Why making a jigsaw puzzle is the perfect Grandma Hobby (+ puzzle tips)

Traditional hobbies are more alive than ever—they help you unwind in our fast-paced world. Puzzling is just perfect for that.

The way we spend our free time mirrors the spirit of the times. And now, in this hurried age, we long to slow down.

Grandma Hobbies

Grandma Hobbies offer exactly that, Ignace Glorieux tells in Flow Issue 44. Glorieux, professor of sociology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium, studies how we spend our time and understands the renewed interest in Grandma Hobbies.

‘What they have in common is that they require focus—and that’s precisely what we often lack today,’ he says. ‘We’re doing at least three things at once: reading the news, having a conversation, checking our phones. That kind of fragmentation drains energy and creates time pressure.’

But when you devote yourself to one thing, that pressure fades and you can lose yourself in concentration. ‘You enter a state of flow, no longer aware of time. And that actually gives you energy.’

‘The essence of a hobby is that you do it for the sake of the activity itself,’ Glorieux says. When you do something with the intention to relax, what he calls ‘intrinsic enjoyment’ arises. ‘And that can bring deep satisfaction.’

Why puzzling is a perfect Grandma Hobby

Puzzling turns the disorder and chaos of life into something structured. Everything falls into place for a moment. That’s what makes it so mindful, says René van der Zwet, organizer of the annual Dutch jigsaw puzzle championship. ‘Every piece that fits gives you a small moment of happiness.’ That may be why puzzle competitions are becoming increasingly popular. ‘People of all ages take part.’

Another nice thing about puzzling: the conversations you have are different, because you don’t have to look at each other. ‘Some topics become easier to discuss that way,’ says Van der Zwet.

Puzzling tips

Go luxe with a wooden puzzle from Liberty, Michèle Wilson or Wentworth. The latter also offer personalized puzzles made from your own images, from small to very large.
Van der Zwet recommends you work in sections instead of starting with the edges.

Online puzzle inspiration

On Instagram, you’ll find proud posts and time-lapses from, among others, Pien (@puzzling_pien), Tessa (@puzzlesbytessa) with her clean photography, and the dedicated puzzle duo Jimena  & JL (@cronicaspuzzleras).

The beautiful Argentine film Puzzle (Rompecabezas, 2010) is a highly recommended watch. Available on YouTube, it’s about a 50-year-old housewife and gifted puzzler, Maria del Carmen, who secretly enters a puzzle competition without her husband’s knowledge.