Let’s face it, we live in a digital world. Cell phones have made it easier to connect with loved ones, pay our bills, watch our favorite TV shows, and so much more. And while these technological advances can improve our daily lives tremendously, there are benefits to scaling back how much time we spend on our phones.
While it’s difficult (and often impractical) to live without cell phones, there are ways to limit screen time and return to a somewhat or mostly analog life. Committing to a few simple daily swaps, such as writing down grocery lists or flipping through a newspaper, can encourage you to put down your phone and be more present. By making these changes, you may also find that you feel less stressed and overwhelmed and have more time to do the things you love.
While a digitally limited life may exclude individuals who rely on technology for communication, transportation, and other daily necessities, if you can implement some of these changes into your life, our experts recommend giving an analog lifestyle a try. Ahead, two experts share the many ways you can live a more analog life—and the benefits of doing so.
Benefits of Living an Analog Lifestyle
A digital cleanse can help improve your quality of life and give you more time to focus on the world around you. “When our brains stop feeling frazzled by constant overstimulation, we are able to show up for the people we care about most,” says Katherine Martinko, creator of The Analog Family newsletter. “We are more likely to feel as if we’re using time and energy to our advantage, instead of frittering it away on meaningless entertainment.”
It can be exhausting to be constantly bombarded with information, which is what you get every time you look at your phone. “Everything is made to appear urgent. We humans are not wired to handle such a deluge of distraction,” says Marinko. “It breaks our train of thought, makes us less creative and curious, reduces empathy, and induces feelings of numbness. It can make us feel like we’ve lost control of our time and missed out on things we know would have been more valuable.”
Swapping out digital tools for analog ones gives your brain a mental reprieve from this noise. “Living a more analog lifestyle feels rejuvenating, compared to the dizzying drain on our senses that digital overload causes,” she says.
How to Live an Analog Lifestyle
If you want to limit your screen time, there are some simple swaps you can make that will help you live a digitally limited lifestyle. “The idea behind these analog swaps is to distill a particular task down to its essence, by getting rid of the potential distraction created by a smartphone,” says Martinko. “The fewer reasons we have to pick up our phones, the more liberated we will be from its siren song, and the more time and mental space it will create for us.”
Write By Hand
Rather than jotting down your thoughts on your phone or computer, try writing them in a notebook , if you’re able to. “Writing by hand always helps my ideas to flow, and once I have a bunch of ideas on the page, it’s fairly easy to pull them together into a coherent piece,” says Martinko. “Don’t underestimate the power of writing by hand, with a nice pen or pencil, on high-quality paper, to get those creative juices flowing.”
Frank Possemato, author of How to Live an Analog Life in a Digital World: A Workbook for Living Soulfully in an Age of Overload, adds that writing in a notebook helps keep important topics separate. “I can have a notebook for business and one for writing ideas. It’s different from writing on the same device I work from or pay bills and get alerts on, and that’s pulling me in thousands of directions every time I open it,” he says.
Peruse Your Cookbooks
When was the last time you found a recipe in a cookbook? Instead of gathering dinner ideas on applications like Pinterest or TikTok, Martinko recommends flipping through one of your cookbooks for inspiration. Plus, your favorite recipes will be easier to find later on than the random link you clicked on your phone a few weeks ago.
Buy an Alarm Clock
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Cell phones have built-in alarm clocks, making the need for a separate wake-up device obsolete. However, swapping your mobile phone for an alarm clock allows you to avoid using your phone at night and first thing in the morning. “Sure, a smartphone does an amazing job at being a ‘digital Swiss Army knife,’ but it’s almost impossible to set a bedtime alarm without getting sucked into looking at other content,” says Martinko.
Subscribe to a Newspaper
In a world where getting your news by doomscrolling on social media is the new normal, Martinko recommends subscribing to a few physical newspapers or magazines that you can leave around your house for others to read whenever they want.
Turn to Physical Media
Turning on a playlist or podcast when you’re bored can be done from your cell phone with the click of a button. To make this daily habit more intentional, consider swapping to physical media. “Physical media, like a CD or DVD, allows for a distraction free, ad-free experience, while also committing you to the choice you made of what to listen to, watch, or play instead of being overwhelmed by all the streaming choices,” says Possemato. This also applies to reading physical books instead of turning to an electronic reader.
Prioritize Physical Entertainment
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Rather than streaming a TV show or movie, prioritize entertainment that doesn’t require the use of a digital device. “Ensure that there are physical materials for hobbies and entertainment in your home, such as board games, puzzles, art supplies, musical instruments, sporting gear, and more,” says Martinko. “When there’s fun, interesting stuff to do around a house, you’ll be less inclined to reach for your phone and start scrolling to pass the time.”
Write Down Lists and Reminders
The next time you pick up your phone to jot down a reminder or important date in your Notes or Calendar app, write it down on a piece of paper or sticky note instead. Martinko recommends hanging a paper calendar on your wall, switching to a paper planner, and writing out grocery lists and meal plans in lieu of turning to your digital device. She says to keep sticky notes, notebooks, and pens in a common area of the home to make this task easier.
Send Physical Letters
Keep in touch with long distance friends and family members by writing them a letter. You can even try this with people you see every day, such as a partner or coworker. “It might seem strange writing to someone you talk to all the time,” says Possemato. “What will you say? Very likely, it won’t just be the things you say every day and can any time.” If you don’t have anyone to write to, he suggests finding a pen pal or writing to a longer person who is older or sick. “I promise it will mean something to them. And to you,” he adds.
Have In-Person Conversations
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While cell phones can be a great way to connect with loved ones who live far away or times you’re unable to leave the house, Possemato recommends taking time to have in-person conversations when you can. “Have an in-depth, face to face conversation with a friend, a family member, whoever, and agree to do it with no phones,” he says. “What a gift that it is that you’ve given to yourself and to the other person that, for the next two hours, your thoughts and your ideas get your full focus, just you and the other person attuned to each other.”
Take Time to Reflect
The digital world can cloud your perception of yourself, which is why Possemato recommends taking time for self-reflection without your devices. “The digital world is full of unlimited possibilities—unlimited jobs you could apply for, ways to potentially make money, places you could move, things you could buy, romantic matches you could pursue—and the best way to know which one of those countless roads to walk down is to already be secure in your analog self,” he says. “So when you go back to your device, you have a better idea of what you want to do.”
Rely on Your Memory
Cell phones and other digital devices can be a useful tool for individuals who have a hard time remembering important information, such as birthdays, doctors appointments, and phone numbers. But when and if you can, Possemato recommends giving your mind time to think instead of relying on your phone to remember when something happened or to look at pictures or a video to recall an experience.
Connect With Your Surroundings
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Take time throughout the day, be it 10 minutes or an hour, to observe your surroundings. “Go somewhere outdoors or look out your window,” says Possemato. “Doing this turns off the blur of the digital world. If you look at a tree for an hour, I promise, you’ll remember that one tree for the rest of your life. This activity helps you connect with the world immediately around you.”