Creating the perfect LEGO® building space to let it all go

We might be biased, but we love building adult-focused LEGO® sets.

And no, before you ask, they aren’t 18+ because they’re rude or filled with swear words.

In reality, these more challenging sets offer an opportunity for builders to create something beautiful, connect (or even re-connect) with our passions, and simply escape from everyday routines into our own personal Happy Place.

And although we like to let the bricks do the talking, we do reckon there are a few ways to get the very best out of your very grown-up building experience...

4 ways to make your LEGO® build as rewarding as possible

1) Remove distractions

One of the best things about building a LEGO set as an adult is that it’s a perfect excuse for ‘you’ time.

As you get older, you get more responsibilities. Which usually means a lot less time to focus on yourself.

No longer, say we!

When you build an adult-focused LEGO set, you get to enjoy an experience that lets you tune out. So, try to create an environment where you can most easily immerse yourself in your build.

Yes, that might mean putting that EVER-so-tempting phone on silent and maybe switching off that TV (unless it’s a comfort movie you’ve seen at least a million times before.)

Keeping your mind on your build is a brilliant way to maximize its mindfulness potential.

2) Take your time

It’s unlikely you’ll finish your LEGO build in one session... but it’s just as unlikely that you’d want to, anyway! Think of it like having a big chocolate cake in the fridge: it lasts longer if you only eat one slice a day!

Indulging yourself over several build sessions can be a great way of bringing some brick-built calm across your busy schedule. So, don’t give yourself a deadline! There’s no rush, the LEGO bricks aren’t going anywhere (we designed them that way.)

Besides, our builds are handily divided into bags, so if you can’t devote more than an hour or so to building, you can just finish off a bag or two per sitting. It’s like meditating, right? Doing a little bit every day will really help you see the mindful benefits.

A fair warning – as you focus on your build, you might find time... misbehaving? LEGO builds are famously responsible for helping hours race by. So be sure to take refreshment breaks. Bricks are fun, but they aren’t known for their hydration qualities.

And of course, if you ARE the kind of person who, say, likes to binge a box set in a day, or eat a cake in one sitting, then don’t let us stop you building your new LEGO set in one go! The choice, as ever, is yours.

3) Pick your space

With mindfulness in mind, you should generally try to find a quiet space free of distractions, with low foot traffic. This will especially help if you need to build your set over several days.

And although more space is usually better, you don’t necessarily need to have loads of space to build your set! It’s a wonder what using trays and plastic hobby boxes can do to maximize limited space. Not only to help you lay out your pieces, but also to pack away quickly between build sessions.

Consider the lighting. Try to find a place with good, natural lighting. You don’t want it to be so dark that you can’t read the building instructions, but then again, super bright light might not make your building as calming as it could be. And ABSOLUTELY no strobes (before 9pm...)

4) Sound it out

What will you listen to as you build?

It might be your playlist of favorite songs, or your favorite albums (bonus analog points if you have a vinyl record player). People often find music without lyrics – especially classical music – provides a boost to their focus.

Others enjoy listening to podcasts. Indeed, for many of our LEGO Art sets, we produce accompanying podcast Soundtracks for builders to listen to as they build. Just search for “The LEGO Art Podcast” on Spotify or YouTube.

On that subject, if you search for our official Spotify artist page, you’ll find some of our carefully curated albums that can boost your build experience – from ASMR-inspired brickscapes to Lo-Fi, R&B (Rhythm & Bricks) records.

Of course, you might enjoy the chance to listen to... nothing! And simply take the opportunity to listen to your bricks clicking and unpacking (or should that be unbuilding) any thought that comes into your mind as you build.

And there you have it! 4 practical ways for you to create a super-rewarding, super-mindful build experience.

We’ve mentioned mindfulness a few times in this article – the increasingly popular practice of staying in the present moment and being aware of all our various thoughts in a calm way.

But there is no single way to be mindful. Some achieve it through meditation. Others find it through everyday activities. And plenty find it through repetitive, constructive activities. Like puzzles, painting-by-numbers, and – of course – LEGO building.

Mindfulness may be challenging to achieve, but with a LEGO set, that journey can begin with one simple click. We hope that putting our tips into practice will help you find your inner... piece.