Have you noticed how often you pick up your phone without even thinking about it?
All the time, right?
The analog lifestyle is having a moment right now, and honestly… I am so here for it!
If you’ve been on TikTok or any social media platform lately, you’ve probably seen the trend of spending less time online.
About a year ago I started noticing moments when I thought, I’m tired of scrolling. I am actually bored with social media. Which led me to the realization I needed to actually do something.
So I did. I started by buying a puzzle. Then I bought a physical journal. And then I found myself looking through the shelf full of cookbooks that I hadn’t touched in years, going to the craft store, the library, and embracing whimsy and romanticizing anything and everything.
More and more of us are craving a slower pace, less scrolling, and more actually living.
I don’t want to spend my days watching other people’s lives unfold on a tiny screen. I want to live mine.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still online. But a little less than before.
And it feels really, really good.
If you’re curious about trying an analog lifestyle, you don’t have to go all in. You don’t have to throw your phone in a drawer and disappear. You can start small. One tiny shift at a time.
Let’s talk about why it’s worth it… and how to begin.
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What Is an Analog Lifestyle?
An analog lifestyle simply means choosing physical, real world experiences over digital ones whenever you can.
It’s reaching for pen and paper instead of your Notes app. It’s going to the library instead of adding to your cart. It’s baking from a cookbook instead of watching ten recipe reels and making nothing.
It’s not about rejecting technology.
It’s about being intentional with it.
And if you’re already drawn to intentional living or slow living, this fits right in.
Why Go Analog?
Here’s what I’ve noticed personally, and what so many women are realizing right now.
It helps you feel present
When I’m working on a puzzle or kneading dough, I’m not multitasking. I’m not toggling between tabs. I’m there. Fully there.
It reduces comparison
Less time scrolling means less time absorbing everyone else’s highlight reel. More time living your own life means more joy in your actual, ordinary Tuesday.
It sparks creativity
There is something about using your hands. Writing, cooking, gardening, crafting. Your brain wakes up in a different way.
It slows your nervous system
So many mindfulness activities revolve around unplugging for a reason. Experts agree that the constant input keeps us on edge. Analog moments feel grounding.
It makes life feel special
Y’all know I love romanticizing life. Lighting a candle while you journal. Playing music on a record player. Sending an actual handwritten note. It feels charming. Nostalgic. Human. Special.
12 Easy Analog Activities
You do not need a total life overhaul. Pick one. Just one.
Go to the actual library or bookstore
Walk through the stacks. Smell the books. Pull something random off the shelf. Sit and read. There is something magical about physically browsing instead of clicking “add to cart.”
Independent bookstores especially feel like stepping into another world. Slow down. Flip through pages. Leave with something you didn’t even know you were looking for.
Cook from a real cookbook
Pull out a cookbook and actually cook from it. If you’re ambitious, set a goal to cook every recipe in one book. Imagine mastering one cookbook front to back.
I don’t know about you, but that feels crazy in the best kind of way.
Less scrolling. More Martha. More Ina. More Julia.
(Have ya’ll seen the movie Julie and Julia? I just watched in on my last cross country flight…I was totally inspired!)
Make an actual phone call
I know. We all prefer texting. It’s easy. It’s efficient. I’m guilty of it too.
But every now and then, make the actual call.
You can go so much deeper this way. You hear tone. You catch the pause before someone answers. You laugh at the same time. It feels human in a way that texting just doesn’t.
And if you really want to go wild… add a landline to your house. Gasp! There is something kind of charming about a phone that only rings at home.
Use an actual alarm clock
Instead of grabbing your phone first thing in the morning, try using a real alarm clock. The Hatch is a great option if you love a gentle sunrise wake up and calming sounds at night.
Keeping your phone out of your bedroom might be one of the simplest analog shifts you can make. Your morning energy changes when your first interaction isn’t email or social media.
Play music the old fashioned way
Turn on the radio. Use a record player. Pull out that old CD collection if you still have one. Better yet, play an instrument if you have one.
Let music fill the room without you holding a screen in your hand.
