<p>In the whole scheme of human consciousness, these movements may be a result of what one individual person's autonomic and central nervous system has been conditioned to <em>expect</em>. While awake during different hours of different days, implying different variables to be present depending on [social code] <em>etc,</em> our central nervous system (CNS) has a threshold for response- the level of response/arousal to sensory input accompanied by these variables stated above will ultimately help someone read what their basal level of arousal is. If that basal level arousal is not met in a certain social context (this basal level has increased via techna-cultural advancement) than the body may expend this energy via other methods of movement or concentration.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-30T06:14:42.383Z
Something tells me that CNS can't be the sole cause of toying around with little things around you. Maybe it's the phrasing, but I find it hard to follow your argumentation.
user1306322
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-29T10:32:01.363Z
2013-12-29T10:32:01.363Z
user3142866
<p><a href="https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/1807/abstract-idealized-mental-visualization-improves-motor-task-performance/1808#1808">Based on the article in my answer here</a>, shifting attention and voluntary movement cause changes in the brain. In the example below, the cat's Raphe nucleus firing is subdued as the cat is orienting to look. </p>

<p>I would hypothesize that  shifting focus between the fun activity (ex:playing with a pen) and conversational partner can help with the thinking process. </p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/xooKG.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-27T12:27:38.847Z
A shifting-based explanation could be interesting, but I don't think this answer makes so much as implies the argument. Maybe you could try to find some research along these lines?
Christian Hummeluhr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-22T19:26:50.680Z
@ChristianHummeluhr +1. My (not professional) guess is that distractions help alter attention and restart the main task. Without distractions, a person does more of unnecessary work, which happens when he writes something, for example.
Anton Tarasenko
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-21T20:28:04.273Z
2015-04-21T20:28:04.273Z
2017-04-13T12:56:16.467Z
Alex Stone
<p><sub>And this is not about procrastination (I'm almost certain).</sub></p>

<p>I've been noticing it since childhood that people (me included) tend to do unnecessary side activity, especially if they're invested in the main activity.</p>

<p>Examples of main activity: having a thoughtful conversation, watching an interesting movie, crafting something manually.</p>

<p>Examples of side activities: doing tricks with a pen, playing with shirt buttons, doodling, tearing a piece of paper into smaller parts, attaching and detaching magnets, in other words almost anything slightly amusing/interesting/touch-pleasant.</p>

<p>The side activity tends to increase with the intensity of main activity, only ceasing at the point where the main activity takes all the concentration a person can manage to attain.</p>

<p>What causes this? Does it somehow help us perform the main activity? Then how exactly? Or is it a reaction to performing something effortsome?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-12-29T06:10:26.160Z
If you know more suitable tags, please add them.
user1306322
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-24T18:17:24.460Z
I have nearly the same question: http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/5021/why-do-certain-activities-seem-to-co-occur-with-well-learnt-skills
drabsv
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-10T22:05:18.607Z
Something related: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/3967.html
user1306322
<cognitive-psychology>
Why do people often do unnecessary things while performing a main task?
user1306322
# Why do people often do unnecessary things while performing a main task?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-29)

And this is not about procrastination (I'm almost certain).

I've been noticing it since childhood that people (me included) tend to do unnecessary side activity, especially if they're invested in the main activity.

Examples of main activity: having a thoughtful conversation, watching an interesting movie, crafting something manually.

Examples of side activities: doing tricks with a pen, playing with shirt buttons, doodling, tearing a piece of paper into smaller parts, attaching and detaching magnets, in other words almost anything slightly amusing/interesting/touch-pleasant.

The side activity tends to increase with the intensity of main activity, only ceasing at the point where the main activity takes all the concentration a person can manage to attain.

What causes this? Does it somehow help us perform the main activity? Then how exactly? Or is it a reaction to performing something effortsome?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: If you know more suitable tags, please add them.  
> **username_1**: I have nearly the same question: http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/5021/why-do-certain-activities-seem-to-co-occur-with-well-learnt-skills  
> **username_0**: Something related: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/3967.html  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-12-29. Score: 1

In the whole scheme of human consciousness, these movements may be a result of what one individual person's autonomic and central nervous system has been conditioned to *expect*. While awake during different hours of different days, implying different variables to be present depending on [social code] *etc,* our central nervous system (CNS) has a threshold for response- the level of response/arousal to sensory input accompanied by these variables stated above will ultimately help someone read what their basal level of arousal is. If that basal level arousal is not met in a certain social context (this basal level has increased via techna-cultural advancement) than the body may expend this energy via other methods of movement or concentration.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Something tells me that CNS can't be the sole cause of toying around with little things around you. Maybe it's the phrasing, but I find it hard to follow your argumentation.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-04-21. Score: 1

[Based on the article in my answer here](https://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/1807/abstract-idealized-mental-visualization-improves-motor-task-performance/1808#1808), shifting attention and voluntary movement cause changes in the brain. In the example below, the cat's Raphe nucleus firing is subdued as the cat is orienting to look.

I would hypothesize that shifting focus between the fun activity (ex:playing with a pen) and conversational partner can help with the thinking process.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/xooKG.png)

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: A shifting-based explanation could be interesting, but I don't think this answer makes so much as implies the argument. Maybe you could try to find some research along these lines?  
> **username_5**: @ChristianHummeluhr +1. My (not professional) guess is that distractions help alter attention and restart the main task. Without distractions, a person does more of unnecessary work, which happens when he writes something, for example.  

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