Lessons from a jigsaw puzzle

My son brought a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle on vacation.

I became obsessed.

I was determined to take a real break from work this year. For too many years, I would get up at 6 a.m. on my vacation and clear my inbox every morning, ensuring that projects were moving along in my absence.

I vowed to stay out of my email, and instead turned my attention to the jigsaw. It consumed me.

For the next six days, I could be found bending over a coffee table, doing my best to get the tiny pieces to fit together. I was not alone. My wife – who loves puzzles and is far better than me in assembling them – enthusiastically led our efforts. My son’s girlfriend was also a puzzle fan and framed up the puzzle by taking care of the edges.

The puzzle (pictured above) features a scene in Venice with the Basilica of San Marco and the bell tower, a couple of gondoliers in their boats and a trattoria. There were large sections of blue sky and the aquamarine waters of the grand canal.

As we tackled the puzzle – the first in many years for me – I learned a few lessons that can be applied to my business life.

When you’ve got a big job, divide up the work

As noted, my son’s girlfriend assembled the edges. My wife focused on the cathedral while I worked on the trattoria. (The symbolism of our focus areas is not lost on me, by the way).

By dividing up the work and allowing each person to concentrate on their area of interest, we stayed out of each other’s way and made progress toward the overall goal.

Learn to take a step back

Leaning over that coffee table was not only rough on my back, it also affected how I saw the individual pieces. I learned that I could see pieces better after getting up and having a stretch or going for a walk the beach. More than once, I was able to spot a much-needed piece from four feet away instead of only a few inches away.

At work, we can all benefit from taking a short break from a project, and then looking at it from a different angle.

Get some new people on the project

My son – who bought the puzzle – did not spend as much time on the puzzle as the rest of us. But on several occasions, he walked up and immediately spotted pieces that fit together. Similarly, another friend spent the afternoon with us and dove straight in as we completed the puzzle, bringing new energy and a fresh set of eyes.

The lesson – don’t be afraid to ask people outside of your workgroup to give feedback on your project and make suggestions. There’s a good chance that they will bring new perspective and offer ideas that you had not thought of.

When it’s time to finish up, everybody needs to help. Then celebrate!

As we approached the end of our week, three of us sat around the table and took on the hard work of assembling the sky and water. Many of the pieces looked similar. As a result, sometimes you just had to pick up a piece and try it in various places and positions until you found the right spot. The work was detailed yet exhilarating as we reached the end. We cheered each other on and gave high fives as we put the last piece in place.

In business, completing project can be exhausting. Real life is not as tidy as finished jigsaw puzzle. It’s impossible to reach perfection, but it is important to celebrate success. Make sure you take that time to congratulate your team members as you complete your goal.

Make time for other activities

Although I was, admittedly, obsessed with the puzzle, it was not my sole vacation activity. We walked on the beach every day. We ate at some fine restaurants in Charleston, S.C. and strolled through its beautiful streets admiring the historic houses. We shopped, played board games, lifted our glasses, enjoyed the sun and took naps. We vacationed.

My phone tells me my screentime was down 85% for the week.?

That’s what I call a real success.