It's no secret that almost everyone has a short attention span.
Unlike our parents, who did not have the internet to pass the time, we are constantly stimulated.
Whether it is through social media or watching videos online, we are always scrolling from one video to the next for hours that eventually takes a toll.
One of them happens to be a shorter attention span-- which sucks!
Because now we can’t focus, and we can’t do any task for more than half an hour with absolutely no distractions.
This means we can’t be productive making it a need in our daily lives to complete one task after the other.
All of this just because we are always online.
However, there are tips and tricks to improve upon one’s attention span and an underrated but surely effective way is solving jigsaw puzzles!
Jigsaw puzzles require your full attention and require patience! Whether we admit it or not, it is what we mostly lack nowadays.
Moreover, it has been demonstrated that playing games such as jigsaw puzzles has numerous advantages, making it one of the best pastimes for anyone.
So let's explore 5 reasons how jigsaw puzzles are can benefit your life!
1. SOCIAL SKILLS
As well as offering mental health benefits, jigsaw puzzles are a pleasant way to socialize.
Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to spend a leisurely time with friends and family
Next time you have your friends over for a drink, maybe opening a box of jigsaw puzzles will add more fun to your night! And will surely lift up your spirits and strengthen your bond.
As a functioning member of society, we must maintain contact with others in order to communicate, share, feel, and create memories.
Working on a puzzle is a great way to be off screen but is a good way of making connections.
Remember that your well being is not solely based on your health, but also your social connections!
2.They improve your cognitive skills.
Whenever you think, take notes, read, learn, remember, reason, and pay attention to something, your brain uses cognitive skills.
And as we move forward to a more digitalized world where apps make us addicted to our phone every day, retaining attention is a skill that we should keep honing.
When we solve puzzles, we become more focused and we are able to retain our attention longer.
Low concentration affects our productivity.
And it’s imperative that we as a society improve our concentration skills.
On top of this, solving a puzzle improves our short term memory and problem solving skills.
3. Jigsaws Puzzles are a great meditation tool and stress reliever.
Meditation is the act of maintaining complete attention on one item while clearing the mind of all other thoughts.
Also a great method to alleviate your mood and pass the time!
Which is what happens when you solve a puzzle, but it's precisely the difficulty of a puzzle that adds to its entertainment and excitement.
So next time you're deciding on the kind of Jigsaw Puzzle to choose, make sure to choose the puzzle that will challenge you.
The more difficult a puzzle is, the more satisfying the end result.
Solving puzzles makes your brain produce more dopamine. Yes, the hormones that make you feel good.
And reduces your stress and anxiety.
Puzzles should be enjoyed as it is - challenging, curiosity provoking and a game that will strengthen your patience.
It’s like taking a vacation in this fast paced world we all lived in.
4. Increasing your IQ level
Our brain, like a muscle, grows stronger when we keep it challenged and engaged.
It is a well-known fact that board games, such as jigsaw puzzles, provide a healthy mental workout that is directly related to higher IQ levels and aids in problem-solving abilities.
Puzzles are one of the oldest forms of brain-stimulating games and have been proven to increase your IQ.
Attempting to solve a problem on your own encourages you to break down the solution which ultimately boosts your brain power.
And who doesn't love an extra boost of your brain power?
5. Exercise both parts of your brain
As mentioned earlier a mental workout is needed to make sure that our brains don't weaken overtime.
Basically the more part of your brain is often challenged and used, the better it is to establish neural connections and to keep it sharp.
The great thing about jigsaw puzzles is it makes your left and right brain work collaboratively. Thus making it the excellent choice for a mental exercise.
A lot of people are afraid of jigsaw puzzles because they believe that they will take up a lot of time.
However, people who have tried jigsaw puzzles will tell you that it is one of the most time-efficient ways to get a mental workout in.
Here are some more interesting facts about jigsaw puzzles that you might not know.
- Jigsaw Puzzles was made in the 18th century and was commercialized in 1760.
- Jigsaw puzzles were a popular form of entertainment during the Great Depression because they were inexpensive, long-lasting, and recyclable.
When you think about it, one of our parents' favorite pastimes is either playing outside with friends or playing some kind of indoor game that keeps them entertained and that they can do alone or with others.
I think that jigsaw puzzles should not be considered a thing of the past or "something our parents did," but rather a hobby or pastime that we should encourage in our children.
Not only will it help them develop their brains, but it will also help them improve their concentration and productivity skills, which are huge issues in today's world.
Also, it keeps our elderly people's memories from deteriorating and declining.
And for people of all ages, if you just want to pass the time or pick up a hobby, there is no harm in enjoying a game that has proven to have many significant benefits for you.
If you ae looking for a new way to improve your mental health and mind, we recommend you consider jigsaw puzzles.
We know that puzzles are a great activity to take up to improve your mental health.