Puzzles as a Self-Care Technique: Why it Truly Works and 5 Tips to Get Started

Self-care comes in different forms: meditation, exercise, taking a relaxing bath or even indulging in your favorite hobby. In this article, we discover together puzzles as a self-care technique. Yes, you heard this right! Puzzles, in any of their variations (jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, etc.) can be a great way to take a much-needed break from the stresses of daily life and they can generally improve your mental health. If you’re still not convinced, here’s why it works and how you can get started!

1. Why Puzzles as a Self-Care Technique?

Puzzles can offer a range of benefits for mental health and well-being. Before getting to how you can potentially get into puzzle solving, let’s discuss the countless benefits of solving puzzles and how it can be seen as a great self-care technique.

Puzzles as A Self-Care Technique #1: stress-relieve & Anxiety remedy

Completing a puzzle can be a great stress reliever and can shift your attention away from your worries thus easing up anxiety as well. So next time you feel tired, stressed, or sad, grab yourself a sudoku or a fun puzzle game and forget about everything else.

Puzzles as A Self-Care Technique #2: Cognitive skills

In addition to being a great remedy against stress and anxiety, puzzles can also be a great way to improve cognitive function. Solving puzzles requires critical thinking, problem-solving, and attention to detail. These three important skills are the core skillset required in today’s world. By regularly engaging in puzzle-solving, you can improve your memory, concentration, and overall cognitive ability.

Puzzles as A Self-Care Technique #3: Sense of Accomplishment

Puzzles can also be a great way to provide you with a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes, getting the satisfaction of accomplishment for the greater things in life can be tedious and requires a very long time. Completing a puzzle, whether it’s a simple crossword or a complex jigsaw can give you a quick, short-term sense of accomplishment, pride, and satisfaction. This will ultimately help you answer your needs for success and provide you more patience to keep pursuing the greater things in life rather than just being frustrated. This can be especially helpful for those who may be struggling with low self-esteem or depression.

2. How to Get Started

If you made it this far, then that means that you are interested in using puzzles as a self-care technique. Getting started is easy! Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Choose the right puzzle for you: There are many variations of puzzles: jigsaw puzzles, crossword, Sudoku, word searches, and more. Choose a type of puzzle that you enjoy. We also highly advise you to look for a level of difficulty that is challenging but not overwhelming.
2. Set aside dedicated puzzle time: You ought to make some time every day (or every other day) and dedicate it to puzzle-solving. Just like any other self-care practice, puzzles should be done on a regular basis so that you can have the best outcome. It could be as little as a 30-minute session in the morning or evening, and you can go for longer sessions on the weekend to reward yourself for a productive week.
3. Create a puzzle-friendly space: If you’re ready to use puzzles as a self-care technique, you need to set up a designated puzzle area in your home, whether it’s a table in your living room, a quiet corner, or simply your bedroom desk. Make sure the space is well-lit, free from distractions, comfortable, and that it’s large enough for you to practice the activity. Of course, jigsaw puzzles will require a dedicated table/desk whereas, for crosswords, you could solve them while laying in your bed. In all cases, select a space that is suitable for both you and the type of puzzle you are working on.
4. Stay organized: Now that you have a dedicated space for solving puzzles, keep it organized. A chaotic space can sometimes indirectly affect your readiness to perform a given task, especially if that task involves solving jigsaw puzzles. Trust us, you wouldn’t want to get frustrated over than missing puzzle piece for your jigsaw puzzle. As a result, we advise you to make your puzzle pieces and materials organized, so you can easily pick up where you left off and feel motivated to get started. Consider using a puzzle board or mat to keep everything in one place.
5. Enjoy the process: Remember, puzzle-solving is meant to be a fun and relaxing activity. If you really want to use puzzles as a self-care technique to improve your well-being, avoid the pressure of finishing the puzzle quickly or perfectly. Enjoy the process and take your time.

3. Conclusion

Puzzle-solving can be a simple yet effective way to practice self-care and improve your mental health by reducing stress, and anxiety, improving your cognitive skills, and providing you with a sense of accomplishment. By choosing the right puzzle for you, setting aside dedicated puzzle time, and creating a puzzle-friendly space, you can enjoy the benefits of this fun and engaging activity. So why not give it a try and use puzzles as a self-care technique?

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