The ex-Meta employee shares how she’s finding joy in living slowly
In an age when being busy is often glorified, taking the time to live slowly and with intention can almost feel selfish. Not for Paris Zhao. The Hong Kong-based creator of Palette Puzzles, a jigsaw puzzle brand that is putting mindfulness at its forefront, transforms the works of female artists around the world into frame-worthy puzzles. Palette Puzzles’ collection currently comprises six calm and inviting jigsaws, including Home Together by San Francisco-based digital illustrator and architect Ceyda Alasar, who creates pieces based on simple moments in everyday life; and Girls’ Trip, a handpainted piece by Netherlands-based Dutch Egyptian illustrator Roeqiya Fris, whose work depicts diversity, female friendships and sisterhood. Each puzzle comes with a kit, including two puzzle trays, to make sorting fun and easy. This month, the brand is launching new designs in celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8.
Zhao’s project was born during the height of the pandemic in 2021. “The young me wanted everything fast, including fast cars and fast dates,” says Zhao, who is currently heading the APAC strategy and revenue operations for financial services company Stripe, and worked at Meta—formerly Facebook—from 2020 to 2022. “The word ‘fast’ [to me] became synonymous with energy, competitiveness and glamour. To be seen as leading a fast life was to be successful. I never understood people who said they enjoyed ‘doing nothing’,” she says. “I felt guilty just thinking about it.”
Her feelings were not uncommon. In a 2022 report by Gallup on the state of the global workplace, 54 per cent of respondents in Hong Kong said that they felt stressed at work compared to the world average of 44 per cent— this information, coupled with the pandemic, inspired Zhao to rethink her lifestyle. “Working from home forced me to slow down my pace. It gave my mind a break from the constant stream of content that usually surrounded me, especially with my previous role at Meta,” she says, adding that she often turned to puzzles to find inner peace.