just letting you know that this one writer thinks they sound cool.
Get the Fidgets Under Control
We’ve all sat through too many meetings or intense work sessions beside the office fidget monster. This Fidget Cube is seemingly the perfect bribe, er, gift for them to just keep still for five minutes, OK? Check out the device’s many different options sure to keep those twitchy hands busy during those boring quarterly earnings meetings. For all those eager fidgeters out there, know that there are no batteries to run out, and you can keep it pretty concealed in the palm of your hand, so you’re not seen as “that guy with the work toy.”
Stay Hydrated All Day Long
Keep forgetting to keep that glass filled from the water cooler at work? Try this wearable hydration monitor on for size, and see if it can finally get you to those darn eight glasses a day. It also tracks your heart rate, steps and calories burned, and all that yadda-yadda, too. Check out the video and information about research and development.
Grow With a Micro Garden
Ever wanted to eat better, even while the snack machine or Linda’s baked goods beckon you from the work kitchen? Try out the SproutsIO Micro Garden, which you could even use on your desk at work! Grow your own veggie snacks without the hassle of soil, or natural light. Getting hungry? Grab a fresh tomato off the vine, some lettuce, and you’ve got yourself a salad. Plus, all that not-so-fresh air gets cleaned by those greens. Have a “black thumb” when it comes to plants? This system is supposedly fail-proof.
Roll Your Way to Better Time Management
Hate the inefficiency (and dare I say it, time-wasting) of time-tracking software? Check out ZEI, the time-tracker that is as easy as throwing down an eight-sided die. This cool Kickstarter project connects a physical tracker device on your desk to software on your computer. You flip the ZEI in accordance with what you’re currently working on. Moving quickly between projects? Flip it. Going to a flash meeting for a new client? Flip it again. Taking a break to check emails in the bathroom? Flip that thing. Best of all, it’s customizable to fit your projects.
Tell Us What You Think
What would you invent to improve work? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.
Featured Photo: Bethany Legg/Unsplash
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