Digital Detox with Time to Log Off and Wentworth Puzzles


Jigsaw puzzles have been in the spotlight during lockdown, and we are pleased that people have been able to experience the soothing effects of puzzling. With the benefits of completing jigsaws widely documented currently, this has encouraged a whole new wave of people to the puzzling community.

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One of the main advantages of wooden jigsaw puzzles is encouraging you away from your screens, and with UK Unplugging Day just around the corner (Sunday 28th June 2020), we are teaming up with Time to Log Off - taking a look into why being so invested in our devices can affect our lives, how we can take steps to step away from our phones… and of course, how puzzles can be a great item to have during a ‘digital detox’


DO YOU FEEL “ALWAYS SWITCHED ON”?


With a smartphone in our pocket the majority of our waking hours, it’s leading us to a feeling of “always being switched on” - the average smartphone user checks their phone every 12 minutes! The act of just receiving a notification, even if you don’t reply to it, is enough to severely distract you. Especially at the moment where many of us are working from home, putting us at an increased risk of feeling burnt out

However, Tanya Goodin, digital detox expert, author, and founder of Time to Log Off has spent her entire career focused on the interaction between people and technology. She’s looked into ways that we can take better care of our digital wellbeing - Ultimately, it’s not about ditching our devices for good, just learning how we start taking steps towards healthier habits surrounding our screen time. Which in turn will help us be more present in the moment and prioritise our real relationships and experiences over virtual ones.

A few things habits you can start working towards to improve your relationship with technology;

Do this quiz to see if you’d benefit from a digital detox

Try the 5:2 ‘Digital Diet’ - There’s even a handy Cheat Sheet!

Go for a walk at lunchtime - nature is a great antidote for burn out and you’ll feel refreshed and energised

Set some time aside in the evening to read a physical book instead of scrolling through articles online. We recommend one of Tanya Goodin’s digital detox books

Taking part in UK Unplugging Day

 

 

UK Unplugging Day, co-ordinated by Time to Log Off, is a UK-wide 24 hour break from the digital world to enable us to disconnect from our devices and reconnect with our family, friends, loved ones and communities in real life. You can find more info here

And although the majority of us won’t be able to commit to the full day, you’ll be so surprised at what even a few hours break can do!

 

So how can Jigsaw puzzles help?

A lot of us turn to our phones when we feel bored, so the best way to preoccupy yourself during a digital detox is with an ‘analogue alternative’ – Time to Log off have a series of “creative quarantine” ideas which include sewing and cooking. But they also agree that jigsaw puzzles are another excellent way to stimulate your brain, especially if you’re not feeling particularly creative!

Supporting our Keyworkers - Say Thank-You with a Rainbow

We've teamed up with one our popular British artists, Julia Rigby, and are delighted to release this exclusive jigsaw puzzle, to say ‘Thank You’ to the NHS staff and all the other key workers for their essential work during the Coronavirus crisis.

"Whilst we’ve been busy trying to keep you furnished with puzzles over these last few months, we wanted to make sure that we also do something to support the wonderful efforts of our health and key workers. Although we continue to give some of our puzzles to local charities, it never seems quite enough. So, we’ve teamed up with one of our most popular artists, Julia Rigby to create a special ‘Thank You’ puzzle and selected a charity close to our hearts to donate 35% from the sale of each puzzle to."
Sarah Watson, Managing Director

 

We've teamed up with one our popular British artists, Julia Rigby, and are delighted to release this exclusive jigsaw puzzle, to say ‘Thank You’ to the NHS staff and all the other key workers for their essential work during the Coronavirus crisis.

