Our Recipe for a Dose of Daily Joy
In March 2020, right in the middle of the first lockdown, we wrote a recipe for a lift out of the daily grind. Five years later, it turns out: some of those stopgap solutions have stuck around. Time to take stock.
Three things helped beat the boredom at home during the first Covid lockdown: rearranging the flat, starting a jigsaw puzzle, and daring to cook something that takes time. Sounds like a 2020 stopgap measure. And in part, it has remained. Anyone who unpacked a 1,000-piece puzzle or attempted a Sunday pot roast for the first time back then still does so today. What was once a crisis pastime has become a ritual for many. That’s exactly why this list is still useful.
- Rearranging the flat costs nothing and shifts your daily mood more than a weekly haul of new décor.
- The puzzle wasn’t just a lockdown flash in the pan: in 2024, adults account for about 55 percent of the jigsaw market-and the trend is stable.
- Slow cooking rewards patience over skill. A braised dish needs time, not dexterity.
- The habits that endured from 2020 are the ones that work without a screen.
Do you remember spring 2020? #stayhome was everywhere, the flat turned overnight into office, restaurant, and cinema all in one. Back then we recommended three simple tools against cabin fever. Today, with hindsight, two questions can be answered: which of those ideas were merely a sticking plaster for a few weeks, and which ones hold up regardless of any crisis? The answer is clearer than we thought in 2020.
Why Rearranging Your Space Works Better Than Buying New Furniture
Small changes can make a big difference. Since you spend most of your time at home, that’s the best place to start. And you don’t need new furniture to do it. Move the wardrobe to another wall, turn the armchair toward the window, finally hang those pictures that have been leaning against the dresser for months. The impact is huge, and the effort is minimal.
The reason is simple: we stop consciously noticing familiar spaces over time. Changing your perspective lets you see your room anew. An armchair suddenly bathed in light invites you to sit where there was once a dead corner. In 2020, this was a way to pass the time staring at the ceiling. Today, it’s the cheapest way to give your home a fresh feel without spending a cent. If you’re looking for a guiding concept, we’ve got you covered-from Scandi style to creating a bedroom that’s a true retreat.
The habits that stuck from lockdown are the ones that don’t rely on screens. Puzzles, pans, a rearranged room: analog, slow, hands-on.
The Puzzle Comeback That Wasn’t Just a Flash in the Pan
In spring 2020, puzzles became an overnight scarcity. Ravensburger, the industry giant from Oberschwaben, reported a sales surge of around 370 percent in the first weeks of lockdown compared to the previous year. Adult puzzles briefly climbed into Amazon’s top ten most-searched items, alongside toilet paper and hand sanitizer. That was the era when you might wait weeks for a specific motif.
What’s fascinating is what happened next: the hype didn’t fade. In 2024, adults accounted for about 55 percent of the global puzzle market, driven by people who discovered jigsaw puzzles as a way to slow down and counter endless screen stimulation. The market continues to grow, with forecasts projecting steady low-to-mid single-digit annual growth through the early 2030s. What started as a stopgap in 2020 has become a lasting hobby.
The appeal lies in the process itself. A puzzle can be done solo or with others, set aside, and picked up days later. It demands nothing and rewards patience. A podcast plays in the background while your mind unwinds. If you’re still hunting for the perfect listening companion, our sister magazine has put together the top five music podcasts to keep you company.
Trying New Recipes That Reward Your Time
What about dusting off an old recipe? The beauty of many dishes is that they require less skill and more time. A ragout, a pot roast, a sourdough starter. These meals simmer or rest for hours while you do something else. The aroma fills the home and builds anticipation for the meal all day long.
Looking back, 2020 wasn’t an isolated case. Surveys showed about seven in ten people wanted to cook more at home even after the pandemic. That intention has held: today, more than two-thirds of respondents worldwide cook regularly at home, partly because rising prices have made dining out more expensive. Slow weekend cooking has evolved from a lockdown pastime into a fixed ritual. If you’re aiming to bring structure to your week, we offer guides on meal prepping and ideas for seasonal dishes.
What’s Still Here from 2020
A single pattern runs through all three tips. What has endured is screen-free. The rearranged room, the puzzle on the table, the pot on the stove. Analog, slow, hands-on. In 2020, these were accidental discoveries born of necessity. Today, we know these small, tactile activities are among the most reliable antidotes to digital overload. You don’t need a state of emergency-just a free Sunday will do.
Quick Answers
▸Was the puzzle boom just a lockdown phenomenon?
No. The surge in 2020 was spectacular in the short term, but the habit has stuck. In 2024, adults accounted for around 55 percent of the puzzle market, and it continues to grow. Many people now puzzle deliberately as a way to slow down, not out of boredom.
▸What dishes work when I can barely cook?
Braises, ragouts, and sourdough creations. They require few steps, mostly time. You start them, walk away, and the result tastes as if you’d spent all day in the kitchen.
▸Does redecorating cost money?
Not really. The biggest impact comes from rearranging, not buying. Shift the sofa to the other wall, place the armchair by the light, finally hang those pictures. If you want a guiding concept, you’ll find ideas from Scandi style to eclectic mixes.
▸Why do these tips work even without a lockdown?
Because they’re screen-free. Puzzling, cooking, and a reshuffled room are slow and tactile. That’s exactly what best counters digital sensory overload-no crisis required.