Use pen and paper
Write real lists. Journal in a physical notebook. Send postcards. Write letters.
How fun would it be to have a pen pal? I’ve been seriously thinking about this since reading The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. (Have y’all read this yet? It’s so so good. Ugh. I’m obsessed.)
There’s something so beautiful about thoughtful, slow communication.
If you’re feeling crafty, you could even use my reward punch cards to motivate yourself to unplug for certain hours of the week. Make it playful.
Print your photos
We take thousands of photos… and then they live in our phones forever. Print them. Make a collage. Start a scrapbook. Tape them into your journal. Create a photo wall in your hallway.
There is something powerful about holding a memory in your hands.
Grow something
An herb garden on your windowsill. A few flowers. A whole vegetable garden if you’re feeling bold. Tending to something living is about as analog as it gets.
Host something
Brunch with the girls. Sunday afternoon mahjong. A neighborhood potluck. A supper club. Book club (obviously my favorite.)
Face to face connection is medicine.
Join a club
Pickleball nights. Sunrise yoga. A creative writing group. A hiking club. There are clubs for literally everything now and there’s a reason Gen Z are turning to analog living as a form of real community.
It gets you out of your house and into real conversations.
Start a new hobby
If you need inspiration, my hobbies for women list is the perfect place to start.
Trying something new feels brave. It builds identity. You become someone who paints. Or bakes. Or gardens. Or hosts. Or reads.
And that shift matters.
Create an Analog Bag
Okay, I saw this idea floating around online and I love it. Fill a tote with go to analog activities so when you have 30 unexpected minutes, you don’t default to your phone.
Ideas to include:
- A coloring book and markers (On a budget? Print out some of my free gratitude coloring pages!)
- A real book
- A deck of cards
- Needlepoint, embroidery, or knitting supplies
- A journal (This is the one I bought.)
- A puzzle book with crosswords, sudoku, or Murdle
It becomes your intentional boredom plan.
You Don’t Have to Give Up Your Phone
Let’s be honest.
We live in a digital world. Our phones are tools. They connect us. They help us work. They let us stay in touch with people we love. I’m not pretending I’m off the grid.
The goal of an analog lifestyle isn’t elimination. It’s intention.
It’s choosing when and how you engage instead of reacting every time your phone lights up.
This is where boundaries come in. And boundaries are a form of self care.
We usually think of self care as bubble baths and face masks. But protecting your time, your focus, and your nervous system? That’s real self care. Setting limits around your screen time is just as nurturing as journaling or going for a walk.
Maybe it looks like:
No phone during your morning routine
Charging your phone outside your bedroom
Using an actual alarm clock instead of your phone
One screen free evening each week
Leaving your phone in another room while you read
Swapping 30 minutes of scrolling for one whimsical activity
Turning off non essential notifications
Small boundaries. Big impact.
When you create digital boundaries, you create space. Space for hobbies. Space for conversation. Space for creativity. Space for boredom even… which is where so many good ideas begin.
You can absolutely blend digital and analog in a way that works for your real life. This is not about being extreme. It’s about being awake to how you’re spending your time.
Start With One Thing
If all of this feels exciting but overwhelming, breathe. You don’t have to change everything overnight.
Start with one tiny shift.
Go to the library this week.
Bake one recipe from a cookbook.
Write one letter.
Make one phone call.
Print one batch of photos.
Put one notebook in your bag.
That’s it.
An analog lifestyle is less about nostalgia and more about intention. It’s about choosing to live your life instead of watching someone else’s.
More presence.
More connection.
More magic in the ordinary.
And I’ll be here cheering you on the whole way!
Ready to Live with More Intention?
You don’t need a total life reset. Sometimes the biggest change comes from small, thoughtful moments that help you slow down, feel centered, and reconnect with what really matters.
Download the Free 30 Days of Intentional Living Challenge!
Inside, you’ll find one simple prompt or mini action each day, all designed to take 10 minutes or less. Follow along day by day or jump around… whatever feels right for you. There’s no perfect way to do this. Just begin.