"Whilst we’ve been busy trying to keep you furnished with puzzles over these last few months, we wanted to make sure that we also do something to support the wonderful efforts of our health and key workers. Although we continue to give some of our puzzles to local charities, it never seems quite enough. So, we’ve teamed up with one of our most popular artists, Julia Rigby to create a special ‘Thank You’ puzzle and selected a charity close to our hearts to donate 35% from the sale of each puzzle to."
Sarah Watson, Managing DirectorJigsaw Puzzles Educational Toys 300 500 1000 Pieces Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles  Colorful Skull Puzzle Games Toy for Adults Kids Teens| | - AliExpress
 

 

From the proceeds of sales of this product, we’ll donate a minimum of £3,000 to the Wiltshire Community Foundation.
This will help the Wiltshire Community Foundation respond to the impact of the coronavirus crisis and to support grassroots charities and community groups to provide their services during and after the crisis. Just some examples include groups running food banks, providing mental health services, befriending the elderly and isolated, providing debt advice and support for those living in poverty, and helping the homeless.

“We are delighted that wooden jigsaw puzzles are supporting our Wiltshire & Swindon Coronavirus Response Fund.  Funds raised will be used to provide relief to local people suffering as a result of the pandemic and to support local charities and community groups to deliver their vital services. Our sincere thanks to all those supporting this initiative.”  
Fiona Oliver, Interim Co-Chief Executive, Wiltshire Community Foundation

This brightly coloured wooden puzzle is aptly named ‘Say Thank You with a Rainbow’.
It includes bespoke whimsy pieces such as a set of clapping hands, a rainbow, musical instruments, and letter-shaped pieces saying, “Thank You”.

 

Stories of a Travelling Puzzle

Ever heard of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants?  How about the story of a travelling puzzle?

During lockdown, many of us turned to puzzles to keep us preoccupied, and lots of people were happy to share the benefits and joy that jigsaws bring by lending our puzzles to our friends and family members. We asked our customers and followers on social media about times they've shared their wooden jigsaw puzzles, and the tales came in from far and wide about their puzzle swaps.

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Near, Far, Wherever you are

Most puzzles stayed relatively nearby - often to neighbours in need. One of our customers shared their Wentworth collection with their neighbour, and turned them into a full Wentworth convert, so now they won't do any other puzzles! It must be those fun and unique whimsy shapes!

We heard another story on twitter of a husband and wife puzzling team who got the pair of summer collection puzzles by Rebecca McCulloch - Harbour Houses and Summer Beach Huts - they did one each, and then swapped them over. You could even run a competition to see who could do each puzzle in the fastest time?



One of the stories we loved the most, was a small group of people who all worked in a pharmacy, and during their hard work over the pandemic, found out they all had a love of Wentworth puzzles in common! To help de-stress after all the extra pressure they were under, they decided to swap puzzles with each other - the jigsaws included Butterfly Kaleidoscope (one of our beautiful shaped puzzles), VE Day 1945 and a stained glass quilt puzzle, to name but a few. They probably talked about their progress during their lunch breaks!

However we were really fascinated to learn that some Wentworth Wooden Jigsaws go even further afield, sometimes even thousands of miles, and thus the story of the travelling puzzle was born.

A Hadrian's Wall Holiday Puzzle

One of our customers commented on how she and her family took a puzzle on holiday with them, to a cottage near Hadrian's Wall. They decided to leave the puzzle there for other holiday-makers to enjoy. We wonder how many people have since completed that puzzle on their trip.

Puzzles Down Under

One of the furthest examples of a travelling puzzle we got given was a lovely lady who bought her very first Wentworth puzzle at the Royal Chelsea Show in 2011. She took this jigsaw with her to Australia a few years later, so this jigsaw puzzle went to the other side of the world!

A Canadian Christmas Tradition Born

A travelling puzzle started a tradition for one family. They were sent a Wentworth puzzle all the way to Canada in a Christmas goodie bag from their friends in the UK. Ever since, they've bought a Wentworth every year which they have delivered to them in Canada, and start on New Year's Eve.

How many people..?

Jigsaw Puzzles don't only travel far, but to many people as well. Starting on an online jigsaw forum in Germany, a bunch of keen dissectologists took it in turns to complete a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle before sending it on, and so far has been done by over 15 people and travelled all over Germany!