A Realistic Guide to Analog Living

A primer on analog-ish living for people who still need to check their email on the go. (Plus free punch card printables!)

It seems like everyone on the internet has simultaneously become enamored with the concept of analog living – eschewing technology, apps, and streaming services that are designed to hijack our attention and destroy our dopamine receptors.

And as much as I love this idea, it seems a subset of people are interpreting this as “get rid of all technology created after 1999 and live like a hermit.”

And look, I get the appeal. I really do. But for most of us, that’s not realistic. We need GPS. We need to text our partners. We need to check our email for work. We live in a digital world, like it or not.

My goal for 2026 is to go analog-ish. I’m setting time limits and deleting apps off my phone for focus, but I’m still going to enjoy a good Pinterest scroll. I’m reading more books, but I don’t feel bad about doing so on my Kindle because it helps make them more accessible.

I’m going to handwrite birthday cards and letters, but I’m still gonna text my mom every day, let’s be real. And as much as I love putting a record on at home, you’re not going to find me listening to a CD player or iPod on the train.

I’m not going to get a flip phone, nor am I going to spend money on a hunk of plastic to help me limit screen time when I can just set limits on my phone and have some self control (no shade, I get the appeal, but at a certain point you’re trying to be free of overconsumption by… consuming?).

If you, like me, are analog-curious but still need to exist in the current century, I’ve rounded up some easy ways to have a more analog life without becoming a total Luddite.

Don’t make your phone the first or last thing you see every day.

Get an alarm clock – there are so many cute ones now! – and let yourself wake up without immediately plugging into the dopamine machine. Charge your phone on the other side of the room, or in a completely different room. Spend the last 15-20 minutes before bed reading a book instead of diving into a doomscroll spiral. When you wake up in the morning, don’t reach for your phone first thing (this is my biggest vice!). Let your body and brain wake up naturally (well, as naturally as you can with an alarm clock). Consider getting dressed and getting a cup of coffee before you even check your phone. Baby steps!!!

Experiment with new hobbies.

Ideally ones that keep your hands busy and your mind off of social media. I really think that doomscrolling spirals stem from boredom more often than anything. Instead of automatically reaching for your phone, try picking up a book, or starting a craft project. Need some ideas? I rounded up a list of 31 analog hobbies to try in 2026.

Remove social media apps from your home screen.

It’s like junk food – if it’s in sight, you’ll eat it. Last week I removed the Instagram and Tiktok app icons from my home screen, and I think I’ve maybe been on Instagram once since then. It’s incredible how much of social media is just habit – you absentmindedly tap the app icon whenever you have a free second because it’s right in front of you, and then end up scrolling aimlessly for five, ten, fifteen minutes because social feeds are designed to hijack your attention. Bonus points if you delete the app off your phone entirely, but for me, removing it from my immediate line of sight worked wonders.

Make the computer a destination again.

My fellow millennials can remember when the computer was stationed in its own room in the house and you had to physically go sit there to use it. The advent of smart phones and social media have made the internet into the default constant background noise, as opposed to a destination that you could enter and exit. One of my goals for this year is to spend less time using my laptop on the sofa. For one, it’s destroying my back. But also, as someone who works from home half the week and has multiple internet-based side gigs, it provides a better sense of boundaries between professional and personal time. I’m doing my best to keep work at my desk, and keep the sofa for relaxing, reading, or crafts. (This is the goal that I’m least confident in, for the record).

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Go for a walk without your phone.

As long as you, uh, know where you’re going and feel safe not having your phone on you, of course. If not, then at least keep it in your pocket or bag and don’t look at it. I walk about a mile to and from work three days a week. Normally I put my headphones in to drown out the world and my thoughts. The other day I realized that I hadn’t charged my Airpods and they were very dead, so I had to rawdog my walk and – it was nice? I heard birds singing and kids chattering to their parents and actually noticed things about the world around me. It was lovely! I also tend to get a lot of good ideas popping into my head while I’m out on walks. As fun as it is to crank up the music and pretend you’re in an indie coming of age film, it’s worth it to leave the headphones off and your phone in your pocket every once in a while.

Create a reward system.

Remember Book-It? Back in elementary school, you could get a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut just for reading whatever amount of books your teacher set. (Side note, I just realized this program still exists and it made me unreasonably happy). Anyways, I’ve learned that a simple reward system still works wonders on the human psyche, even into adulthood. I suggest creating a punch card or points system wherein accomplishing tasks will earn you points towards a specified prize of your own choosing (personally my go-to is takeout from my favorite restaurant).

And to help you out on this journey, I created a few fun punch card templates for you to use, on the house. Edit them on Canva and print at home, easy peasy.

Turn off notifications for the apps that drain the most time.

I already had notifications off for Instagram, but I highly recommend turning off push notifications for various social media apps. My biggest one is actually email. I constantly get emails on my phone, which leads me to pick up my phone to check the notification, open my inbox to either delete or read the email, and then next thing I know I’ve been on my Tiktok FYP for 27 minutes.

Eat without your phone.

I’m so bad at this, I constantly have my phone in one hand while I’m eating, and am usually watching something on TV as well. RIP my attention span. I’ve been trying to leave my phone in another room, or at least put it face down out of reach until I’m finished with my meal. Because good lord, it takes what – 10-20 minutes to eat dinner? Do I seriously need to be scrolling Instagram, playing the Wordle

Get a real paper journal and write a few minutes each day.

Even if you’re not a writer (though you’re on Substack, so I can conclude you’re probably at least writer-adjacent). Jotting down your thoughts at the end or beginning of each day, in actual ink and paper, can really help clarify what you’re thinking. Plus, you won’t have the “oh wow my handwriting looks horrible” realization next time you have to write something down in front of someone.

Make phone-free plans.

Plan a crafty gathering, movie night, or other group activity and leave your phones in a bowl at the door. Get some of those cutie conversation cards if you’re feeling stumped, but just enjoy time spent with your friends, family, or partner. Not everything needs to be documented within an inch of its life!

What are your thoughts on the analog trend?

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