Let's keep Calm
Looking for small ways to keep calm throughout the day? I was introduced to Calm Strips and I was instantly intrigued by the concept and wondered if it truly works. Calm Strips are textured sensory adhesives that you can put on your phone computer or at your desk, basically anywhere!
They are made from a thin but extremely hardy and durable vinyl. Crafted to help soothe anxiety and fidgeting by grounding you in a calming scene and giving you a rough, but soft, surface as a stimulus. Sounds cool right?
The strips are designed with adults and children in mind, perfect for kids heading back to school during this uncertain time or those of us working from home and trying to balance so much!
I had the opportunity to chat with the founder Michael Malkin at Calm Strips and get more details on the product and how it’s helping people during these tough times.
NMFIT: Have Calm Strips been a supportive resource for your customers during this turbulent time?
MM: I would like to think that they have been. As you said, these have been a really difficult time for people for many different reasons; and many of these reasons feel so far out of our control.
When I launched (launched might be a little generous) earlier this year, my wife gave me a really great piece of advice. She said not to worry about sales or finances, but just try to help one person. Find one person out there who Calm Strips can help. I have been incredibly lucky and blessed to have done that a few times over and it is still amazing to hear from those customers who send emails about how Calm Strips have helped them.
NMFIT: How did you come up with the concept of Calm Strips?
MM: For many years I have had the pleasure of working in a busy retail environment. For the most part, it’s been really rewarding. Getting to help out customers and work with other cool people makes it enjoyable.
One problem though…
I deal with both social and situational anxiety.
On some weekends, our location is packed. Customers literally standing arm to arm from the front to the back. This would cause my anxiety to flare up and I would get noticeably fidgety. I would commonly get co-workers asking me:
“Hey, man… you alright?”
And I was. For the most part, just a little anxious. I had used fidget cubes and spinners before, but that would be far too noticeable and not really appropriate given the environment.
Then, on a particularly busy and stressful day at work, I put some carpenters tape next to the trackpad on my laptop, to give me something to fidget with; and it helped me… a lot. Co-workers started asking me about it and, after a bit of playful mocking, started doing it too.
While this was a cool life hack... I invested a lot of time and work to improve on this basic idea in a few key ways for Calm Strips.
Durability: Calm Strips are made from a thin, but robust vinyl. They are crafted from durable materials originally designed for outdoor use. That means they can stand up to the elements, including sanitizer, for up to four years.
Texture: While picking at the scotch tape was helpful, Calm Strips feature a textured finish. You can scratch at them with your nails if you are looking for a rougher feel, or rub it with your fingertip for a more soothing experience. You get the resistance you want without worrying about scratching fingertips, nails… or laptop screens. They are also safe for both adults and children.
Adhesive: We use a high-quality, reusable adhesive on Calm Strips. Unlike tape, it doesn't leave any residue on items. This also means you can put them anywhere. We have had users place them on laptops, phones, necklaces, notebooks, desks, steering wheels, bedposts, and more...
Designs: Each design is carefully selected from the works of eclectic artists. Everyone reflects a calming scene in nature. Instead of something unsightly, Calm Strips are beautiful when you want people to see them, and discreet when you don't.
I have spent over two years developing and testing before bringing Calm Strips to market. Since launching earlier this year, our company is proud to have tens of thousands of satisfied customers in all fifty states. I hope you love them and that they are just as helpful for you.
NMFIT: Your product is very unique, how have people responded to Calm Strips?
MM: The reaction has been really tremendous. As mentioned above, the vision behind the product is really simple. I think that anxiety is a topic that has had a stigma attached to it for too long and we would like Calm Strips to have a positive impact there, even if in a small way. Having something out there that is helping people and that customers are sharing with their friends and family members are super awesome to all of us here at Calm Strips.
For more information on Calm Strips visit: https://www.calmstrips.net/our-story