Just One More Piece ...

Fellow puzzlers, how many times have you been sitting at the table, totally enthralled in your latest jigsaw puzzle project, and suddenly you look up to see that it is getting close to bedtime?

What do you do?

Let me guess… You tell yourself, “Well, I’ve had fun this evening, but now it’s time to put this away for the night.”

WRONG!

If you are anything like us, then you probably say to yourself, “Wow, it’s getting late. Let me just find one last piece, and then I’ll put this away.”

We all know what comes next. Inevitably, “one last piece” turns into two more pieces. Then three. Then four. Pretty soon you’re up way past your bedtime, and your significant other, pet, etc. is beginning to wonder if you simply plan to stay up the entire night.

The truth is, it would not be difficult to go from dusk till dawn working on a jigsaw puzzle that you are really invested in. They really do have a way of getting their claws into you, and it can be very hard to just walk away when you are *so close* to completing an image.

The reality, though, is that the more you push yourself to stay up and find that “one last piece,” the less likely you are to actually find it. If you’re severely fatigued everything becomes harder, including puzzling, so know your limits. When you feel yourself beginning to wear down, just walk away. Get some rest, and come back to the table tomorrow, fresh and ready to find a whole lot more than just a single piece.

We know, we know… This is easier said than done. And hey, if you’re really close to actually finishing a puzzle, then by all means, feel free to push through to the end. But if you still have a ways to go, don’t sacrifice your health (or sanity). That puzzle will still be there for you to enjoy tomorrow, and the next day if need be.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, after all. So, go on, get some sleep!