You don’t have to get rid of your phone to go analog. You pick one stretch of time, like a Sunday morning, and do the paper version of things.
What does going analog mean?
Going analog means choosing the hands-on version of something you’d usually do on a screen. A list on paper, or a record played start to finish. It can be one evening or a whole day. Some people call it an analog life when the habit spreads.
How do you go analog without giving up your phone?
Choose a window of time and keep it small. An analog morning is the first half hour of the day, and an analog evening starts after dinner. Some people keep one analog day a week.
The phone stays on for calls. You reach for something else first. If mornings are your window, phone-free mornings covers the phone side.
The twenty analog activities below come from our list of 100 things to do instead of scrolling.
What are 20 analog activities to try?
For an analog morning
- Look up at the sky for 60 seconds (No. 2)
- Make your bed slowly and with care (No. 13)
- Eat a meal or snack in total silence (No. 15)
- Browse a magazine or newspaper (No. 94)
There are more in what to do in the morning instead of scrolling.
For an analog day out
- Go for a walk without headphones (No. 16)
- Visit a local bookstore or library (No. 54)
- Visit a local market or grocery store without a list (No. 56)
- Browse a local thrift shop (No. 58)
- Take an aimless bus or train ride (No. 51)
For an analog evening
- Prep a meal from scratch with no devices nearby (No. 71)
- Turn off all lights and use only candles or lamplight for one evening (No. 50)
- Play a card game or dominoes (No. 64)
- Listen to a full album start to finish (No. 79)
- Handwrite a note to someone you haven’t talked to in a while (No. 61)
- Plan a future trip, no screens allowed (No. 89)
For the last hour of the day, see what to do before bed instead of scrolling.
For any time
- Try out a new pen or notebook (No. 81)
- Start a “no-screen” journal (No. 83)
- Make a list of places you’d like to explore in your city (No. 88)
- Write a short note to your future self (No. 86)
- Flip through an old photo album (No. 93)
What does one analog day look like?
Here is a small one. Breakfast with the newspaper and no phone on the table, then a walk to the library without headphones. In the evening, dinner cooked from scratch and one album by lamplight.
That’s six ideas from the list. You could do two of them and still call it an analog day.
Is going analog the same as a digital detox?
No. A detox takes the phone away for a while, and then it comes back. Going analog adds things to your day and takes nothing away. For what the research says about breaks from your phone, see does a digital detox work?
What do you need to go analog?
Very little. A pen and some paper cover the last five ideas. Keeping a few things in one place helps, and that’s the idea behind an analog bag. If an activity sticks, it may become one of your analog hobbies.
Frequently asked questions
What are analog activities for adults?
Things you do with your hands or your feet and no screen. Cooking from scratch and playing cards both count, and so does a walk without headphones.
How do I start an analog Sunday?
Pick two activities the night before and leave what you need on the table. A newspaper and a deck of cards are enough. Keep the phone in another room until lunch.
Do I have to go analog all day?
No. One hour counts. Start with the part of the day when you scroll the most. What to do instead of scrolling, and how to make it stick explains how to pick that moment.
About Offline.now
Offline.now offers free help with your phone habits. It starts with two questions. Your answers show your type and a first step small enough to take this week. Find your starting place.
The ideas here come from the book Offline.now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance by Eli Singer. The book is on Amazon.
