Piecing it all together
ABSORBING YOURSELF IN A JIGSAW PUZZLE GIVES YOU QUIET TIME WHEN ALL AROUND IS BUSY, SAYS REBECCA FRANK
One of the most special things about Christmas is the enforced downtime. Those days when the prepping is over, our homes feel extra cosy, inboxes are blissfully quiet, and we can enjoy some of the homely, wholesome pleasures we so rarely find time for. And what could be better on a quiet winter’s day than to light a fire, put on your favourite playlist and bring out a jigsaw puzzle?
Jigsaws have been having a bit of a moment recently, and it’s not hard to understand why. When our minds are chaotic and things feel out of control, doing things that require total focus helps to bring a sense of calm, order and progress. “Often the advice on mindfulness is to quieten your mind for ten minutes and focus on a breathing meditation,” says Gill Hasson, author of Mindfulness Pocketbook
(Capstone). “But it’s not easy to sit and meditate, to focus your mind, without it wandering.” Gill recommends spending time doing something that keeps you focused and engaged. “If your mind is fully occupied with one absorbing activity it’s unlikely it will wander off because its immersed in a feeling of involvement and enjoyment. Puzzles, crosswords and games all require a level of concentration and provide a challenge that will have you totally absorbed.”
I see jigsaw puzzles as an art form that don’t require putting pencil or paintbrush to paper but engage your mind in a meditative way, so you find yourself focusing only on the colours, shapes, patterns and texture of the pieces. “A creative activity is a place to dwell happily in the present moment,” agrees Gill. Research shows that puzzles have cognitive benefits, too, as you utilise both the left and right sides of the brain (the logistic and the creative) and can help improve memory and problem-solving skills.
Jigsaw cynics might say they’re a waste of time. And yes, they can be, but that’s kind of the point. The benefits of doing nothing much are more than you might think. For when we stop rushing around doing several things at once and focus on a single or menial activity, we give our brains a chance to catch up and find solutions. You might find the answer to a problem springs into your mind whilst trying to piece together a seemingly endless dark sky. Or that sleep comes a bit easier after placing those late-night pieces.
Whilst they’re a great solitary activity, jigsaw puzzles can be equally pleasurable when they’re done as a group and tend to be calmer and less competitive than board games (though you wouldn’t want to be the one to sneakily place the final pieces in my house!). To avoid tantrums if you’re puzzling together, you’ll need to collaborate. Are you an edges first kind of person or do you prefer to do it in sections? Do you have the box on display or try to abstain from looking? Agreeing a protocol in advance will not be time wasted.
If you haven’t done a jigsaw for a long time, you’ll be surprised by how many new, modern makers there are out there creating puzzles more like pieces of art than the jigsaws of old. Steve Vickers is the co-founder of Cloudberries, which makes cool, contemporary jigsaws, so aesthetically pleasing you’ll want to frame them. “We aim to make every jigsaw good looking enough to stare at for hours on end,” he says. “Our puzzle designs and environmental ethos appeals to younger adults who want something fun and wholesome to do at home.” This uplift in interest from younger adults is something Wentworth Puzzles has also noticed, with most »
Puzzles engage your mind in a meditative way
Collaborate with fellow puzzlers to avoid tantrums
new visitors to its website between February and June coming from people aged 18-25. They have since launched a new range to appeal to a younger audience.
If you’re worried about finding a place to do a puzzle because you need your table for dining over Christmas, there are lots of space-saving jigsaw hacks. From roll-up and folding mats to a simple piece of wood or inexpensive foam-board which you can store under the sofa or bed, it is perfectly possible to have your puzzle and eat. Avid (or nerdy?) puzzlers use stacking storage trays to sort pieces into colours and shapes, which saves on space and will appeal to those who like to keep things in order. It might seem obvious but before you buy, don’t forget to check the size and not just the number of pieces – giant designs look impressive but if you’re short on space and it takes weeks to complete, you risk ending up feeling more stressed than soothed.
By the time you finish a puzzle you might have an achy back and have lost a few more hours than you intended, but there’s that great sense of satisfaction of a job well done, coupled with a little sadness as when any good project comes to an end. But it doesn’t have to finish. If you’ve fallen in love with the image, framing your puzzle gives you an instant and affordable piece of art for your home. Or, you could get in touch with other keen puzzlers and join or start a swap shop, a great way to share the puzzle love and help reduce environmental impact.