Digital Stimming

The deliberate, controlled engagement with digital content — typically apps, videos, or sites commonly labeled as 'distracting' — as a self-regulatory or soothing behavior, analogous to physical stimming (repetitive self-soothing actions recognized in neurodivergent communities). For neurodivergent users, digital stimming can ease transitions into focused work, reduce sensory or emotional overload, and support sustainable productivity, even though conventional digital well-being framings classify the same behavior as simply 'distraction.' The concept reframes design goals for distraction blockers and digital well-being tools, suggesting curated, time-bounded stimming experiences rather than blanket blocking.