The Pandemic Taught Us Patience. Jigsaw Puzzles Will Help Keep It.

If you ask most people if they are patient, they’d most likely say no. And who can blame them? We live in a world that offers same-day delivery, live news streams from around the world and all ten seasons of your favourite TV show at the click of a button. We all know patience is a virtue, but what does patience actually mean? Psychotherapist Anthony Davis defines patience as “the capacity to wait for something without getting frustrated.” Does this sound like something you need help with?

The repetitive colourful pattern of this round jigsaw puzzle makes for excellent mediative therapy to help manage stress.

Before the pandemic, many of us found it difficult to wait things out without feeling discomfort, irritated and even fidgety. But the national lockdown and self-isolation made us pause, and practising patience became normality, even a necessity. We waited many months to be reunited with loved ones, to get the vaccination and to go on holiday abroad - or even just get on a train to the next city (something that can test the very patient; Northern Rail anyone?) Even though we struggled to gain peace with being patient, there were many benefits of accepting being still and not being overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of modern life.

You would think after 18 months and three national lockdowns later, our patience would not falter. However, since restrictions eased this summer, our newfound patience has been challenged and wavered. Can you own up to tutting at the supermarket check-out and fidgeting while you wait for the bus? It may worry you how quickly it is to lose the ability to bide our time. With life on hold for so long, we had to wait out the big stuff and the small, but after pressing the resume button, people are back to struggling with long-term patience. 

Rest assured we have an unlikely antidote: jigsaw puzzles!

Mandalas have historically been used to induce trances and as tools for deep spiritual guidance, making this the perfect mental health jigsaw puzzle. 

We like to achieve our goals and look forward to reaping the rewards of our efforts and talent. Naturally, these rewards cannot come soon enough. This is why solving jigsaw puzzles (the more challenging the better) can help ease the frustration of short-term impatience.

Here’s how puzzling will help keep your cool:

• Staying focused on a jigsaw puzzle and the challenge directly in front of you provides a sense of control. 
• Taking some slow deep breaths to keep yourself grounded and present while sorting and colour co-ordinating the puzzle pieces increases mindfulness and helps improve patience and bring a sense of calm.
• Taking small actions of connecting the puzzle pieces will help avoid catastrophising and keeps you focused on positive steps. 
• Including puzzling in your daily routines trains your problem-solving ability in a positive, calm and easily achievable way. Even 10 minutes a day of mediative focus has been proven scientifically to reduce stress and increase patience.
• A jigsaw puzzle is designed to have a satisfying conclusion and dopamine-hitting ‘Eureka!’ moments.

This beautiful round zentangle dragonfly jigsaw puzzle is a therapeutic way of relieving stress and escaping the pressures of digital overload.

In time, you will be able to silence your impatience… What will happen if my bus is late - will I make it to work on time? Do I hate my job? How many days until the weekend? Am I really excited to go to that new restaurant?

With a good puzzle, patience is learned and rewarded. Puzzlers learn to improve concentration, pay close attention to detail and improve their long and short term patience.

Shop Rest In Pieces best jigsaw puzzles for adults that you'll actually want to do: