Life, as perceived by the world for us professionals, begins in school, followed by university, before our careers take hold. It’s rarely an uneventful journey, with the constant tug-of-war between competition and emotional challenges life throws our way.
In school, there are the age-old battles between homework and playtime, leading up to the ultimate test – final exams. For a child, life is filled with fun, but also demanding, as the reality of growing up becomes more apparent. In this maze of uncertainty, where even a moment to sit down and casually doodle on a scrap of paper feels like a rare relief, I found comfort in old-school activities... in an activity book!
The activity book, with its white pages filled with black-printed mazes, dot-to-dots, puzzles, and riddles, became my haven. It wasn’t just a space for random scribbles; it gave purpose to my pencil. “When will the policeman catch the thief? How can the mouse get to his cheese? What hidden image will emerge from the numbered dots?” The thrill was endless. From kindergarten onward, I eagerly worked through countless activity books.
There were line drawings to colour, dot-to-dots that revealed hidden pictures when shaded, word-building exercises, and more. These books didn’t just entertain; they also nourished the mind, providing a sense of purpose, adventure, and achievement. The time a child might otherwise spend “wasting” wasn’t wasted at all. Besides being fun, these books were educational, teaching kids maths, English, art, and science. There were themed books on astronomy, paleontology, and history, offering a creative and hands-on approach to these subjects. I adored them, diving into a new activity whenever I could. As the years went by, more innovative books appeared – some that glowed in the dark or even played music. The joy of experiencing these 90s marvels is something I’ll never forget.
Reflecting on how activity books shaped my formative years, I realised that more advanced versions of these activities became a major part of my routine, later in life. Today, I still preserve this childhood hobby. As I juggle newsroom duties and home life, I make time for one of the many word search books I’ve collected. Given my editorial work, where I dabble with the intricacies of language daily, word searches provide the perfect mental break. The vertical and horizontal grids filled with jumbled letters, waiting to form words based on various themes, are both simple and complex. This activity sharpens my eye for detail and improves vocabulary, concentration, and patience.
For me, word search is what crossword puzzles and Sudoku are for others. I recall older people in our neighbourhood spending their afternoons solving crosswords and Sudoku in the newspapers. Their intellectual obsession with these puzzles made them a fixture of daily life, contributing to the popularity of newspapers back in the day.
Another activity that always tested my observation and perseverance is the jigsaw puzzle. Especially the large ones, with over a thousand pieces, which, when assembled, reveal a breathtaking image of a city, landscape, or nature. When I was younger, these puzzles were a group effort, taking an entire day or more to complete. Today, I enjoy piecing them together alone, with ambient music for company. When I need a break from jigsaw pieces, I turn to chess pieces. It’s not just playing the game on the board, but solving chess problems from books like Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess and GothamChess’ How to Win at Chess: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners and Beyond. This ancient game on 64 squares never gets old.
Most of us work between seven and nine hours a day, and between that and rest, we tend to glance at memes, clips, and posts on our phones. I’m no stranger to this habit myself. But when we encounter the fatigue of routine, simple, time-honoured activities that stimulate the mind and improve cognition are the perfect antidote. Above all, they encourage us to pick up a writing instrument again. So, pick up that pencil and take a break!
(The writer’s views are personal)